LSU Football's Coaching Search Sees One Icon Ruled Out, Door Open on Lane Kiffin

LSU sent shockwaves across the college football scene on Tuesday night after elevating interim athletics director Verge Ausberry to a full-time role after dropping the interim tag.

Ausberry now steps in as the full-time athletics director following the news of LSU President Wade Rousse making his first significant decision after also being selected on Tuesday.

Across a five-hour stretch in Baton Rouge, LSU chose the university's next president and athletics director as the coaching search ramps up this week.

Now, as the chaotic month continues for LSU, college football analyst Josh Pate broke down the latest on LSU's coaching search.

Pate ruled out the return of an iconic college football figure while keeping the door open on Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin.

LSU Tigers Football: Frank Wilson. — Courtesy of LSU Football.

The Potential Candidate Ruled Out: Nick Saban

“It’s not going to be Nick Saban,” Pate said. “Last night my phone blew up with matters it never should have been blowing up in reference to. However, I understand how the message board culture works.

"So I had to spend a solid seven and a half minutes of my evening last night confirming Saban’s not getting back into coaching and he’s not going back to LSU. I accomplished that pretty quickly and pretty definitively.”

The Door Open on Kiffin Amid Change

“The Lane Kiffin name is out there,” Pate said. “The Lane Kiffin name, it’s funny because no decision is ready to be made. Doesn’t matter if he doesn’t want to come or he does want to come, there’s just no decision to be had right now, and I’m going to tell you why. Because Lane Kiffin is in the middle of a playoff run right now.

“So I know there’s been some rumors floating around that he was very turned off by the political theater that we all saw last week. Of course he was turned off by that. That’s not rumor, it’s fact. Who’s turned on by that? LSU fans hated it. Like who would possibly be turned on? That’s the bad news. Here’s the good news. I repeat: It’s Nov. 4.”

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Nov 1, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Alignment in Baton Rouge: New President and Athletics Director

“So if the governor keeps his mouth shut publicly about this you’re not going to hear another thing about him and about this for another month,” Pate pointed out. “And you’re going to get a legitimate search put together and it’s going to have a month’s worth of steam behind it.

"And then Lane’s going to finish his season, at least his regular season. And then when it comes time in late November, early December for the actual in-person interview to happen if you choose to have one and if he agrees to have one, that’s really when the decision will be made.”

Pate's Take: Could Lane Kiffin Wait It Out?

“My opinion on this has not changed. I don’t think Lane Kiffin knows whether he’s going to take that job if it gets offered to him,” Pate said. “I think it’s very theoretical, it’s 50,000-foot stuff, it’s floating around.

“There is no shame in just waiting it out. Let’s see how it settles. Let’s see how Verge does in the AD’s role. Let’s see how involved person A, B or C is in this search. Let’s see how I feel in a month. Let’s see how my season finishes.

"Let’s see if they’re OK with me making a run deep into January or if they want a guy named by mid-December. There are a million different variables. You don’t have to have it figured out right now, and I don’t think Lane does and I don’t think LSU does. That search, in many ways, is just now starting.”

More LSU News:

Elite LSU Football Commit Reaffirms Pledge Despite Ohio State, Ole Miss Pushing

Five Players LSU Football Must Keep After Brian Kelly's Firing, Including DJ Pickett

ESPN Insider Labels Lane Kiffin 'Top Target' for LSU Football, Florida Gators

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