The LSU Tigers moved on from Brian Kelly on Sunday Night, starting their search for a coach who can lead this program to a National Championship, which is the standard at LSU. The Tigers' search will be extensive as the Tigers will attract some of the top candidates in the Country. The biggest issue with firing a Head Coach in-season is the impact it can have on the future of the program.
While the Tigers search for a Head Coach, they'll be without a leader of the program likely until at least the end of Bowl Season or while the College Football Playoff is underway. While LSU searches for a Head Coach, Early National Signing Day will pass, and players will start thinking about entering the Transfer Portal.
Frank Wilson is the perfect interim to set up the next era at LSU
After firing Brian Kelly, the LSU Tigers named running backs coach Frank Wilson as their Interim Head Coach. While the LSU fans would love to win games, the biggest job for Frank Wilson isn't winning, but doing the best he can to get LSU through this period, bridging the gap until the next coach is hired.
Frank Wilson is a long time LSU assistant, serving as the running backs coach, Assistant Head Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator in his first stint with the Tigers from 2010-2015. Wilson then left to be the Head Coach at UTSA and McNeese State before returning to the Tigers in 2022. Wilson has spent time as a Head Coach and has been with LSU long enough to know the standard of the program.
The biggest task for LSU in the coming weeks is keeping their 11th-ranked recruiting class intact, the best they can. More likely than not, the Tigers will see some recruits flip, but keeping the In-State talent in this class is a must.
There hasn't been a more valuable recruiter for the Tigers than Frank Wilson, as his Louisiana roots have been key. Wilson has directly coached or recruited 47 future NFL Draft Picks during his time at LSU, including Leonard Fournette, Tyrann Mathieu, Jarvis Landry, and Odell Beckham Jr.
The Tigers currently hold 17 commitments in their 2026 recruiting class, 12 of those players are from Louisiana. Wilson will be a great resource for the program as the Tigers now try to keep the likes of Lamar Brown, Richard Anderson, Jabari Mack, and others all locked into this class.
If there's one thing that's become clear in the wake of Brian Kelly's firing, it's that he didn't love and appreciate the job like he should've. While Frank Wilson may not land the full-time job, there's no doubt that he loves LSU, which makes him the perfect leader for this team in an uncertain time.