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List of LSU Tigers head football coaches

Updated: Wikipedia source

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. From November 2021 to October 2025, Brian Kelly served as LSU's head coach. The team has played more than 1,200 games over 124 seasons of LSU football. 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. 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. During their tenures, Dietzel, Saban, Miles, and Orgeron each won national championships awarded by major selectors while with the Tigers. McClendon is the leader in seasons coached and games won, with 137 victories during his 18 years with the program. Allen Jeardeau has the highest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with . John P. Gregg and John W. Mayhew have the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with . 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. Of the 34 different head coaches who have led the Tigers, Dana X. Bible, Mike Donahue, Biff Jones, Moore, and Charlie McClendon have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Tables

Key to symbols in coaches list · Key
No.
No.
General
No.
General
Order of coaches
Overall
GC
Overall
Games coached
Conference
CW
Conference
Conference wins
Postseason
PW
Postseason
Postseason wins
DC
DC
General
DC
General
Division championships
Overall
OW
Overall
Overall wins
Conference
CL
Conference
Conference losses
Postseason
PL
Postseason
Postseason losses
CC
CC
General
CC
General
Conference championships
Overall
OL
Overall
Overall losses
Conference
CT
Conference
Conference ties
Postseason
PT
Postseason
Postseason ties
NC
NC
General
NC
General
National championships
Overall
OT
Overall
Overall ties
Conference
C%
Conference
Conference winning percentage
†
†
General
†
General
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
Overall
O%
Overall
Overall winning percentage
General
Overall
Conference
Postseason
No.
Order of coaches
GC
Games coached
CW
Conference wins
PW
Postseason wins
DC
Division championships
OW
Overall wins
CL
Conference losses
PL
Postseason losses
CC
Conference championships
OL
Overall losses
CT
Conference ties
PT
Postseason ties
NC
National championships
OT
Overall ties
C%
Conference winning percentage
†
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
O%
Overall winning percentage
List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards · Coaches
Charles E. Coates
Charles E. Coates
No.
1
Name
Charles E. Coates
Term
1893
Season(s)
1
GC
1
OW
0
OL
1
OT
0
O%
000
CW
—
CL
—
CT
—
Albert Simmonds
1894
1894–1895
Albert Simmonds
No.
2
Name
Albert Simmonds
Term
1894–1895
Season(s)
2
GC
2
OW
5
OL
1
OT
0
O%
0
CW
—
CL
—
CT
—
Allen Jeardeau
1896
1896–1897
Allen Jeardeau
No.
3
Name
Allen Jeardeau
Term
1896–1897
Season(s)
2
GC
8
OW
7
OL
1
OT
0
O%
0
CW
3
CL
0
CT
0
Edmond Chavanne
Edmond Chavanne
No.
4
Name
Edmond Chavanne
Term
1898, 1900
Season(s)
1, 1
GC
5
OW
3
OL
2
OT
0
O%
0
CW
1
CL
1
CT
0
John P. Gregg
John P. Gregg
No.
5
Name
John P. Gregg
Term
1899
Season(s)
1
GC
6
OW
2
OL
4
OT
0
O%
0
CW
1
CL
2
CT
0
W. S. Borland
1901
1901–1903
W. S. Borland
No.
6
Name
W. S. Borland
Term
1901–1903
Season(s)
3
GC
22
OW
15
OL
7
OT
0
O%
0
CW
6
CL
6
CT
0
Dan A. Killian
1904
1904–1906
Dan A. Killian
No.
7
Name
Dan A. Killian
Term
1904–1906
Season(s)
3
GC
16
OW
8
OL
6
OT
2
O%
0
CW
3
CL
3
CT
1
Edgar Wingard
1907
1907–1908
Edgar Wingard
No.
8
Name
Edgar Wingard
Term
1907–1908
Season(s)
2
GC
20
OW
17
OL
3
OT
0
O%
0
CW
4
CL
1
CT
0
Joe Pritchard
Joe Pritchard
No.
9
Name
Joe Pritchard
Term
1909
Season(s)
1
GC
5
OW
4
OL
4
OT
0
O%
0
CW
2
CL
1
CT
0
John W. Mayhew
1909
1909–1910
