Brian Kelly to LSU?

[Dr. von Yinzer]

Right, but LSU still has a much larger fan following than Florida State and it still plays in the best conference in college football. LSU is just a better job than Florida State. That's not a slap at FSU, it's just reality. Also, as I have said about 30 times now, I don't think Fisher is going to make the move. However, it is not a lateral move, IMHO. It is definitely a step up the ladder.

 

[PhPanther1]

Right, but LSU still has a much larger fan following than Florida State and it still plays in the best conference in college football. LSU is just a better job than Florida State. That's not a slap at FSU, it's just reality. Also, as I have said about 30 times now, I don't think Fisher is going to make the move. However, it is not a lateral move, IMHO. It is definitely a step up the ladder.

Why do you think LSU has the larger fan following? I'm curious if there are facts to back that up. I know when I was growing up, you folllowed the U or you followed FSU. I would expect FSU to have a much larger national fanbase than LSU.

 

[DanC78]

Right, but LSU still has a much larger fan following than Florida State and it still plays in the best conference in college football. LSU is just a better job than Florida State. That's not a slap at FSU, it's just reality. Also, as I have said about 30 times now, I don't think Fisher is going to make the move. However, it is not a lateral move, IMHO. It is definitely a step up the ladder.

It is a step up, and not a lateral move.

But the degree of how much of a step up it actually is from FSU to LSU is marginal. If there is an area that's more than marginal between the two schools, it would be with money...which is basically the same as fanbase.

LSU has much deeper pockets and can, and will, pay coaches and assistant coaches better than what FSU can do today. Right now FSU has to react to the market when it comes to what assistant coaches should be paid. Schools like Bama, LSU, and Texas can be proactive and set the market worth for assistant coaches. Schools like this raise the bar, and then FSU has to do a call blitz to all of our top donors asking for more cash. At some point one would think the calls will stopped being answered....or at least slower to pick up if not winning.

As an FSU fan, this is what scares me. Jimbo wants to win. And he knows in order to win he needs to be able to hire that best available coaches out there, just like he knows that we need to recruit the best available players out there. The difference with coaches and players, is the obvious. Good coaches are hard to find, and when you do get them, you better pay. We struggle with this.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

Why do you think LSU has the larger fan following? I'm curious if there are facts to back that up. I know when I was growing up, you folllowed the U or you followed FSU. I would expect FSU to have a much larger national fanbase than LSU.

Florida State does fine. Last year they averaged approximately 73K fans per game in a stadium that holds around 82K. Conversely, LSU averages approximately 102K fans per game and its games are always sold out.

The Tigers also consistently have better television ratings. Here, see for yourself.

What conclusions would you draw from this data? Now, there are mitigating factors like opponents, team quality, schedule, weather, etc. However, those things are typically going to break even or go LSU's way far more often than not.

It's just a better job - and there's no doubt about that. However, if people choose to disagree because of how things were when Deion Sanders was at his height of popularity, I'm fine with that too.

 

[DanC78]

Why do you think LSU has the larger fan following? I'm curious if there are facts to back that up. I know when I was growing up, you folllowed the U or you followed FSU. I would expect FSU to have a much larger national fanbase than LSU.

We don't...LSU has many generation of fans that contribute. You have to remember that FSU is actually a very young program when you look at the big picture. The years you are refereeing too, were the very beginning years for our program. We did not have a large legacy fanbase like LSU, BAMA, and UF. Our passionate fans that are willing to give to the program are still moderately young and just now reaching their max potential financially. Our kids have not made it out of college yet, and certainly aren't boosters.

So while people loved watching us, the only way it actually helped the university financially, was through tuition. And many of those fans did go to school at FSU etc. But like mentioned above, we are just now growing the boosters to a level of the SEC schools.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Why do you think LSU has the larger fan following? I'm curious if there are facts to back that up. I know when I was growing up, you folllowed the U or you followed FSU. I would expect FSU to have a much larger national fanbase than LSU.

I wouldn't doubt it. LSU has the entire state where Florida State essentially rules the rural panhandle of Florida and is outnumbered by Florida fans in the rest of the state. FSU is like Clemson and Oklahoma State...large/strong fan bases outnumbered in their own state by the dominant program. FSU does have a super strong reputation nationwide, maybe larger than LSU's. I'm not sure if that is something you can measure though.

All that being said, I still think FSU is an elite job that is only going to get better. You have to remember they have only been a nationally relevant team for about 35 years and have won 3 NCs in that span. LSU has three in school history.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

It is a step up, and not a lateral move.

But the degree of how much of a step up it actually is from FSU to LSU is marginal. If there is an area that's more than marginal between the two schools, it would be with money...which is basically the same as fanbase.

