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Take Two: Kiffin to LSU? Clemson's big weekend, challenge for Badgers

Take Two is back this week tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.

RELATED: Who will poach LSU recruits? | Seven coaches on hot seat

1. Kiffin a candidate at LSU?

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Lane Kiffin (Getty Images)

Storyline: LSU is in the market for a new coach after firing Les Miles and it sounds like the Tigers are pursuing Houston’s Tom Herman, Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher, Stanford’s David Shaw and possibly others.

What about Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin? He has once again become a hot commodity after skillfully calling plays in Tuscaloosa the last three seasons.

Kiffin was a mess as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and at Tennessee and USC, but it seems like he has resurrected his career under Nick Saban’s tutelage.

Would LSU give him a shot?

First take: “No, I don’t think he will be considered. There are many people who still question his maturity level and whether he’s improved in that department. I think he needs to go to a middle-of-the-pack Power Five program and prove some things before he would be a factor for an opening like LSU.” – Mike Scarborough, TigerBait.com

Second take: “My answer would be no. This is nothing against Kiffin. He has matured and is one of the best play-callers based on personnel, situation and talent in college football. He’s a different guy than he was when he took over the Raiders and when he left Tennessee and even when he was at USC. The LSU job is one of the top four or five jobs in all of college football. I just cannot see how LSU can go and hire a guy who failed in the NFL, left Tennessee after a year and failed at USC. They have to go out and get somebody who has proven head coaching success because this is way too good of a job to settle for a coordinator. They have to get a head coach and a really good one.” - Farrell

2. Big recruiting weekend at Clemson

Storyline: The marquee matchup in college football this Saturday night takes place at Clemson and there will be a ton of recruits in attendance.

Heisman frontrunner Lamar Jackson brings the red-hot Louisville Cardinals into town two weeks removed from a 63-20 beatdown of Florida State. The winner will certainly be in the driver’s seat in the ACC Atlantic.

Not to overstate things, but this could be a huge recruiting weekend for the Tigers if things go well. Maybe not for the 2017 recruiting class, which is almost full, but for 2018, 2019 and beyond.

This could be one of those weekends – if things go right for Clemson – that could further propel the program into national status where the recruiting floodgates not only in the East but nationally open up for the Tigers.

First take: “You always have to be careful of overstating the significance of a single-game outcome on recruiting. Sure, this is another chance for Clemson to successfully market its brand on a prominent national platform. But it's not as if the Tigers' hopes with several prospects hinge on victory or defeat.

“The Tigers almost have their 2017 class wrapped up, so the focus has in some measure already turned to 2018 and beyond. At least a dozen juniors ranked four-star or higher are expected to be on hand, headlined by five-star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, in-state five-star defensive lineman Xavier Thomas and perhaps five-star running back Zamir White. Making sure they have an entertaining and personable experience will be the recruiting priority. Winning to stay in the national title conversation only enhances the sales pitch.” – Paul Strelow, TigerIllustrated.com

Second take: “Clemson’s recruiting has been off the chain over the last few years and has really been very impressive ever since the C.J. Spiller turnaround in Florida. This game is set up for them to take even the next step in recruiting. They went to the national championship last year and they’re recruiting five-stars from up and down the East Coast. A victory here, coupled with a strong finish to the season in front of a ton of talented recruits, could help them recruit nationally in a similar way that we saw Urban Meyer recruit at both Florida and Ohio State and Pete Carroll at USC. This is that important of a game where they can send that message.” - Farrell

An opportunity for Wisconsin

Kennedy Brooks

Storyline: Arguably the biggest surprise team so far this season has been Wisconsin, which defeated LSU in the season-opener and then went to Michigan State last weekend and pounded the Spartans into oblivion.

The biggest tests are yet to come though – especially against high-powered offenses that the Badgers have not seen yet.

Wisconsin goes to Michigan this weekend, has a bye week, and then hosts Ohio State before other challenging Big Ten games. What Wisconsin has done so far has been incredibly impressive but it could get even better from here.

Which leads to the question – can the Badgers turn this success into landing more four- and possibly five-star prospects down the road to keep pace with other Big Ten powers? Do they even need to with coach Paul Chryst’s system seemingly working well?

First take: “With the bulk of Chryst’s 2017 recruiting class secured before the start of fall camp, Wisconsin hasn’t been able to capitalize in bulk on its early success this season. The Badgers do, however, still have one or two more important spots to fill in the senior class. And the 4-0 start should help them land one of their remaining tailback targets, such as four-star Kennedy Brooks or Rutgers commit Jonathan Taylor.

“Top 10 wins over LSU and Michigan State has caught the attention of prospects in the 2018 class and beyond, where Wisconsin will have more scholarships to work with in comparison to the current cycle. The Badgers will use their night contest in two weeks against No. 2 Ohio State as their top recruiting event of the fall, with a number of juniors and sophomores expected on campus. The environment should be electric, and a win could go a long way in laying the groundwork with those prospects.

“Regardless of the outcome against Michigan and Ohio State, Wisconsin won’t stray far from its recruiting philosophy. Chryst will continue to target – and likely land – the elite in-state players and look to Ohio, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois, among others states, to fill in the remaining holes. Finding the right fit both on and off the field is something Chryst has preached to at length, and you likely won’t see him take the recruiting risks Gary Andersen did during his short time in Madison.” – Jon McNamara, BadgerBlitz.com

Second take: “You always want to improve your recruiting. Wisconsin does a great job of developing kids. They like to take kids that have a chip on their shoulder, that weren’t as heavily recruited by other programs. You could start to see a recruiting bump at Wisconsin if they get through this gauntlet of games, go to the Big Ten championship game and maybe pull an upset to end up in the playoff. They can’t live on what they have now. It hasn’t gotten them where they want to be and they need to take that next step.” - Farrell

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