LSU is already sorting through a list of potential candidates to fill its coaching vacancy, and the names range from the expected to the downright intriguing. One among them is James Franklin, who entered the conversation soon after his own firing at Penn State. ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers even went on SportsCenter to pitch Franklin as an ideal fit for Baton Rouge. But insiders familiar with both programs see it differently. In their view, the case against Franklin is clear, and so they are pointing toward a far more unconventional alternative.

Penn State insider Zach Seyko put it bluntly during a recent discussion about the` LSU opening, saying, “But I think Brian Kelly and James Franklin are very similar coaches… You don’t fire James Franklin in the middle of the season to go with Ma

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