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Has any coach ever actually retired from LSU.. or have they all been fired?
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:12 pm
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:12 pm
The last two to win a national championship were fired... Most recent coach is banned from returning to the stadium apparently... While trying to litigate his buyout in the morass of Napoleonic law that is the basis for the Louisiana legal system... show me the money
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Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:18 pm to mattloc
According to Grok ….
Overview of LSU Football Head Coaches' Departures
LSU has had 33 head football coaches since the program's inception in 1893 (including interims), but only a subset served full tenures where retirement was possible. Based on historical records, yes, at least one LSU football coach voluntarily retired: Charles "Charlie" McClendon. He stepped down after the 1979 season at age 56, citing a desire to end his 18-year run on a high note following a bowl win, though fan pressure from recent losing seasons contributed to the timing. McClendon was not fired; he transitioned to roles like executive director of the Tangerine Bowl (now Citrus Bowl) and later the American Football Coaches Association.
No other coach's departure is explicitly documented as a purely voluntary retirement without external factors like pressure or a new job. Most left for other opportunities, were fired, resigned under duress, or died in office. Early coaches (pre-1950s) often moved on without clear "retirement" classifications due to shorter tenures and less formalized roles.
Overview of LSU Football Head Coaches' Departures
LSU has had 33 head football coaches since the program's inception in 1893 (including interims), but only a subset served full tenures where retirement was possible. Based on historical records, yes, at least one LSU football coach voluntarily retired: Charles "Charlie" McClendon. He stepped down after the 1979 season at age 56, citing a desire to end his 18-year run on a high note following a bowl win, though fan pressure from recent losing seasons contributed to the timing. McClendon was not fired; he transitioned to roles like executive director of the Tangerine Bowl (now Citrus Bowl) and later the American Football Coaches Association.
No other coach's departure is explicitly documented as a purely voluntary retirement without external factors like pressure or a new job. Most left for other opportunities, were fired, resigned under duress, or died in office. Early coaches (pre-1950s) often moved on without clear "retirement" classifications due to shorter tenures and less formalized roles.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:21 pm to mattloc
An argument could be made that BK retired at LSU. 
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:22 pm to mattloc
quote:Bernie Moore retired and became commissioner of the SEC. paul Dietzel left for Army. Charlie McClendon retired. Arnsparger left to be an AD. Saban left for the NFL. Others have been fired, which is the norm. Very few coaches end on their own terms
Has any coach ever actually retired from LSU.. or have they all been fired?by mattloc
This post was edited on 11/23/25 at 12:25 pm
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:34 pm to lsufball19
quote:
Very few coaches end on their own terms
Alabama has only fired 3 of it's past 10 coaches, and that's counting Mike Price who was fired for off the field crap before coaching a game.
As far as coaches who actually coached a game, it's 2 of the past 9.
Bear retired, won 6 NC.
Perkins went back to the NFL. His last season was 10-3 and finished 9th in the country.
Bill Curry went to Kentucky. His last season was 10-2 and finished 7th in the country.
Gene Stallings retired, won a NC.
Mike Dubose was fired, his last season was 3-11 and he also had seasons of 4-7, 7-5. Still somehow managed to win the SEC in 99 while going 10-3.
Fran left for A&M. His final season he was 10-3 and finished 11th in the country.
Shula was fired. His final season was 6-6, but he did manage a 10 win season the year before. Might have done more if Prothro hadn't had the career ending injury.
Saban retired, won 6 NC, 7 total.
DeBoer still coaching.
Doesn't seem to be the norm to me.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 12:41 pm to 3down10
quote:
Doesn't seem to be the norm to me.
You think Alabama is the norm?
Nonetheless, since Bear, Saban and Stallings are the only two who have retired. The others were fired or left. There’s more coaches in the latter group than in the former
Go look at the rest of the conference and count how many coaches have retired on their own in the last 40-50 years. There aren’t a lot. Then go count those who have been fired or left. That group is considerably larger
This post was edited on 11/23/25 at 12:47 pm
Posted on 11/23/25 at 1:40 pm to lsufball19
quote:
You think Alabama is the norm?
Nonetheless, since Bear, Saban and Stallings are the only two who have retired. The others were fired or left. There’s more coaches in the latter group than in the former
Go look at the rest of the conference and count how many coaches have retired on their own in the last 40-50 years. There aren’t a lot. Then go count those who have been fired or left. That group is considerably larger
I mean not the norm exactly, but kind of the standard in many ways if you want to talk about what happens at top programs and you want to be among the top programs.
