LSU football coaching candidates: 3 most realistic options to replace Ed Orgeron
By Ethan Lee
3. Would Luke Fickell be interested in leaving Cincinnati for LSU?
LSU is one of the premier college football coaching jobs in the country, but how desirable would the opening be for someone like Luke Fickell, who seems pretty content in the Midwest? At the end of the day, that may depend on whether or not Fickell believes Cincinnati has hit its ceiling and if the Bearcats can actually make it into the College Football Playoffs this season.
The fact that Cincinnati has earned a spot in the College Football Playoff discussion is incredible and there’s a very real chance that Fickell actually gets his team there this season. The Bearcats have an impressive resume and have been built to succeed at a high level.
Cincinnati fans will hate seeing their coach’s name consistently brought up and nobody should blame them for that. From the outside looking in, Fickell truly seems to love his team and the region. It’s hard to imagine him leaving, but it’s also hard to imagine him sticking around at Cincinnati forever as more prominent jobs keep calling for him.
He’s accomplished remarkable feats with the Bearcats and, because of that, will have the opportunity to go out and get any job he could ever want. USC is right there, likely ready for him to step in and start winning for them. LSU would be in the same sort of position if/when the Tigers make the decision to officially move on from Orgeron.
Fickell has proven he’s able to turn programs around after stepping into Cincinnati and winning 11 games in his second and third seasons. In 2020, the Bearcats went toe-to-toe with Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, ultimately losing to the Bulldogs in a close and thrilling matchup.