LSU has much deeper pockets and can, and will, pay coaches and assistant coaches better than what FSU can do today. Right now FSU has to react to the market when it comes to what assistant coaches should be paid. Schools like Bama, LSU, and Texas can be proactive and set the market worth for assistant coaches. Schools like this raise the bar, and then FSU has to do a call blitz to all of our top donors asking for more cash. At some point one would think the calls will stopped being answered....or at least slower to pick up if not winning.

As an FSU fan, this is what scares me. Jimbo wants to win. And he knows in order to win he needs to be able to hire that best available coaches out there, just like he knows that we need to recruit the best available players out there. The difference with coaches and players, is the obvious. Good coaches are hard to find, and when you do get them, you better pay. We struggle with this.

A very reasonable opinion. I agree almost entirely.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

I wouldn't doubt it. LSU has the entire state where Florida State essentially rules the rural panhandle of Florida and is outnumbered by Florida fans in the rest of the state. FSU is like Clemson and Oklahoma State...large/strong fan bases outnumbered in their own state by the dominant program. FSU does have a super strong reputation nationwide, maybe larger than LSU's. I'm not sure if that is something you can measure though.

All that being said, I still think FSU is an elite job that is only going to get better. You have to remember they have only been a nationally relevant team for about 35 years and have won 3 NCs in that span. LSU has three in school history.

I agree with this too. Florida State is a GREAT job. If Fisher does jump to LSU - which, again, I do not foresee happening - they will have no problem whatsoever finding a quality successor.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

I am hearing from am LSU trustee Franklin wants the LSU job bad

He's tired of solitary confinement up in the Nitterville cowpasture! His wife must be climbing the walls. It takes a certain kind of person to enjoy that town.
Wife and I would like it except for the Nitters because we hunt, fish, mountain bike, and golf. I doubt Frankie football does any of that stuff which means all he has to do is watch football film?

 

[CaptainMurphy]

DanC78, I grew up in Tallahassee on FSU football starting with the Chip Ferguson and Danny McManus years. Back then it was just the two grandstands and the erector set facade. Those early FSU teams remind me a lot of the Pitt glory years teams from 76-83. Its too bad Pitt couldn't sustain the success but then again we didn't have a Bobby Bowden. And even if we did, I'm sure our administration at the time would have found a way to run him off.

 

[DanC78]

DanC78, I grew up in Tallahassee on FSU football starting with the Chip Ferguson and Danny McManus years. Back then it was just the two grandstands and the erector set facade. Those early FSU teams remind me a lot of the Pitt glory years teams from 76-83. Its too bad Pitt couldn't sustain the success but then again we didn't have a Bobby Bowden. And even if we did, I'm sure our administration at the time would have found a way to run him off.

Those were the days.

And to honest. I know nothing about Pitt. The original post within this thread was linked on the yahoo.com main page. I didn't even realize I was on the Pitt boards until after my first post...ha!

I have family from Pittsburgh. We visit once a year. I like the city pretty well. Although I am upset that Buffalo Blues closed up. I liked that spot!

 

[Jpripper88]

It is a step up, and not a lateral move.

But the degree of how much of a step up it actually is from FSU to LSU is marginal. If there is an area that's more than marginal between the two schools, it would be with money...which is basically the same as fanbase.

LSU has much deeper pockets and can, and will, pay coaches and assistant coaches better than what FSU can do today. Right now FSU has to react to the market when it comes to what assistant coaches should be paid. Schools like Bama, LSU, and Texas can be proactive and set the market worth for assistant coaches. Schools like this raise the bar, and then FSU has to do a call blitz to all of our top donors asking for more cash. At some point one would think the calls will stopped being answered....or at least slower to pick up if not winning.

As an FSU fan, this is what scares me. Jimbo wants to win. And he knows in order to win he needs to be able to hire that best available coaches out there, just like he knows that we need to recruit the best available players out there. The difference with coaches and players, is the obvious. Good coaches are hard to find, and when you do get them, you better pay. We struggle with this.

Yep. This is honest and correct. Although, I will say, LSU doesn't exactly have years of great success, from back in the day, either. They had the McClendon years, but they won the conference once and never 10 games. They were basically an average program until Nick Saban came along. Now they can be a power, tapping into that amazing Louisiana talent pool, but the legion of fans and donors is because they were essentially the only game in town (like with recruiting) and not because they were successful.

 

[Jpripper88]

This basically comes down to whether Fisher believes the budget and resources to build an even better staff at LSU, trumps the much easier path in the ACC. Although, this could be a good time to make the jump. He can at least be a 8-10 win team the next couple years, Saban may retire, and then boom you become the top dog in the best conference with unlimited potential.

LSU will and is making a push, but I just think that path is so much easier at FSU, it would be tough to jump now, when Saban could easily stick around another 5-6 years.