LSU has been named one of college football's toughest head coaching positions in a recent poll conducted by The Athletic. Here's why:
When people were developing arguments for why new LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin was likely to leave Ole Miss for Baton Rouge, they came easily. LSU is one of the powerhouse programs of the 21st century, with three national championships. Recruiting isn’t held back by money or location, as Louisiana currently has the sixth-most active NFL players at the start of the 2025 season.
But being LSU's head coach is a dual-edged sword. With a high pedigree and top-notch recruiting potential come the highest of expectations, which is why LSU received votes as one of the toughest jobs in college football in a poll conducted by The Athletic.
This question, asked to a number of college football coaches, personnel staffers and administrators, was interpreted in a few different ways. The teams with the most votes were the ones you would expect: programs stuck in conferences where they have consistently been unable to match the talent within them, teams like Stanford, Purdue, Vanderbilt, and Boston College.
The other side of the coin was a look at the top programs in the sport: LSU received three first-place votes, Alabama got one, and Ohio State got one. These are the jobs where the head coach seems unable to escape the hot seat unless he wins the national championship, and where making the playoffs is seen as the standard, rather than an achievement.
And these staffers are correct with their voting. If new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin can't make the College Football Playoff after a few years as the head man, he’ll likely follow in Brian Kelly’s footsteps, especially considering LSU’s plans to invest heavily to support Kiffin's efforts in building the roster.
This is the simple truth for many of the top programs in the country. If a coach can’t capitalize on some of the best resources that college football has to offer, those resources are handed off to someone who can. It’s a cutthroat way of looking at things, but the Tigers’ recent saga with Brian Kelly proves that it’s a reality.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football named among toughest jobs in college football
Category: General Sports
