Coaching hot boards are lining up faster than usual this season. Now, the LSU job rivals that of Penn State after Brian Kelly was shown the exit. There are, of course, the usuals who make an appearance on the list of candidates. Lane Kiffin and James Franklin are already there. But fans frustrated with the Kelly era are voting for a wild-card entry. He also happens to be coaching in Louisiana right now.

Lane Kiffin might be a little tired of how often his name pops up as the top favorite to replace fired coaches. He is definitely a good option, carrying the same potential as Brian Kelly did when he came to Baton Rouge. But this time, fans are turning their attention to someone else. Cole Cubelic shared the betting odds for LSU’s next HC recently. Surprisingly, it’s Tulane’s Jon Sumrall who leads the race, at 3/2. Sumrall might be a G5 candidate, but he sure can shake things up at Tiger Nation.

The USP that singles him out as the best is that he knows the SEC. Brian Kelly has no southern background, either natively or professionally (before LSU). Sumrall has coached as an assistant with Kentucky and Ole Miss in defense. He was even a top choice to head Troy football before Chip Lindsey was hired. He eventually bagged the role–his first as an HC–with the Trojans in 2021. And since then, Sumrall has yet to become a reason for major disappointment.

Sumrall went 23-4 at Troy in 2 seasons and also brought consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles to the program. That was enough for Tulane to make him an offer in 2023. He took a few hits in 2024, going 9-5, but they were only against the bigger players. The Green Wave was 7-1 in the conference, standing second. This year, he’s at a commanding 6-1, once again at No. 2. LSU might strike gold with Jon Sumrall. His already existing connection with the state is something that can be of immense help to LSU.

He has already shown his recruiting prowess this year by getting Jake Retzlaff in for Darian Mensah. In the 2026 cycle, Sumrall has landed 4 Louisiana targets, his best being 4-star receiver Trez Davis. He hauled in a total of 10 state recruits for his 2025 roster–including transfers. In fact, Santana Hopper, who happens to be a key DL for the Green Wave, joined the program after Sumrall was vetted by his Appalachian State D-line coach, Eric McDaniel. He assisted Sumrall for just one season at Troy.

He’s not a flashy name, but he’s proven to win, is ready to make the jump to P4. More importantly, he doesn’t even have to leave Louisiana and has a grip on the South. Tulane signed him initially until 2029, on a $3 million annual salary. Though he was slated to earn $18 million by that time, Tulane was convinced to extend his contract, which happened in 2024 itself. Sumrall might not be inclined for a move up just yet.

Jon Sumrall’s mindset hinders Brian Kelly’s replacement plans

West Virginia, North Carolina, Purdue, and UCF targeted Jon Sumrall last year, per The Athletic. The HC then confirmed to ESPN that he wasn’t looking at any of those offers. He even reshared the Pete Thamel report with a Wolf of Wall Street GIF that said ‘I’m not leaving.’ But with the level of at-risk jobs lining up before the season itself, Sumrall was once again asked about why he is choosing to stick with Tulane.

“I’m a believer in ‘be where your feet are.’ Like, I’m not looking anywhere else other than right where I’m at,” he said at the American Conference Kickoff. “I’ve found often in life that you may be in a situation and look across the fence and see somebody else’s grass and think it looks a little greener, and you might go over there and find out the grass is fake. Right? It doesn’t always make you happier,” he added. Those words come from a head coach who only had one prior stint at that level before Tulane.

He’s made the jump once and would like to ride it out until he sees fit to think otherwise. At Tulane, Jon Sumrall is gearing up for next-level competition. He already came close to making the playoffs last year, which would have made program history. This year, he’s still in contention to book a slot as a G5 team. LSU will surely look at the best people to replace Brian Kelly. But the program’s best bet might be sitting right under its shadow.