Urban Meyer Ranks LSU Football, Florida Gators, Penn State Nittany Lions Job Openings

Meyer explained why the Nittany Lions come behind both Florida and LSU, coaching carousel heating up this fall.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Urban Meyer looks on during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The coaching carousel is in full swing this fall with the LSU Tigers joining the list of programs with vacancies after relieving Brian Kelly of his duties last Sunday.

Following the news, LSU joined the likes of the Florida Gators, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Arkansas Razorbacks as schools in search of a new decision-maker.

But the coveted job openings at LSU, Florida, and Penn State has social media swirling with potential candidates entering the mix left and right.

College football analyst Urban Meyer weighed in on the coaching carousel and explained why the Florida Gators have the No. 1 available gig.

“First of all, I must say that of all the blue bloods … they’re all open, I don’t know if that’s happened in recent history,” Meyer said on Big Noon Kickoff. “But I’d say just because of the LSU and Florida, because the talent level, the talent pool, is within a three hour radius of your school.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

“You have LSU, you have Florida. I would say Florida (is the best), just because of the dysfunction right now (at LSU). They don’t have an athletic director … Everybody loves (the governor) down there, but they better get an AD in place pretty quick before …

"Really good head coaches will walk away from this and say ‘I’m not sure I want to do that.’ Florida No. 1, LSU at (No. 2), Penn State No. 3. I just think it’s a little harder to recruit right now, just because the population shift has gone down south.

"You can’t just say Western, PA and Philadelphia and New Jersey. That’s kind of where they used to get their players. So I would go: Florida, LSU and Penn State.”

LSU has remained in headlines this week after the firing of Kelly on Sunday, but the saga grew once the university then parted ways with athletic director Scott Woodward just days later.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

With no head coach, athletic director, or university president in place, there remains "chaos" in Baton Rouge with it turning off potential candidates, according to Meyer.

Now, as the coaching search ramps up for the LSU Tigers, there remains a focus on bringing in a "culture fit" as the list of candidates grows for the program.

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