A college football offseason with chaotic potential just became even more intriguing, as LSU has officially fired Brian Kelly. The decision came after an embarrassing 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M, which was the Tigers’ second straight loss. LSU’s season started with promise after a road win at Clemson, but quickly unraveled in SEC play.
LSU is currently 5-3 overall and 2-3 in league play, a far cry from the championship expectations that Kelly has voluntarily and repeatedly referenced. Although Kelly’s tenure didn’t end on a high note, his time at LSU was productive in some ways in terms of stabilizing the program.
Brian Kelly’s Time at LSU
Nowhere to Go but Up
Kelly arrived at LSU in November of 2021 when the program was a shell of itself. The prior staff’s mismanagement and negligence led to LSU’s lowest point since the 1990s. Former Coach Ed Orgeron’s Tigers finished 5-5 in 2020 and 6-7 in 2021. Even worse, a mass exodus of transfers and draft declarations left the Tigers with only 51 scholarship players in the Texas Bowl.
The former Notre Dame head coach quickly revamped LSU’s roster with the help of a program-building high school class that included Will Campbell, Harold Perkins, and Emery Jones. However, the biggest addition came from the transfer class in Jayden Daniels.
LSU went from a sub-500 team to 9-4 and an SEC West championship in Kelly’s first year, and vibes were high in Baton Rouge. It seemed that LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward couldn’t miss, as he’d also hired women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey and baseball coach Jay Johnson in 2021.
The Ever-Elusive Next Step
With Daniels finishing 2022 on a high note, there were reasonable expectations of LSU taking the next step to become true conference contenders in 2023. The LSU offense exploded onto the scene as one of the more dominant offenses seen in the sport since the 2019 Tigers. The Bayou Bengals couldn’t be stopped, but there was only one problem – they couldn’t stop anybody else.
Defensive coordinator Matt House’s unit was historically bad and ultimately held the team back from playoff contention. Kelly predictably replaced House after a 10-3 season that was an improvement, yet a letdown. But the LSU defense had fallen so far, Blake Baker had too much ground to make up to mold it into a formidable group in 2024. The Tigers ranked over 50 spots higher in total defense, but got exposed towards the end of the season.
A star-studded transfer class and returning quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier led to high expectations for 2025. Scouts viewed Nussmeier as a potential first-round pick entering the season. LSU had the highest-ranked transfer class in the country. And Kelly told anyone who would listen that the Tigers had championship aspirations. “We’re taking receipts, and we’ll see you at the national championship,” he stated in December of 2024. Let’s hope he has good seats.
The Nail in the Coffin
Kelly’s stint in Baton Rouge couldn’t have ended with worse optics. We saw unending shots of Kelly berating staffers after bad plays while the Aggies did whatever they felt like doing in Tiger Stadium. The LSU offense was bullied by the Texas A&M defense, and the Tiger defense had no answers for Marcel Reed for the second consecutive meeting.
Early on in Kelly’s time a LSU, he didn’t have the players or depth to compete at a playoff level. That’s understandable, considering where the program was when he took over. Four years in, the players and coaches are all a reflection of Kelly. He was fortunate enough to have time to correct some bad calls, such as bringing Corey Raymond back. Some decisions will haunt him, like choosing not to retain strength coach Tommy Moffit and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.
In the end, one must wonder if any combination of coaches can win big with Kelly at the helm. Kelly’s lack of accountability was a consistent theme during his time at LSU. Surprisingly enough, finger-pointing and public shaming aren’t always the best way to get the most out of coaches and players. We’ll give Kelly credit for leaving LSU better than he found it. But his temperamental demeanor and thin-skinned nature didn’t help him be the leader the Tigers needed to get back to championship relevance. He finished 34-14 at LSU, but 5-10 against ranked opponents. Worst of all, he had no playoff appearances in four years.
Who’s Up Next
Even with several “blue blood” jobs on the market, we realize this coaching search will be one of the highest-profile off-the-field developments in college football this year. But who are the likely candidates? Let’s get this out of the way – Nick Saban is not returning to coaching. LSU likely won’t choose a candidate lacking head coaching experience at a Power Four school. Billy Napier’s time at Florida won’t help encourage that notion. So Tulane’s Jon Sumrall might not be an option. Names like Marcus Freeman and Dan Lanning are probably unrealistic. Freeman has elevated a job that was already attractive, and Lanning has unlimited resources on the talent-rich West Coast without another dominant program.
We think Lane Kiffin would listen. If he’s open to leaving Ole Miss, LSU has a bigger recruiting advantage than Florida without a second major in-state school. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz is a proven candidate who could reunite with Baker. Brent Key has experience in the SEC, but we don’t think he’d be the first call. There could always be a name completely off the radar, just as Kelly was when he accepted the LSU job. The role money plays is yet to be determined. Kelly’s buyout is roughly $53 million. The rest of the staff is set to make slightly more than $9 million this year, so a new staff would likely be in the same range. Buyouts for old coaches, hiring of new coaches, and revenue sharing will likely cost LSU over 100 million dollars in 2026.
Our guess is that Woodward and the LSU brass see the open position as an opportunity that could lure a current coach in a stable situation away from his current spot. Governor Jeff Landry has inserted himself into the decision-making process, as LSU currently does not have a President. Landry’s involvement leads us to believe even more strongly that there will be a strong push for a splash hire, as a big name could, in theory, help his popularity when the next election comes up.
Recruiting and Retaining
If that’s the case, LSU could very well be waiting for a coach who’s in the playoffs in December and January. This would be a significant challenge when it comes to retaining and signing players. Early signing day for high school recruits is from December 3rd– 5th. The transfer window is from January 2nd – 16th. Entering December with no head coach would inevitably affect LSU’s 247Sports 11th-ranked recruiting class.
Although this class will likely take a hit, it’s still realistic to think the Tigers can bring in a solid group. Kelly’s first class was littered with first-round picks throughout. 10 of LSU’s 16 total commitments are from Louisiana. This increases the odds of them remaining in the class.
Retention is possibly even more important, as schools are undoubtedly circling the LSU roster like vultures at the moment. This LSU team didn’t receive so much preseason attention because it’s devoid of talent. It’s a critical time for staffers like GM Austin Thomas to maintain communication and establish confidence in the decision-making process to keep young players Harlem Berry, Trey’Dez Green, and DJ Pickett in the purple and gold for 2026.
Main Image: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
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