List of LSU Tigers head football coaches

The LSU Tigers college football team represents Louisiana State University (LSU) in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Tigers compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 32 head coaches since it began play during the 1893 season.[1] Since November 2021, Brian Kelly has served as LSU's head coach.[2]

Head coach Brian Kelly

The team has played more than 1,200 games over 124 seasons of LSU football.[1] Twelve coaches have led the Tigers in postseason bowl games: Bernie Moore, Gus Tinsley, Paul Dietzel, Charlie McClendon, Jerry Stovall, Bill Arnsparger, Mike Archer, Gerry DiNardo, Nick Saban, Les Miles, Ed Orgeron, and Brian Kelly.[3] In addition, an Edgar Wingard-coached team accepted an invitation to participate in the first Bacardi Bowl. Six of those coaches also won conference championships after LSU left the Southern Conference to join the SEC: Moore, Dietzel, McClendon, Arnsparger, Archer, Saban, Miles, and Orgeron won a combined twelve as a member of the SEC.[3] During their tenures, Dietzel, Saban, Miles, and Orgeron each won national championships awarded by major selectors while with the Tigers.[3][4]

McClendon is the leader in seasons coached and games won, with 137 victories during his 18 years with the program.[1] Allen Jeardeau has the highest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .875.[1] John P. Gregg and John W. Mayhew have the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .333.[1] Bo Rein was hired in 1979 as head coach, but died in a plane crash on January 10, 1980, without ever coaching a game at LSU.[5][6] Of the 32 different head coaches who have led the Tigers, Dana X. Bible,[7] Mike Donahue,[8] Biff Jones,[9] Moore,[10] and Charlie McClendon[11] have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Key

Key to symbols in coaches list
GeneralOverallConferencePostseason[A 1]
No.Order of coaches[A 2]GCGames coachedCWConference winsPWPostseason wins
DCDivision championshipsOWOverall winsCLConference lossesPLPostseason losses
CCConference championshipsOLOverall lossesCTConference tiesPTPostseason ties
NCNational championshipsOTOverall ties[A 3]C%Conference winning percentage
Elected to the College Football Hall of FameO%Overall winning percentage[A 4]

Coaches

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards[A 5]
No.NameTerm
[A 6]
GCOWOLOTO%CWCLCTC%PWPLPTDC
[A 7]
CCNCAwards
1Charles E. Coates18931010.00000
2Albert Simmonds1894–189525100.83300
3Allen Jeardeau1896–189787100.8753001.00010
4Edmond Chavanne1898, 190053200.6001100.50000
5John P. Gregg189962400.3331200.33300
6W. S. Borland1901–19032215700.6826600.50000
7Dan A. Killian1904–1906168620.5633310.50000
8Edgar Wingard1907–19082017300.8504100.80010
9Joe Pritchard190954400.8002100.66700
10John W. Mayhew1909–191093600.3331300.25000
11Pat Dwyer1911–19132516720.6803510.38900
12E. T. MacDonnell1914–19162214710.6593310.50000
13Irving Pray1916, 1919, 19222011900.5504400.50000000
14Dana X. Bible191631020.6671010.75000000
15Wayne Sutton191783500.3751300.25000000
16Branch Bocock1920–19211711420.7062410.35700000
17Mike Donahue1923–192745231930.54451420.28600000
18Russ Cohen1928–193137231310.63511910.54800000
19Biff Jones1932–19343120560.74111220.80000010
20Bernie Moore1935–1947128833960.672432840.60013120
21Gaynell Tinsley1948–195475353460.507172560.41701000SEC Coach of the Year (1949)[16]
AP SEC Coach of the Year (1949)[16]
22Paul Dietzel1955–196173462430.651261620.61421021 – 1958AFCA Coach of the Year (1958)[17]
SEC Coach of the Year (1958)[16]
AP SEC Coach of the Year (1958)[16]
23Charles McClendon1962–19792031375970.692624130.59976010AFCA Coach of the Year (1970)[18]
SEC Coach of the Year (1969, 1970)[16]
AP SEC Coach of the Year (1969)[16]
UPI SEC Coach of the Year (1969, 1970)[16]
24Bo Rein
[A 8]
1980
25Jerry Stovall1980–198345222120.51191320.41701000Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1982)[19]
26Bill Arnsparger1984–19863626820.75013320.77803010SEC Coach of the Year (1984, 1986)[16]
AP SEC Coach of the Year (1986)[16]
27Mike Archer1987–199046271810.598151200.55611010
28Curley Hallman1991–199444162800.364102100.323000000
29Gerry DiNardo1995–199957322410.570172010.461300200
IntHal Hunter
[A 9]
19991101.000101.00000000
30Nick Saban2000–20046448160.75028120.70032321 – 2003AP Coach of the Year (2003)[21]
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (2003)[22]
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2003)[23]
AP SEC Coach of the Year (2003)[16]
31Les Miles2005–2016148114340.77062280.68974321 – 2007AP Coach of the Year (2011)[24]
SEC Coach of the Year (2011)[25]
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (2011)[26]
32Ed Orgeron2016–202171512000.738291400.674410111 – 2019Associated Press Coach of the Year (2019)

Home Depot Coach of the Year (2019)

Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award (2019)

George Munger Award (2019)

Paul “Bear” Bryant Award (2019)

SEC Coach of the Year (2019)}

IntBrad Davis20211010.000000-010000

33Brian Kelly2022–present272070.7411240.75020100

Notes

References

General

  • "LSU Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  • 2010 LSU Football Media Guide. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: LSU Sports Information Office. 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2012.

Specific