Along with wondering who LSU's next head coach will be following the firing of Brian Kelly, LSU fans are keeping an eye on the future recruiting classes for the Tigers. When a head coach is fired during the season, it's not surprising to see committed recruits jump ship and look to play elsewhere. However, that hasn't been the case for LSU, as only one player has decommitted from LSU in the wake of Kelly's firing.
Latest development gives LSU fans hope of seeing Whit Weeks on the field again this season
The only player to decommit from LSU since Kelly's firing on October 26 is 4-star EDGE DeAnthony Lafayette, who announced his decommitment on November 9. Other than that, all of LSU's 2026 recruits are still on board. Other schools who have fired their coaches this season can't say the same.
The power of LSU's brand keeps top players committed during coaching change
According to Rivals, Penn State has seen 19 players decommit following the firing of James Franklin. Arkansas has seen 14 players decommit after Sam Pittman's firing, while Oklahoma State has had 10 players decommit after firing Mike Gundy.
Number of decommitments after head coach firings👀https://t.co/GAm3fvGAvf pic.twitter.com/FDZcvtuXCX
— Rivals (@Rivals) November 21, 2025
As it stands, LSU has the No. 12 recruiting class in the country for 2026 according to 247Sports. Several top players from the class have publicly pledged their allegiance to LSU since Kelly was fired. Most notably, 3-star offensive lineman Jalan Chapman told TigerRag "You don't go to LSU for the coach. You go to LSU because it's LSU. I'm a lil Louisiana boy, I wouldn't go no where else."
Chapman's quote is the type of energy that LSU fans love to see - and one that resonates with other recruits. As the lone power conference school in the state of Louisiana, LSU is the No. 1 destination for the top high school players in the state. LSU is the type of place that recruits itself, as opposed to relying on the head coach.
Furthermore, LSU has the history, resources, recruiting base, and fan base to be the greatest job in all of college football. As the coaching search continues on, potential Brian Kelly replacements are aware of all that LSU has to offer. The fan base is starving to compete for another National Championship, and keeping top recruits committed to LSU is a massive help in starting that process.