“The rest of the SEC is jumping in the air after hearing this news”: Fans react as LSU announce NIL plan for HC Matt McMahon

In an early move, LSU announced that despite a disappointing 2024-25 season to date, Tigers men's basketball coach Matt McMahon would be back next season. The Tigers also committed to improving LSU's NIL situation. This decision acknowledges that low NIL funding could be a possible reason why LSU basketball has not been able to land big stars.

LSU fans have varied reactions to McMahon, NIL news

(Image Credit: Instagram/@SECCapital)

"I think he’s such a fantastic coach and very immersed in the school. Just gotta have the dollars to attract the players," one fan said.

"Y'all trippin. Not his fault he wasn’t given more money for NIL. We got the right guy," another fan said.

Other fans weren't as positive.

"Woodward is gonna wind up being fired for sticking with this loser McMahon. There is absolutely no reason for Matt McMahon to be the head basketball coach at LSU anymore," one fan wrote on X.

A closer look at Matt McMahon's tenure at LSU

Matt McMahon came to prominence as the head coach at Murray State. One of his biggest successes at the school was developing Ja Morant. McMahon went 154-67 at Murray State, taking the school to three NCAA Tournaments and picking up a pair of wins during three trips.

LSU hired McMahon in March 2022. In his third season, he has had a 44-42 record. McMahon hasn't yet made the NCAA Tournament at LSU, and given a 2-10 SEC mark so far this season, it's very unlikely that he will reach that stage this year as well.

The Tigers came to McMahon after the collapse of the Will Wade tenure at LSU. Wade was 105-51, but became embroiled in recruiting scandals that ultimately cost him the position.

With a 2-10 SEC mark on the season to date, McMahon will need plenty of NIL funding to arrange the type of on-court help required to make the Tigers competitive in the SEC. Meanwhile, for the moment, LSU is sticking with McMahon. Whether that's cause for pity or credit with the LSU fan base, as the reactions above show, remains very much a matter of opinion.

Share your take on LSU's choice to stay with McMahon below in our comments section!