With LSU football and Head Coach Ed Orgeron announcing their split after this season, it brings questions as to who will take over coaching duties next season in Baton Rouge.
Names that continue to come up to fill the void are Penn State’s James Franklin, Michigan State’s Mel Tucker, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin and more importantly, our leader, Coach Billy Napier.
Napier’s instant success in Lafayette, along with domination in the recruiting game, makes him an immediate candidate for most Power Five head coaching vacancies. Being on staff at Clemson, Arizona State and Alabama, Napier has no shortage of high-profile coaching experience.
Gaining his first head coaching gig in Lafayette, he hasn’t looked back. Taking the Cajuns from a good program to a great program in roughly three seasons, Napier’s name has been hot in most coaching vacancy spots.
His love for this city runs deep. Receiving looks from Auburn, Tennessee, South Carolina and Mississippi State, Napier hasn’t blinked at any of the SEC schools calling him regularly. Now, the real question comes: Does he show interest in the LSU head coaching gig?
It’s about as prominent of a position as one could have in the college landscape. Just two years removed from winning a national championship, LSU is as dominant as they come in college football.
Napier seems like a realistic fit to take over for the Tigers. From a recruiting perspective, his Louisiana ties could help LSU continue reloading deep talent from all over the state. One thing the Tigers love to do is keep Louisiana talent close to home. With Napier already killing the recruiting game for the Cajuns, it seems like a match made in heaven.
Leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first ever AP Poll ranking, Napier has put this program on notice with the rich talent he seeks through the transfer portal and all around the south. It’s hard to imagine what he would do with the consistent four and five-star recruits LSU reels in each year.
Napier has been on the radar of SEC schools for the last few seasons, but has stayed loyal to the school that has given him his first chance at being a head coach. For LSU, Napier may not be the flashy hire Tiger fans are looking for, but his instant success in Lafayette and rich recruiting ties in Louisiana could make him a good fit for Baton Rouge.
As the success keeps brewing in Lafayette, Cajun fans have to appreciate the legend of Billy Napier while we can. As successful as he is, with a resume growing as quickly as his is, the Power Five calls and offers will surely be rolling through over the next few months.