Swinney, Petrino in mix for LSU job?
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and Louisville coach Bobby Petrino have been mentioned as candidates to replace Les Miles at LSU, but many observers expect the coaches to stay at their current schools.
ESPN’s Search Firm, which consists of a panel of ESPN experts, said the two top choices are Tom Herman and Jimbo Fisher, but mentioned Swinney and Petrino in its six other candidates whose names were brought up in the discussion.
ESPN’s Chris Low expects Swinney to remain at Clemson, according to the report.
“Dabo will never leave Clemson for anything other than Alabama,” Low said in the article.
USA Today college football reporter Dan Wolken compiled a list of eight potential candidates for the LSU job, which also included Petrino and Swinney.
Wolken expects Swinney to stay at Clemson as well.
“He’d fit in great at LSU and probably win big, but why leave Clemson where the program has been so shaped in his image and he’s shown he can compete for national titles? Not to mention, he’d owe the school $6 million for leaving after this season. If he ever leaves, it’s probably for Alabama,” Wolken said.
Petrino, who is in his second stint at Louisville, denied that he would have any interest in going to LSU.
“I’m not interested in going anywhere. I’m very fortunate to be the head coach here at the University of Louisville, very happy about that,” Petrino told reporters earlier this week. “This is the job I want, and this is where I’m going to be.”
READY TO RUN?
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson’s rushing numbers are down significantly from the end of last year, which he says is due to taking what the defense is giving him.
Watson rushed for 100 yards or more in five of the final seven games in 2015 but through four games this season is averaging 30 yards per game on the ground.
He said he is prepared to run more this weekend if called upon but will not force it.
GETTING CLOSE
Clemson is better statistically through four games on offense than it was to start last year but has yet to match its production from the end of the 2015 season.
The Tigers topped 500 total yards in the final 11 games last year but have reached that mark only once in 2016, against S.C. State.
Clemson appeared on its way to well over 500 yards of offense last week against Georgia Tech, putting up 347 in the first half before taking its foot off the gas.