Brian Kelly got here to LSU in late 2021 with a transparent and practical goal: to win a nationwide championship.
His three predecessors as Tigers coach — Ed Orgeron, Les Miles and Nick Saban — all led LSU to titles by the tip of their fourth full seasons on the job. Kelly had extra spectacular credentials than any — sure, even Saban — when he got here to Baton Rouge, because the winningest coach in Notre Dame historical past, a two-time Division II nationwide champion at Grand Valley State and a two-time AP Nationwide Coach of the 12 months.
Kelly introduced his daring and brash fashion to the bayou and instantly had success, profitable an SEC West Division title in his first season, and 10 video games in every of his first two years. However he did not make the CFP in his first three seasons, and when his much-anticipated fourth veered after three losses in 4 video games, LSU rapidly pulled the plug.
A 49-25 residence loss to Texas A&M by which the Tiger Stadium stands had emptied by the fourth quarter, adopted by a contentious Sunday of conferences, led to Kelly’s ouster. He briefly addressed the workforce Sunday night time, earlier than driving away from the soccer operations constructing and Tiger Stadium for the final time.
How did it go so mistaken so rapidly for Kelly at LSU? He generated reactions from the second he arrived, starting together with his “right here with my fam-u-lee” speech at a Tigers basketball recreation. However no matter barbs got here his method, Kelly nonetheless might stand on a observe report of profitable massive … till he could not.
ESPN reporters Mark Schlabach, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg examined the explanations Kelly in the end did not work out at LSU.
CEO strategy not efficient in hands-on SEC
Those that labored with Kelly at each Notre Dame and LSU described him as a real CEO-style head coach. He sometimes employed sturdy staffs, particularly at Notre Dame with defensive coordinators Mike Elko, Clark Lea and Marcus Freeman — all in sequence — and allow them to do their work. Kelly at all times acquired outsized consideration for his sideline reactions to unhealthy moments, however few who’ve labored with him described him as overly mettlesome.
When Kelly entered his third decade as a head coach, he turned much less hands-on with the day-to-day operation, in keeping with sources with data of this system. Kelly operated this system considerably from a distance, dealing with the media and the public-facing components. “That is his M.O.,” one former employees member mentioned.
The strategy in the end price him in a convention just like the SEC, the place head coaches do not simply oversee the operation, however recruit maniacally, interface often with everybody who touches their groups and grind till the wee hours of the morning nearly year-round. There is not any letup in a convention with so many championship-minded packages, and Kelly fell behind.
A CEO strategy can work at many packages, a few of which is able to soar on the likelihood to rent a coach with Kelly’s credentials. However LSU in the end wanted a special fashion. — Rittenberg
Could not crack the coordinator code
Kelly by no means might discover the right combination of coordinators, particularly after offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock departed after the 2023 season to take the identical place at Notre Dame. Denbrock helped quarterback Jayden Daniels win a Heisman Trophy in 2023, when the Tigers led the SEC in scoring with 45.5 factors per recreation.
The one downside was that LSU’s protection, led by former Kansas Metropolis Chiefs linebackers coach Matt Home, struggled to cease opponents. The Tigers went 10-3 in 2023, giving up 42 factors or extra in every of their three losses. They ranked next-to-last within the SEC in scoring protection (28 factors) and run protection (161 yards).
Kelly fired Home and three different defensive assistants after the 2023 season, and LSU plucked defensive coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri, giving him a three-year contract that made him the highest-paid assistant within the FBS at $2.5 million per season.
With the LSU protection seemingly in good fingers, Kelly promoted quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan to co-offensive coordinator and playcaller. It proved to be a deadly mistake. The Tigers had been final within the SEC in speeding (116.4 yards) in 2024, and had been even worse this season, averaging 106.3 speeding yards and 25.5 factors. Sloan was relieved of his teaching duties Monday, the college introduced. — Schlabach
By no means appeared to slot in
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There’s an previous Cajun saying about household, “Tout le monde est cousin ic,” which implies, “All people’s kin round right here.” Except you are not — and check out too laborious to show you belong.
Kelly was a unbelievable soccer coach at Grand Valley State, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. He went to LSU as a result of he wished to teach at a spot that had the recruiting base, monetary assets and football-crazed followers that will assist him win a nationwide title.
