Dabo Swinney jokingly expressed a level of surprise Tuesday when a reporter said he was among the big-time coaches named as options to take the head coaching job at LSU.
"I made a big-time list? Wow," the Clemson head coach said, sarcastically.
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman said Swinney could get strong consideration as a candidate for the LSU opening, evening citing a source as saying LSU athletic director Scott Woodward is "gonna make him say no." The program and current head coach Ed Orgeron agreed he wouldn't return after the end of the season on Sunday.
Swinney was asked Tuesday what he thought about being mentioned in those reports as a coach that LSU should target to replace Ed Orgeron, who will finish out the season but won't return as the team's coach next year.
"This is the only Death Valley I'm concerned about right here. That's for sure," Swinney said.
Swinney has been the head coach at Clemson for 13 years, taking over for Tommy Bowden on Oct. 13, 2008. In that time, he's won two national title in six straight College Football Playoff appearances with seven ACC championships. USA Today recently released a list of the highest-paid college football head coaches and the Alabama native was fourth on the list.
Fox Sports national college football writer RJ Young has Swinney on the top of his list of coaches that LSU should target. Others on the list are Oregon's Mario Cristobal, Michigan State's Mel Tucker, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin and Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.
Fisher is a former LSU assistant and just signed a contract extension with the Aggies through 2031. He addressed the LSU rumors on Monday.
"I love being here. I plan on being at A&M and fulfilling my contract," Fisher told reporters. "... I love everything about the people here and the administration here."
Clemson (4-2) is set to play at Pittsburgh at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
