LSU spoke to North Texas coach Johnny Jones earlier in the week -- and also has talked to Minnesota coach Tubby Smith, sources told CBSSports.com. 

Smith, 60, has spent the past five seasons at Minnesota and has a Top 25 team returning next season. It's unclear his level of interest in heading to Baton Rouge and replacing Trent Johnson, who left for TCU earlier this month. 

Jones is the logical choice -- a former LSU player and assistant in the Dale Brown Era who has enjoyed success over the last half-dozen years at North Texas

However, sources told CBSSports.com that LSU athletic director Joe Alleva met with other candidates on Thursday and hasn't narrowed his search to Jones. 

Smith has made stops at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky and now Minnesota. He won a national title his first season in Lexington in 1998, but left for Minnesota in 2007 after two straight exits in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

LSU was 18-15 this past season and went to the NIT.