Lane Kiffin, Eli Drinkwitz, Jon Sumrall, Joe Brady and Marcus Freeman — those are just five of the most popular names around the city of Baton Rouge since the firing of LSU head coach Brian Kelly.
To the dismay of Tiger fans, none of those names will be at the helm when the Tigers face No.4 Alabama Saturday. This is where interim coach Frank Wilson enters the picture.
Wilson has head coaching experience that includes four seasons at UTSA and two seasons at McNeese State, totaling just a 26-40 record during those six seasons.
Saturday night in Tuscaloosa will be a new challenge for Wilson.
Wilson on Wednesday praised the success of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson but focused on the athleticism of the defense — a defense led by a familiar face.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack played for Wilson at Southern Miss when he was the running backs coach.
“I’m a better football coach and player because of my time with Frank Wilson,” Wommack said, adding that he has a “tremendous amount of respect for Wilson.
If a second-half surge is going to happen for Wilson’s Tigers, Saturday is the perfect opportunity for an upset. ESPN analytics currently give Alabama an 80.8% chance to win Saturday, but the Crimson Tide will likely get the best effort from a pumped-up Frank Wilson-led LSU team.
Wilson understands the challenge at hand as the interim, but he has an immense amount of confidence in his LSU squad.
“I like us. I really do,” Wilson said. “Saturday night will give us an opportunity to put all those things together to play what is still our best football, which is ahead of us.”
No. 4 Alabama will host the LSU Tigers under the lights on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT and can be streamed on ABC.
