College football's next coaching star, Charlie Weis, values loyalty over leverage

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College football's next coaching star, Charlie Weis, values loyalty over leverage

Matt Hayes, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Thu, Jan 29, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Just when you can't take another selfish, me-first college football story, do I have the remedy for you.

When you can't watch another player or coach using one job to find another, and can't stomach money becoming the driving force of all things success and stature , let me introduce LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.

The next big thing in college football.

Doesn't care about job hopping. Doesn't care that the NFL desperately wants him, or about his current boss' sophomoric spite.

He cares about his word and commitment.

Mississippi offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. watches his team during warm ups prior to their 2024 game against Georgia Southern at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

In the rapidly-evolving era of get yours — from coaches and players and university presidents — Weis is standing in the middle of it all and giving his. To his boss and his players, without fear of consequence.

In the last two months alone, Weis, 32, made three moves that should have every university president and NFL owner thinking seriously about making the big hire before it's too late.

In December, days after Lane Kiffin left his job at Ole Miss for LSU — after Kiffin told his Ole Miss assistants if they wanted to keep their job, they'd get on a plane with him to Baton Rouge — Weis walked into Kiffin's office and told him he couldn't take it anymore.

He simply couldn't walk away from the players he developed and coached into the rare position of competing for a national championship in the College Football Playoff. He felt so strongly about it, felt so loyal to the players, that he was willing to risk his job at LSU to return to Ole Miss and coach those players in the CFP while also spending his time working for LSU.

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Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas

(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Tony the Tiger stands on the field after the coin toss before a football game between Duke and Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) greats the Pop-Tarts mascots before the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the BYU Cougars at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl mascots perform on the field before a game between the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns at Camping World Stadium.
(Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Louisville Cardinals players celebrate after defeating the Toledo Rockets in the Boca Raton Bowl at Flagler CU Stadium.
(Jeff Romance, Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch holds the LA Bowl championship belt presented by Rob Gronkowski after defeating the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

Musical artist/rapper Snoop Dogg holds the championship trophy after the Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Miami (OH) RedHawks 18-3 to win the 2025 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)

Actor Keegan-Michael Key receives the game coin prior to the 2025 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Toledo Rockets at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on December 23, 2025 in Boca Raton, Florida.
(Leonardo Fernandez, Getty Images)

Comedians Theo Von, left, and Nate Bargatze watch from the sidelines during the first half of the ReliaQuest Bowl between Iowa Hawkeyes and Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
(Mike Carlson, Getty Images)

Head coach Jeff Traylor of the UTSA Roadrunners is doused with water by Jamel Hardy #13 during the fourth quarter against the FIU Panthers in the 2025 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 26, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.
(Sam Hodde, Getty Images)

Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken gets splashed with Powerade after Army beat UConn 41-16 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park.
(Danny Wild, Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green is doused after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Northwestern Wildcats players dump Gatorade on head coach David Braun of the Northwestern Wildcats after defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Getty Images)

Head coach John Hauser of the Ohio Bobcats is doused with water after winning the game against the UNLV Rebels at the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl at Ford Center on December 23, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
(Tim Heitman, Getty Images)

Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott is doused with Gatorade after winning the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium Saturday December 27, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. Virginia defeated Missouri 13-7.
(Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union)

Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz is doused with gatorade after defeating the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Head coach Clay Helton of the Georgia Southern Eagles receives a Powerade dunk after winning the JLab Birmingham Bowl by beating the Appalachian State Mountaineers 29-10 at Protective Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
(Jason Clark, Getty Images)

Interim Head Coach Terry M. Smith of the Penn State Nittany Lions lifts the championship trophy following the game against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2025 in New York City.
(Evan Bernstein, Getty Images)

BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) and head coach Kalani Sitake are presented a large pop-tart to eat after they beat the against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium.
(Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

Ken Seals #9 of the TCU Horned Frogs celebrates with teammates after defeating the USC Trojans in the game at the Alamodome on December 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.
(Kenneth Richmond, Getty Images)

Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars celebrates with the Texas Bowl Trophy after defeating the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
(Tim Warner, Getty Images)

Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder's Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
(Tim Warner, Getty Images)

Maverick McIvor #7 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts as he recieves the MVP trophy after his team defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles to win the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome on December 23, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
(Sean Gardner, Getty Images)

Old Dominion Monarchs hoist the Cure Bowl trophy after beating the South Florida Bulls at Camping World Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Khristian Lando (22) hoists the trophy as Troy Trojans take on Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Jacksonville State Gamecocks defeated Troy Trojans 17-13.
(Jake Crandall/ Advertiser)

Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green raises the championship trophy after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(Sam Wasson, Getty Images)

Micah Alejado #12 of the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors holds up the Hawai'i Bowl Championship trophy after winning the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl over the California Golden Bears at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on December 24, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
(Darryl Oumi, Getty Images)

NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren receives the trophy after beating Memphis Tigers in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Not long after Ole Miss' magical run in the CFP, where Weis' offensive ingenuity and play-calling skills were showcased — and it was clear that Weis, not Kiffin (as Kiffin has said many times), was the primary play-caller of the most creative offense in college football — new Rebels coach Pete Golding made a push for Weis' permanent return to Ole Miss.

They'd buy out his LSU contract. They'd do what it took to bring him back into the fold.

Weis told Golding he'd already made a commitment to Kiffin and LSU, and wasn't going back on it. No matter how much money Ole Miss threw at him.

Not long after that, after the Philadelphia Eagles were bounced in the first round of the NFL playoffs, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni offered Weis the offensive coordinator/play-caller job. He'd work at the highest level of football, and work with a dynamic Eagles offense that arguably has the best collection of skill talent in the league.

The Eagles, like Ole Miss, would pay him what he wanted. But Weis told Sirianni he made a commitment to LSU and Kiffin, and wasn't going back on it.

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Years ago, when Weis first officially worked for Kiffin as a 24-year-old at Florida Atlantic, I spoke with legendary NFL personnel man Gil Brandt — the iconic NFL general manager who built the Dallas Cowboys into America's Team.

Brandt met Weis at Florida in 2011, where he was an 18-year-old student as his dad, Charlie Weis Sr., was offensive coordinator for the Gators under then-coach Will Muschamp. They sat down for nearly 90 minutes and talked ball on a brisk spring day, analyzing everything from coverages and fronts, to passing and run-game concepts, to organizational planning and growth.

All of it, from soup to nuts.

"So Charlie Jr. leaves, and his dad walks in and asks me, 'So what did you think of him?'" Brandt told me in 2018. "I told (Charlie Sr.) that I've met two people in my life where I knew, without a doubt, he would be a successful coach. One was Bill Belichick. Then (Charlie Sr.) asks me, 'Who was the other?' I said he just got up and walked away."

Not long after that, Weis met Kiffin, then the Alabama offensive coordinator. Nick Saban needed an offensive analyst, and Eric Kiesau, another analyst on staff, told Saban and Kiffin about this young guy who would blow them away if they talked to him. Two years later, near the end of Kiffin's run with the Tide, Kiffin admitted Weis had become such a factor with game-planing annd opponent evaluation, that he could predict Kiffin's play calls.

The young coach with the photographic memory, who can recite play calls and down and distance situations from games and years past on demand, then left for a season to work as an offensive assistant with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons . A year later, Kiffin got the Florida Atlantic job and hired Weis as his offensive coordinator.

And wouldn't you know it ― to bring this story full circle ― then Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian offered to keep Weis with a position job in the NFL at 24 years old.

But Weis stayed with Kiffin because he made the commitment. Just like he did with the Ole Miss players. Like he did with Kiffin again after Ole Miss tried to poach him back, and after the NFL came calling again.

Soon enough, when the right job comes along with the right president and athletic director — or NFL owner — Weis will finally accept his first head-coaching gig.

That'll be the best story of all.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr is next big thing in college football coaching

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