LSU interim HC Frank Wilson not getting too far ahead of himself with Tigers

Frank Wilson has an opportunity ahead of him with the LSU Tigers, but he's smart enough to know that he can't get too far ahead of his skis.

Wilson was LSU's running backs coach and associate head coach for over three seasons under Brian Kelly, so it made sense to promote him to interim head coach after Kelly was fired by the program.

He now has a chance to make a name for himself at one of the most prominent college football programs in the country. Yes, LSU is 5-3 and likely out of the College Football Playoff hunt, but Wilson has four games to prove to either LSU or another program searching for a head coach that he has what it takes to lead a big-time college football program.

So yes, the opportunity is there, but Wilson recently revealed in a news conference that he and athletic director Scott Woodward did not get too into the weeds as it related to his future at LSU.

Right now, he simply knows his job is to lead this program as best as he can.

“We didn’t indulge too much into it Sunday night when the decision was made,” Wilson said, referencing the opportunity to be the full-time head coach at LSU (h/t On3). “I was asked at that time if would I lead us through the remainder of the season. Certainly, I was extremely honored to do so, humbled to do so. We talked about that portion of it for this moment. When that happens, you answer the bell. When Mother University calls for you, you answer. You pull up your bootstraps and you do what’s required and asked of you to represent our university extremely well.”

Frank Wilson could be an intriguing head coach option for the LSU Tigers

LSU will likely go hunting for a big name to be its next head coach. There are several interesting targets out there — Lane Kiffin, Eli Drinkwitz and Clark Lea are just a few names to keep an eye on — but it's worth noting that Wilson could be interesting as well, considering his resume.

One of the big critiques against Kelly was that he could never assimilate into the culture down in Baton Rouge. That wouldn't be a problem for Wilson, who is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a running back at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, and he had a stint as head coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from 2020 to 2021.

Wilson was LSU's running backs coach from 2010 to 2015 and was brought back to Baton Rouge by Kelly in 2022. He's known as one of the top running backs coaches in the country and helped develop players like Leonard Fournette, Steve Ridley, Spencer Ware and Jeremy Hill.

Wilson is also an elite recruiter. Players that he's credited with bringing to LSU over the years include Tyrann Mathieu, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and La'el Collins, alongside Fournette, of course.

There are a ton of reasons to believe that Wilson would be a great fit as the next head coach of the Tigers, but he'll have to go out and prove it on the field over the next two months.

It's not going to be easy, either. Up next for LSU is a matchup against a red-hot, 7-1 Alabama Crimson Tide team that is ranked No. 4 in the country.