The LSU Tigers’ coaching carousel is spinning into overdrive, sending seismic ripples through the SEC and beyond. On November 22, 2025—mere weeks after a humiliating 49-24 home collapse to Texas A&M that dropped the Tigers to 5-5—sources confirm Athletic Director Scott Woodward (not Verge Ausberry, who serves as Deputy AD) has greenlit a high-stakes pursuit of Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire as a prime candidate to replace embattled head coach Brian Kelly. McGuire headlines a shortlist of four targets, blending rising stars with proven SEC grinders, amid whispers of Kelly’s impending pink slip before the season’s end. With LSU’s $10M+ NIL war chest and Death Valley’s siren call, this isn’t just a search—it’s a statement: The Bayou wants a splashy reboot, politics be damned. As the Tigers limp toward a Florida finale on November 29, boosters are buzzing: Could McGuire’s West Texas fire ignite a Tiger revival? 🏈🐯
The Timeline: From Kelly’s Fast Fade to Frenzied Fire
Brian Kelly’s LSU honeymoon ended faster than a Heisman snub. Hired in a $100M splash from Notre Dame in 2021 (the highest-paid coach at $9.5M/year), Kelly delivered a 10-4 debut with Jayden Daniels’ 2023 Heisman magic and three straight bowls. But 2025? Catastrophe: A 34-14 Ole Miss rout, back-to-back A&M and Alabama whiffs, and a locker room “fractured” by portal exits (top WR Kyren Lacy to Miami). On October 26, Woodward pulled the trigger post-A&M, naming OC Frank Wilson interim amid a $30M buyout mess—Kelly’s fighting it tooth-and-nail, per ESPN’s Chris Low, citing “guaranteed” clauses tangled in state politics (Gov. Jeff Landry’s meddling echoes Huey Long lore).
Enter the hit list: Woodward’s war room, fueled by $200M+ in Tiger Athletic Foundation pledges, has eyes on four coaches to “reclaim SEC supremacy.” McGuire? The wildcard. The 49-year-old Lubbock legend (6-3 at Tech, No. 6 CFP at 10-1) turned a 2022 dumpster fire (7-6) into Big 12 contention, with QB Behren Morton’s 3,000+ yards and a tortilla-tossing fanbase that rivals LSU’s lunacy. “Joey’s energy? Pure Bayou,” a source told On3. But Tech mega-booster Cody Campbell fired back on X November 17: “Sorry, bub. Good luck with your search, but @JoeyMcGuireTTU isn’t going anywhere.” [2] Private jets from Baton Rouge touched down in Lubbock twice this month—denied by Woodward, but whispers persist.
The full quartet? Insiders leak:
• Joey McGuire (Texas Tech): The people’s choice—Texas recruiting wizard (top-20 2026 class), cultural fit (former HS coach with “heart”), eyeing $12M+ at LSU. Downside? Big 12 CFP push (vs. WVU Nov. 29) locks him short-term.
• Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss): The white whale. Ole Miss’ 10-1 maestro (Egg Bowl Nov. 28) is “the focus,” per FootballScoop, with Ed Orgeron as DC enticement. Kiffin’s coy: “Why would I not coach next week?” on McAfee. $15M bait? Irresistible, but Rebels boosters (and Layla’s Florida ties) complicate.
• Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri): SEC safe bet—9-2 Mizzou (upset No. 8 Alabama), offensive guru with NIL savvy ($8M/year current). “Off-brand Kiffin,” quips USA Today; LSU fallback if Lane bolts.
• Matt Campbell (Iowa State): The grinder—8-3 Cyclones, Big 12 dark horse. Proven builder (bowl every year), but lacks Kelly’s flash; $7M enticement for stability.
Woodward’s urgency? Portal opens December 9; early signing December 4. Kelly’s holdovers (QB AJ Swann’s decommit to Oregon) bleed talent—must stem the tide.
McGuire’s Allure: From Wreck ’Em to Geaux Tigers?
Why Joey? He’s Kelly’s anti-thesis: Relatable everyman (UIL HS titles at San Antonio Lee) vs. Kelly’s corporate cool. At Tech, McGuire’s “Culture Eats Strategy” mantra flipped a 2021 7-6 malaise into 2025 CFP contention—48-9 UCF rout November 15, RB Tahj Brooks’ 1,200 yards. Recruiting? Texas pipeline gold (five-star LB Danny Stutsman locked). LSU boosters salivate: “He’d own the state,” per a TAF insider. But Lubbock’s loyal—Campbell’s checkbook vow echoes McGuire’s post-win vow: “This is home.” X lit up: #McGuireToLSU trended regionally (20K mentions), countered by #StayJoey (Tech fans: “Dumpster fire in BR—pass.”).
Kelly’s shadow? Massive. His 34-14 ledger (19-10 SEC) crumbles under 2025’s 5-5 skid, but lawsuits loom—state AG’s “contract sanctity” probe could drag to 2026. Saban gauge? A polite “no thanks” October 27.
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