Head coach Les Miles and the LSU Tigers are looking for a new defense coordinator after Kevin Steele left to take the same job at Auburn. This will be LSU's third defensive coordinator in three years, but there are still plenty of good options available. Here are the five most likely candidates to take over the job:
5) Clancy Pendergast, San Francisco 49ers linebackers coach
Pendergast was a candidate to take the LSU defensive coordinator job last year when John Chavis left for Texas A&M. He served on the USC staff with current LSU defensive line coach Ed Orgeron and director of player personnel Austin Thomas. However, there's not guarantee that the former USC defensive coordinator wants to return to the college game.
4) Brent Venables, Clemson defensive coordinator
Venables was another candidate for the job last year, but doesn't have many ties to Miles or the current LSU coaching staff and is happy at Clemson. Still, that won't stop the Tigers from making a push for him given his incredible track record at Clemson and Oklahoma.
3) Ed Orgeron, LSU defensive line coach
Orgeron hasn't been a defensive coordinator in the past, but he has a ton of coaching experience, including a stint as Ole Miss' head coach and a successful stretch as USC's interim head coach. He's already on the staff and has a great rapport with the current players, something that will definitely work in his favor.
2) Dave Aranda, Wisconsin defensive coordinator
Aranda, one of the rising young stars in the coaching world, led the country's top scoring defense at Wisconsin, and is looking for an upgrade in pay and/or job prestige. He makes around $500,000 at Wisconsin, while LSU paid Steele $1 million last year. Aranda would leave the Badgers for Death Valley if the Tigers gave him that kind of offer
1) Bo Pelini, Youngstown State head coach
The former Nebraska head coach served as Miles' defensive coordinator at LSU from 2005-2007 before leaving to join the Huskers, who fired him last season. It remains to be seen if Pelini is willing to return to a coordinator role after serving as a head coach, and there are questions about his abrasive personaility, but he does have a proven track record and strong ties to the school and staff.