Frank Wilson
If LSU wanted to hire someone more familiar, Wilson would be a strong choice as one of the fastest rising Group of Five head coaches in the country.
After rising through the coaching ranks as an offensive assistant, Miles brought in Wilson to the LSU staff prior to the 2010 season. Wilson, a native of New Orleans, served as LSU’s associate head coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2010-2015, and was a major key in bringing in a number of talented classes to Baton Rouge during that period.
That put Wilson on the radar as a head coaching candidate, and he took a difficult job at UTSA ahead of the 2016 season. The Roadrunners made the jump to the FBS level in 2012, but had yet to get off the ground with a 26-32 record prior to Wilson’s arrival.
Wilson helped the Roadrunners reach their first bowl game last season with a 6-7 mark, and they played Power Five teams like Texas A&M and Arizona State tough. This year looks even better for UTSA, which sits at a perfect 3-0 and earned a win over Baylor to begin the season.
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LSU’s talent level would not fall off under Wilson, who was named the 2011 National Recruiter of the Year and helped the Tigers bring in back-to-back top five classes in his final two years. It wouldn’t be a splash hire like Kelly, but Wilson is quickly proving himself as a capable head coach to complement his recruiting prowess.