Frank Wilson officially took over as LSU’s interim head coach after Brian Kelly’s firing. And one voice in particular is celebrating the change. Kenny Lacy, father of late wide receiver Kyren Lacy, didn’t hold back when he saw the news. He used the moment to expose what he sees as Kelly’s complete failure as a leader when it mattered most. 

Kenny Lacy’s Facebook comment hit like a freight train. “This dude [Frank Wilson] actually came to sit down with our family and showed us some real genuine love when my son died, along with a couple other coaches,” he wrote in response to Wilson’s promotion. “I didn’t even get a call or text from that dude in the back [Brian Kelly]. Must be nice to get paid millions to get your walking papers…let’s get it, Coach Frank.” 

That “dude in the back” reference to Brian Kelly wasn’t subtle. It was a direct callout of a head coach who apparently couldn’t be bothered to reach out to one of his former players’ families during the worst moment of their lives. Frank Wilson and Cortez Hankton actually showed up at Kenny Lacy’s home to sit with the family, offer condolences, and be present during an unimaginable tragedy. 

Brian Kelly held a media session after Kyren Lacy’s death. His words sounded like he genuinely cared about Lacy. “I’ll remember him as somebody that had a love for the game, a love for being a Tiger, and was a guy that played with great emotion. When you think of Kyren, you’re going to smile most of the time because of the way he handled himself. He was a guy that was full of energy and I think a lot of his teammates will remember him that way as well,” Kelly said. 

And even after new evidence came to light about the hit-and–run case, Kelly again reiterated the same message that Lacy “was loved by the program.” But now, Kyren’s father’s revelation raises doubts on all those words when you consider he never once personally contacted the family to express any of that supposed love directly. 

Kyren Lacy’s death was a tragedy layered with complexity and pain. The former LSU wide receiver was facing charges of negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run, and reckless operation of a vehicle from a December 17, 2024, crash in Lafourche Parish that killed 78-year-old Herman Hall and injured two others. 

Wilson’s elevation to interim head coach is like a glimmer of hope for Kenny Lacy. It’s validation that character actually matters. Wilson rejoined Kelly’s staff in December 2021. He’s won National Recruiter of the Year honors and has deep Louisiana roots. 

But more importantly, he’s shown he understands what it means to be part of a program beyond just football. And for LSU moving forward, the difference between a coach and actually being a leader might be exactly what the program needs to remember.​

What comes next for LSU

The bloodletting didn’t stop with Kelly and Sloan. Frank Wilson stepping into the interim role means more changes are almost certainly coming, whether he wants them or not. Wilson’s got four games left to prove he deserves consideration for the permanent job. But LSU’s already started a national search that makes it clear they’re thinking bigger. 

Athletic director Scott Woodward isn’t exactly known for patience or half-measures. This is the same AD who hired Kim Mulkey and Jay Johnson. Both of whom delivered national championships. He’s made it abundantly clear that “we will not lower our standards.” 

That puts Wilson in an impossible position. Coach well enough to keep the team together and maybe make a bowl game. But also understand that Woodward’s probably already got a shortlist of big-name coaches. The offensive staff reshuffling with Atkins, Rattay, and the Hankton brothers might just be a temporary bandage until the new head coach comes in and brings his entire staff with him.​

Lane Kiffin’s name is dominating every conversation about who’s next at LSU. And it’s not hard to see why. The Ole Miss coach has the Rebels sitting at 7-1 and ranked No. 7 in the country with a likely College Football Playoff berth on the horizon. Kiffin, 50, is considered one of the hottest coaches in America right now because of how dramatically he’s turned around a program that had been inconsistent for decades.