Could LSU football hire Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel?

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LSU football is swinging for the fences in its search for a new head coach. LSU is one of the best jobs in college football and the Tigers have the resources to woo a sitting Power Four head coach.

Rumors continue to swirl around Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, the hottest name in this year’s coaching cycle.

There’s always a surprise. At least one coach always creates a shock, leaving a major Power Four gig for another. Brian Kelly did it in 2021, when he left Notre Dame to take over LSU.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel’s name has been the subject of speculation, but nothing more. There’s yet to be any concrete reporting or indication that he wants out of Tennessee. Could Heupel be this year’s shocker? And if he is, could LSU be the destination?

LSU wants to hire a proven Power Four head coach, but the Tigers have competition on the carousel. Florida, Auburn, and Penn State are also looking for new coaches and will be looking at many of the same candidates as LSU. If Kiffin ends up at Florida and Penn State hires Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, the Power Four options begin to dwindle.

That’s where LSU could turn its attention to Heupel.

Heupel returned Tennessee to relevance upon arriving in Knoxville. Heupel took over a team that won three games in 2020 and had a winning record in his first year. Year two, Heupel led the Vols to 11 wins, including a win over Alabama. Heupel has built a consistent program at Tennessee and made the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Heupel is recognized as one of the top offensive minds in the sport. Tennessee led the nation in scoring offense in 2022 with 46.1 points per game. Last year, the Vols ranked top 15, and this year, Tennessee is back in the top five with 43.6 points per game.

Heupel’s offense gives his team a high floor. No matter who Heupel hires as a coordinator, his side of the ball will be effective. LSU hasn’t had a coach like that since Nick Saban. Les Miles, Ed Orgeron, and Brian Kelly relied on strong coordinators.

Heupel has proven he can recruit, too, upping the talent level in Knoxville.

If Heupel ever was considering leaving, Tennessee would go all out to keep him. The Vols haven’t had sustained success like this in years. Heupel probably doesn’t have much reason to leave either. Tennessee is a place where you can win a national title.

But it’s called silly season for a reason. If LSU misses on other candidates or Heupel thinks it’s easier to build a national title roster at LSU, you never know what can happen this time of year.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Could LSU football hire Tennessee coach Josh Heupel?

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