John W. Mayhew
No.
10
Name
John W. Mayhew
Term
1909–1910
Season(s)
2
GC
9
OW
3
OL
6
OT
0
O%
0
CW
1
CL
3
CT
0
Pat Dwyer
1911
1911–1913
Pat Dwyer
No.
11
Name
Pat Dwyer
Term
1911–1913
Season(s)
3
GC
25
OW
16
OL
7
OT
2
O%
0
CW
3
CL
5
CT
1
E. T. MacDonnell
1914
1914–1916
E. T. MacDonnell
No.
12
Name
E. T. MacDonnell
Term
1914–1916
Season(s)
3
GC
22
OW
14
OL
7
OT
1
O%
0
CW
3
CL
3
CT
1
Irving Pray
Irving Pray
No.
13
Name
Irving Pray
Term
1916, 1919, 1922
Season(s)
1, 1, 1
GC
20
OW
11
OL
9
OT
0
O%
0
CW
4
CL
4
CT
0
Dana X. Bible†
Dana X. Bible†
No.
14
Name
Dana X. Bible†
Term
1916
Season(s)
1
GC
3
OW
1
OL
0
OT
2
O%
0
CW
1
CL
0
CT
1
Wayne Sutton
Wayne Sutton
No.
15
Name
Wayne Sutton
Term
1917
Season(s)
1
GC
8
OW
3
OL
5
OT
0
O%
0
CW
1
CL
3
CT
0
Branch Bocock
1920
1920–1921
Branch Bocock
No.
16
Name
Branch Bocock
Term
1920–1921
Season(s)
2
GC
17
OW
11
OL
4
OT
2
O%
0
CW
2
CL
4
CT
1
Mike Donahue†
1923
1923–1927
Mike Donahue†
No.
17
Name
Mike Donahue†
Term
1923–1927
Season(s)
5
GC
45
OW
23
OL
19
OT
3
O%
0
CW
5
CL
14
CT
2
Russ Cohen
1928
1928–1931
Russ Cohen
No.
18
Name
Russ Cohen
Term
1928–1931
Season(s)
4
GC
37
OW
23
OL
13
OT
1
O%
0
CW
11
CL
9
CT
1
Biff Jones†
1932
1932–1934
Biff Jones†
No.
19
Name
Biff Jones†
Term
1932–1934
Season(s)
3
GC
31
OW
20
OL
5
OT
6
O%
0
CW
11
CL
2
CT
2
Bernie Moore†
1935
1935–1947
Bernie Moore†
No.
20
Name
Bernie Moore†
Term
1935–1947
Season(s)
13
GC
128
OW
83
OL
39
OT
6
O%
0
CW
43
CL
28
CT
4
Gaynell Tinsley
1948
1948–1954
Gaynell Tinsley
No.
21
Name
Gaynell Tinsley
Term
1948–1954
Season(s)
7
GC
75
OW
35
OL
34
OT
6
O%
0
CW
17
CL
25
CT
6
Paul Dietzel
1955
1955–1961
Paul Dietzel
No.
22
Name
Paul Dietzel
Term
1955–1961
Season(s)
7
GC
73
OW
46
OL
24
OT
3
O%
0
CW
26
CL
16
CT
2
Charles McClendon†
1962
1962–1979
Charles McClendon†
No.
23
Name
Charles McClendon†
Term
1962–1979
Season(s)
18
GC
203
OW
137
OL
59
OT
7
O%
0
CW
63
CL
41
CT
3
Bo Rein
Bo Rein
No.
24
Name
Bo Rein
Term
1980
Season(s)
1
GC
—
OW
—
OL
—
OT
—
O%
—
CW
—
CL
—
CT
—
Jerry Stovall
1980
1980–1983
Jerry Stovall
No.
25
Name
Jerry Stovall
Term
1980–1983
Season(s)
4
GC
45
OW
22
OL
21
OT
2
O%
0
CW
9
CL
13
CT
2
Bill Arnsparger
1984
1984–1986
Bill Arnsparger
No.
26
Name
Bill Arnsparger
Term
1984–1986
Season(s)
3
GC
36
OW
26
OL
8
OT
2
O%
0
CW
13
CL
3
CT
2
Mike Archer
1987
1987–1990
Mike Archer
No.
27
Name
Mike Archer
Term
1987–1990
Season(s)
4
GC
46
OW
27
OL
18
OT
1
O%
0
CW
15
CL
12
CT
0
Curley Hallman
1991
1991–1994
Curley Hallman
No.
28
Name
Curley Hallman
Term
1991–1994
Season(s)
4
GC
44
OW
16
OL
28
OT
0
O%
0
CW
10
CL
21
CT
0
Gerry DiNardo
1995
1995–1999
Gerry DiNardo
No.
29
Name
Gerry DiNardo
Term
1995–1999
Season(s)
5
GC
57
OW
32
OL
24
OT
1
O%
0
CW
17
CL
20
CT
1
Hal Hunter
Hal Hunter
No.
Int
Name
Hal Hunter
Term
1999
Season(s)
1
GC
1
OW
1
OL
0
OT
—
O%
1
CW
1
CL
0
CT
—
Nick Saban
2000
2000–2004
Nick Saban
No.
30
Name
Nick Saban
Term
2000–2004
Season(s)
5
GC
64
OW
48
OL
16
OT
—
O%
0
CW
28
CL
12
CT
—
Les Miles
2005
2005–2016
Les Miles
No.
31
Name
Les Miles
Term
2005–2016
Season(s)
12
GC
148
OW
114
OL
34
OT
—
O%
0
CW
62
CL
28
CT
—
Ed Orgeron
2016
2016–2021
Ed Orgeron
No.
32
Name
Ed Orgeron
Term
2016–2021
Season(s)
6
GC
71
OW
51
OL
20
OT
0
O%
0
CW
29
CL
14
CT
0
Brad Davis
Brad Davis
No.
Int
Name
Brad Davis
Term
2021
Season(s)
1
GC
1
OW
0
OL
1
OT
0
O%
000
CW
0
CL
0
CT
0
Brian Kelly
2022
2022–2025
Brian Kelly
No.
33
Name
Brian Kelly
Term
2022–2025
Season(s)
4
GC
42
OW
31
OL
11
OT
—
O%
0
CW
17
CL
7
CT
—
Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson
No.
Int
Name
Frank Wilson
Term
2025
Season(s)
1
GC
5
OW
2
OL
3
OT
—
O%
0
CW
1
CL
2
CT
—
Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
No.
34
Name
Lane Kiffin
Term
2026–present