From his disastrous introductory speech at an LSU basketball recreation, by which he pronounced “household” with a faux Southern drawl that was thicker than roux, Kelly simply by no means appeared to slot in.
And he wasn’t blind to that. This offseason, Kelly labored with a Washington, D.C.-based picture advisor to attempt to enhance his public persona.
The issue wasn’t that Kelly was from Massachusetts and had by no means coached at a college outdoors the Midwest. Saban was from West Virginia and had by no means labored at a college or NFL workforce within the Deep South earlier than taking on LSU. However Saban was genuine and true to his roots and did not attempt to conceal what he was — a demanding perfectionist who lastly turned the Tigers into champions once more after a title drought of 45 years.
On Saturday, Kelly even appeared to fall out of favor with Gov. Jeff Landry, who within the wake of the Texas A&M loss trolled LSU on social media about elevating soccer ticket costs for 2026. Landry was then proper in the course of the discussions that led to the college separating from Kelly, in keeping with a supply near the scenario.
Ultimately, Kelly did not win sufficient and tried too laborious to show to LSU followers that he was one in all them. — Schlabach/Rittenberg
Portal haul raised expectations
LSU got down to construct the most effective switch portal class in school soccer this offseason, believing the roster was a number of lacking gamers away from title rivalry. After shedding incoming freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood to Michigan, the teaching employees was decided to exit and win massive in December when the portal opened.
One program supply instructed ESPN in February they had been assured LSU had assembled the No. 1 portal class within the nation, and so they noticed little room for debate. “I do not assume it is notably shut,” the supply added. LSU requested prime donors for seven-figure presents to help this portal push. The Tigers went out and signed who they coveted. After which they began 5-3.
The ethical of the story: For those who’re shoving all-in and spending at an elite stage on this new period, you higher produce outcomes.
LSU did not whiff on a much-hyped portal class that has yielded 11 new starters. Mansoor Delane is having fun with an All-America caliber season at cornerback, A.J. Haulcy has been one of many SEC’s prime safeties and the Tigers’ efforts to overtake their secondary have paid off. Defensive deal with Bernard Gooden has been a difference-maker up entrance when wholesome.
Eight video games in, although, most of those additions have been extra strong than spectacular. Barion Brown and Nic Anderson had been thought of two of the highest large receivers within the portal however have not remodeled LSU’s passing assault. Brown has a team-high 36 catches, however his 60 receiving yards in opposition to Texas A&M had been his most in opposition to a Energy 4 opponent this season. Anderson has 10 catches for 74 yards. The Tigers’ offensive line has struggled regardless of the additions of veteran starters Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson.
The bigger level right here is much like what performed out at Penn State: For those who’re a head coach asking supporters to interrupt the financial institution for a particular season and underdeliver on the ultimate product, they will activate you rapidly.
LSU wished to compete with the most effective with an $18 million soccer roster after trailing behind many SEC friends within the NIL collective period. When you will have a possible first-round decide at quarterback main a roster filled with blue-chip highschool and portal expertise, the affordable expectation is Faculty Soccer Playoff or bust. Kelly understood and embraced that going into 2025, however he could not stay as much as it. — Olson
The race for Lane Kiffin
Florida firing Billy Napier or Penn State dismissing James Franklin did not have a lot to do with LSU’s resolution to chop ties with Kelly. It was a partnership that wasn’t working, and LSU’s influential decision-makers had seen sufficient.
Except the Tigers try to leap to the entrance of the road for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who has a 51-19 report in his sixth season with the Rebels.
However proper now, Kiffin is in an excellent spot personally. His youngsters and ex-wife reside in Oxford, Mississippi, and his brother, Chris, is his defensive position coach and recruiting coordinator for protection.
That mentioned, can Kiffin win a nationwide title at Ole Miss? He has relied closely on the switch portal in constructing his rosters the previous couple of seasons, and that places plenty of stress on the teaching employees to repeatedly flip over a roster.
Taking a job like LSU would put Kiffin on equal enjoying floor with SEC powers Alabama, Georgia and Texas. He might construct his roster by means of Louisiana’s fertile highschool recruiting floor and complement it with transfers to fill wants.
LSU might be a greater job than Florida for these causes, and the Tigers aren’t having to battle in-state rivals for the most effective prospects. — Schlabach