LSU’s hire will be judged by how well Billy Napier does in Florida

Whether it is fair or not, it feels like the eventual LSU hire will be judged by how well Billy Napier does. The Tigers opted not to hire a coach in their own backyard allowing him to head east to Gainesville. Many in the media pointed to Napier time and time again, present company included.

But did the LSU administration view a Group of Five hire as beneath them? Or were they simply not interested? We may never really know which way it was for athletic director Scott Woodward and the decision-makers on the Bayou.

Regardless, how Napier performs with the Tigers’ annual opponents will be used to criticize LSU, at least in theory. If he is able to use his Louisiana ties to tap into the recruiting hotbed, it will be viewed as a whiff for the Purple and Gold. Especially if he comes out and starts winning in the SEC East and against LSU each October.

Many view the LSU job as better than Florida based on resources and them being the only Power Five school in the state. If those talented players from the New Orleans area and even around Lafayette choose to wear blue and orange, a lot of criticism will find its way to Woodward.

The hope here is that the Tigers have their guy in place and are preparing to make an announcement. There seems to be no movement on the LSU front as Woodward has kept a lot to himself. Whatever the case may be, if they whiff on this hire, it won’t only be the coach that feels the heat.

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