Mark Stoops’ odds of becoming next LSU coach growing

UPDATE

With the increasing buzz of the LSU Tigers’ interest in Mark Stoops, I asked sports betting expert Jimmy Shapiro for the latest odds on who will become LSU’s next coach.

Stoops actually came in with the third-best odds (+250), as he barely trails Baylor Bears head coach Dave Arranda and Louisiana Lafayette head coach Billy Napier. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is right behind Stoops.

• Dave Arranda +110 (10/11)
• Billy Napier +175 (7/4)
• Mark Stoops +250 (5/2)
• Matt Campbell +500 (5/1)

Mind you, this comes right as Kentucky landed a commitment from 5-star wide receiver Barion Brown, which is seemingly a good sign Stoops ultimately sticks with the Cats. That, and Arranda has been picking up a lot of steam this week in LSU’s search, so hopefully for Kentucky, that’s who the Tigers end up hiring.

Even though there’s still a full week of regular-season college football left, the coaching carousel is already in full swing.

One of the top jobs available is the LSU Tigers’ opening following the departure of Ed Orgeron.

Now, it appears Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops is becoming a legitimate option for LSU, according to The Athletic reporter Bruce Feldman.

Stoops’ name has gotten hotter inside LSU in the past week or so, and sources say the Tigers have legitimate interest because they see him as a proven a program-builder. Stoops has a chance to lead Kentucky to its second nine-plus winning season in the past four years at a place that had only won more than eight games four times in the previous century.

In addition, KSR’s Matt Jones expects to hear a decision on Stoops one way or the other this weekend, as LSU could make a hire by then.

It’s still unclear if Stoops has legitimate interset in leaving Kentucky for LSU, as Stoops has repeatedly said he’s happy and committed to taking this program to new heights.

“I have no control over that,” Stoops said Monday of other schools being interested in him. “I don’t want that out there. I don’t want that distraction. I don’t ask for that. As I mentioned jokingly weeks ago when somebody mentioned that, I’d rather it be that than you guys all talk about when they’re going to fire me. I can only control trying to win and build a program here. I think we can all understand I’ve been nothing but committed to doing that here and plan on doing that.”

Whatever the case may be, it does not sound like we will have to wait long, at least in terms of the LSU job.

In the meantime, beat Louisville.

A Sea of Blue comes loaded with Kentucky Wildcats links, news, analysis, and some other fun stuff, so ‘like’ our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.