Season(s)
1
GC
0
OW
0
OL
0
OT
—
O%
–
CW
0
CL
0
CT
—
No.
Name
Term
Season(s)
GC
OW
OL
OT
O%
CW
CL
CT
1
Charles E. Coates
1893
1
1
0
1
0
000
—
—
—
2
Albert Simmonds
1894–1895
2
2
5
1
0
0
—
—
—
3
Allen Jeardeau
1896–1897
2
8
7
1
0
0
3
0
0
4
Edmond Chavanne
1898, 1900
1, 1
5
3
2
0
0
1
1
0
5
John P. Gregg
1899
1
6
2
4
0
0
1
2
0
6
W. S. Borland
1901–1903
3
22
15
7
0
0
6
6
0
7
Dan A. Killian
1904–1906
3
16
8
6
2
0
3
3
1
8
Edgar Wingard
1907–1908
2
20
17
3
0
0
4
1
0
9
Joe Pritchard
1909
1
5
4
4
0
0
2
1
0
10
John W. Mayhew
1909–1910
2
9
3
6
0
0
1
3
0
11
Pat Dwyer
1911–1913
3
25
16
7
2
0
3
5
1
12
E. T. MacDonnell
1914–1916
3
22
14
7
1
0
3
3
1
13
Irving Pray
1916, 1919, 1922
1, 1, 1
20
11
9
0
0
4
4
0
14
Dana X. Bible†
1916
1
3
1
0
2
0
1
0
1
15
Wayne Sutton
1917
1
8
3
5
0
0
1
3
0
16
Branch Bocock
1920–1921
2
17
11
4
2
0
2
4
1
17
Mike Donahue†
1923–1927
5
45
23
19
3
0
5
14
2
18
Russ Cohen
1928–1931
4
37
23
13
1
0
11
9
1
19
Biff Jones†
1932–1934
3
31
20
5
6
0
11
2
2
20
Bernie Moore†
1935–1947
13
128
83
39
6
0
43
28
4
21
Gaynell Tinsley
1948–1954
7
75
35
34
6
0
17
25
6
22
Paul Dietzel
1955–1961
7
73
46
24
3
0
26
16
2
23
Charles McClendon†
1962–1979
18
203
137
59
7
0
63
41
3
24
Bo Rein
1980
1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
25
Jerry Stovall
1980–1983
4
45
22
21
2
0
9
13
2
26
Bill Arnsparger
1984–1986
3
36
26
8
2
0
13
3
2
27
Mike Archer
1987–1990
4
46
27
18
1
0
15
12
0
28
Curley Hallman
1991–1994
4
44
16
28
0
0
10
21
0
29
Gerry DiNardo
1995–1999
5
57
32
24
1
0
17
20
1
Int
Hal Hunter
1999
1
1
1
0
—
1
1
0
—
30
Nick Saban
2000–2004
5
64
48
16
—
0
28
12
—
31
Les Miles
2005–2016
12
148
114
34
—
0
62
28
—
32
Ed Orgeron
2016–2021
6
71
51
20
0
0
29
14
0
Int
Brad Davis
2021
1
1
0
1
0
000
0
0
0
33
Brian Kelly
2022–2025
4
42
31
11
—
0
17
7
—
Int
Frank Wilson
2025
1
5
2
3
—
0
1
2
—
34
Lane Kiffin
2026–present
1
0
0
0
—
–
0
0
—

References

  1. Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recogn
  2. A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim
  3. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.
  4. When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.
  5. Statistics correct as of the end of the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season.
  6. LSU did not field a team for the 1918 season due to World War I.
  7. Divisional champions have advanced to the SEC Championship Game since the institution of divisional play beginning in th
  8. Bo Rein was hired in November 1979, but was killed in a plane crash on January 10, 1980, without coaching an official ga
  9. Hal Hunter was named interim head coach for the final game of the 1999 season, following the termination of Gerry DiNard
  10. 2010 LSU Tigers Football Media Guide, p. 180
  11. ESPN
    https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=1958118
  12. 2010 LSU Tigers Football Media Guide, pp. 154–163
  13. 2010 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Records
    http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/DI/2010/2010FBS.pdf
  14. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/01/archives/rein-gets-4year-contract-to-coach-lsu-football.html
  15. The Columbus Dispatch
    http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2008/01/05/bcs_bo_rein.ART_ART_01-05-08_C1_I28VJCT.html
  16. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1501
  17. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1260
  18. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1500
  19. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1625
  20. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1952
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