2. Billy Napier, Louisiana head coach
Why Billy Napier will be the next head coach at LSU: Napier was the high-rising assistant at Clemson, and later Alabama, and later Arizona State, but he was considered a bit young and with no head coaching experience when the Sun Devil coaching gig came open after the 2017 season.
ASU went with Herm Edwards, and Napier landed at Louisiana where he’s won 33 games in just over three years, has gone 26-5 in his last 2.5 seasons, and he took the program to a top 15 finish last year.
He might not have the high-octane passing game style LSU might like, but he’s been able to create a killer ground attack with what he had to work with, and he’s stuck with it.
The success is there, but there’s obviously a limit on what he can do in the Sun Belt.
Why Billy Napier won’t be the next head coach at LSU: Is coaching a Sun Belt team to success enough to make the giant jump up to the LSU gig?
He’s still only 42 and there might be a thought that he’s one mid-level Power Five coaching run away from being ready to step into the monster that’s this LSU job and all it entails.
Whatever – he’s really good. However, he’s more likely going to be the guy who replaces the guy who takes over the LSU job, like at …