It's not a matter of just firing and cycling coaches because they had a bad season as many seem to do. Just like dumb Alabama fans who cry for DeBoer to be fired in year 2. That's not how you do it. That's how you decline a program.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 1:42 pm to mattloc
Arnsparger, Saban were not fired but left on their own for what they thought were better jobs.
Cholly Mac wasn't fired per se but was forced out, given one last year while they went looking for a coach: Bo Rein. The death that set us back 15 years.
Cholly Mac wasn't fired per se but was forced out, given one last year while they went looking for a coach: Bo Rein. The death that set us back 15 years.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 1:48 pm to 3down10
I’d be a great deal more embarrassed to see my head coach walk out on my program than to see my program fire the coach. Most would rather break up with the girl than have her tell you to kick rocks.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:02 pm to OccamsStubble
quote:
I’d be a great deal more embarrassed to see my head coach walk out on my program than to see my program fire the coach. Most would rather break up with the girl than have her tell you to kick rocks.
It's not embarrassing, but it sucks.
You know what sucks more? Going 3-8 and firing your coach.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:11 pm to 3down10
quote:
It's not a matter of just firing and cycling coaches because they had a bad season as many seem to do. Just like dumb Alabama fans who cry for DeBoer to be fired in year 2. That's not how you do it. That's how you decline a program.
Alabama does the same thing. They’ve just been fortunate to hire a couple guys who have never given them a reason to. This notion of letting coaches perform poorly and work through it is not what elite programs do.
This post was edited on 11/23/25 at 2:13 pm
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:13 pm to mattloc
Is LSU really trying to use French Law to screw Kelly over?
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:19 pm to lsufball19
Maybe not anymore but Bear had a few six and five seasons ... Then stacked up three more national championships
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:21 pm to lsufball19
Force' majeure maybe?
Posted on 11/23/25 at 2:51 pm to mattloc
quote:
Maybe not anymore but Bear had a few six and five seasons .
He had two and had already won 3 national titles and another 11-0 season when he did that. Yes he was given a little rope at that point in his career
Dubose, Shula, etc weren’t given that luxury. Wonder why
This post was edited on 11/23/25 at 2:52 pm
Posted on 11/23/25 at 3:00 pm to mattloc
I don’t know but we sure pay them a frick ton to go away.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 3:01 pm to mattloc
Nearly all coaches are fired.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 3:08 pm to lsufball19
quote:
Alabama does the same thing. They’ve just been fortunate to hire a couple guys who have never given them a reason to. This notion of letting coaches perform poorly and work through it is not what elite programs do.
If we treated coaches the way LSU does, Bear would have been fired in 70. Instead, he goes on to win many more NC. You fired Coach O 2 years off a NC. Bear went 11-0(did not win the NC), 8-2-1, 8-3, 6-5 and then 6-5-1 and didn't get fired. Then he switched to the wishbone and knocked out 3 more NC.
DuBose got 4 seasons before being fired - 4-7 his first, 7-5 his 2nd and 10-3 his 3rd. He was fired after his 4th and going 3-8 - after the season was over. Also for fricking his secretary.
Shula got 4 seasons before being fired - after the season was over. You know why? Because people were reasonable about the circumstances in which he took over. If he hadn't lost to Auburn for the 4th time going 0-4 against them, he might have been given another year.
Hell, you didn't even give Kelly a chance to finish his 4th season. He was 5-3 this year when fired.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 3:12 pm to 3down10
quote:
If we treated coaches the way LSU does, Bear would have been fired in 70. Instead, he goes on to win many more NC. You fired Coach O 2 years off a NC. Bear went 11-0(did not win the NC), 8-2-1, 8-3, 6-5 and then 6-5-1 and didn't get fired. Then he switched to the wishbone and knocked out 3 more NC.
Let's be honest, Bama wouldn't do this today. Two seasons of .500ish records and he'd be gone, just like O.
quote:
Hell, you didn't even give Kelly a chance to finish his 4th season. He was 5-3 this year when fired.
When I tried to defend BK's win percentage, you insisted he wouldn't have made it at Alabama this long.
Posted on 11/23/25 at 3:39 pm to mattloc
quote:
The last two to win a national championship were fired... Most recent coach is banned from returning to the stadium apparently... While trying to litigate his buyout in the morass of Napoleonic law that is the basis for the Louisiana legal system... show me the money
I mean...except for Bear Bryant and Nick Saban how many have retired from Alabama?
Coaches rarely spend long careers at a school and retire...especially in the SEC.
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