Brian Kelly arrived at LSU in late 2021 with a distinct and achievable goal: to clinch a national championship.
All of his three predecessors as Tigers head coach — Ed Orgeron, Les Miles, and Nick Saban — secured titles by the conclusion of their fourth complete seasons. Kelly came to Baton Rouge with credentials that outshone any of them — yes, even Saban — as the record-setting coach in Notre Dame’s history, a two-time Division II national champion at Grand Valley State, and a two-time AP National Coach of the Year.
Kelly infused his daring and outspoken persona into the bayou and quickly tasted success, capturing the SEC West Division title in his debut season and winning 10 games each in his first two years. However, he failed to reach the CFP in his first three seasons, and when his highly anticipated fourth season stumbled after three losses in four games, LSU swiftly made a change.
A 49-25 loss at home to Texas A&M, where the stands at Tiger Stadium were largely empty by the fourth quarter, combined with a tense Sunday of meetings, resulted in Kelly’s dismissal. He briefly spoke to the team Sunday night before leaving the football operations building and Tiger Stadium for the final time.
What caused such a rapid decline for Kelly at LSU? From the moment he stepped in, he sparked reactions, starting with his «here with my fam-u-lee» address at a Tigers basketball game. Regardless of the criticism, Kelly could still point to a history of success … until that success faded.
ESPN reporters Mark Schlabach, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg analyzed the factors that ultimately led to Kelly’s unravelling at LSU.
CEO approach didn’t resonate in hands-on SEC
Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in 2023, when the Tigers led the SEC in offense with 45.5 points per contest.
The issue was that LSU’s defense, under the guidance of former Kansas City Chiefs linebackers coach Matt House, faltered in containing opponents. The Tigers finished 10-3 in 2023, conceding 42 points or more in each of their three defeats. They ranked second to last in the SEC for scoring defense (28 points) and run defense (161 yards).
Following the 2023 season, Kelly dismissed House and three additional defensive assistants, bringing in defensive coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri, awarding him a three-year contract that made him the highest-paid assistant in the FBS at $2.5 million annually.
With the LSU defense seemingly in capable hands, Kelly elevated quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan to co-offensive coordinator and playcaller. This turned out to be a grave error. The Tigers finished last in the SEC in rushing (116.4 yards) in 2024, and performed even worse this season, averaging 106.3 rushing yards and 25.5 points. Sloan was relieved of his coaching responsibilities on Monday, as announced by the school. — Schlabach
Never quite seemed to belong
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Stephen A. calls out LSU AD after Brian Kelly firing
Stephen A. Smith reflects on Brian Kelly’s LSU tenure and calls out athletic director Scott Woodward over the large buyouts for Kelly and Jimbo Fisher.
There’s a well-known Cajun adage regarding family, «Tout le monde est cousin ic,» translating to «Everyone’s related here.» Unless you aren’t — and attempt too hard to prove your worth.
Kelly was an outstanding coach at Grand Valley State, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame. He chose LSU because he sought a program that offered the recruitment potential, financial backing, and passionate fans necessary for a national title aspiration.
From his awkward introductory speech at an LSU basketball event, where he exaggeratedly pronounced «family» with an artificial Southern accent thicker than roux, Kelly just never seemed to integrate.
And he was aware of that reality. During the offseason, Kelly enlisted a Washington, D.C.-based image consultant to enhance his public image.
The issue wasn’t that Kelly hailed from Massachusetts and lacked experience at a non-Midwestern institution. Saban was originally from West Virginia and had never been involved with a Deep South school or NFL team prior to his LSU tenure. However, Saban was genuine and remained faithful to his roots, never disguising his identity as a demanding perfectionist who revitalized the Tigers into champions following a 45-year title drought.
On Saturday, Kelly appeared to lose favor with Gov. Jeff Landry, who, following the setback against Texas A&M, criticized LSU on social media regarding increased football ticket prices for 2026. Landry was also directly involved in the conversations that resulted in the school’s parting with Kelly, according to a source close to the events.
Ultimately, Kelly fell short in victories and tried overly hard to convince LSU supporters that he was one of their own. — Schlabach/Rittenberg
Portal haul elevated expectations
LSU aimed to create the top transfer portal class in college football this offseason, convinced that the roster was just a few key players away from competing for a title. After losing incoming freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood to Michigan, the coaching staff was committed to making a significant impact in December when the portal opened.
One program insider shared with ESPN in February that they were confident LSU had put together the No. 1 portal class nationally, asserting there was minimal room for discussion. «I don’t think it’s particularly close,» the insider emphasized. LSU solicited top donors for seven-figure contributions to facilitate this portal initiative. The Tigers pursued and secured the players they wanted. Then they experienced a 5-3 start.
Mansoor Delane is having an All-America caliber season at cornerback, A.J. Haulcy has emerged as one of SEC’s premier safeties, and the efforts to revamp their secondary have proven successful. Defensive tackle Bernard Gooden has made a notable impact when healthy.
After eight games, however, most of these newcomers have shown to be steady rather than remarkable. Barion Brown and Nic Anderson were seen as two of the top wide receivers available in the portal but haven’t revitalized LSU’s passing game. Brown recorded a team-high of 36 receptions, but his 60 receiving yards against Texas A&M were his most against a Power 4 opponent this season. Anderson has tallied 10 receptions for 74 yards. The Tigers’ offensive line has struggled despite the influx of veteran starters Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson.
The larger takeaway is akin to the scenario at Penn State: If you’re a head coach urging supporters to invest heavily for a standout season and fail to deliver a satisfying outcome, they’ll quickly turn against you.
LSU sought to contend with the elite with an $18 million football roster after lagging behind numerous SEC counterparts in the NIL collective era. When you have a potential first-round draft pick at quarterback orchestrating a team filled with elite high school and transfer prospects, the sensible expectation is College Football Playoff or failure. Kelly recognized and accepted that heading into 2025, but he was unable to fulfill it. — Olson
The pursuit of Lane Kiffin
Florida’s termination of Billy Napier or Penn State’s dismissal of James Franklin had little impact on LSU’s decision to sever ties with Kelly. It was a partnership that simply wasn’t achieving results, and LSU’s influential decision-makers had made their judgment.
Unless the Tigers are positioning themselves to be first in line for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who boasts a 51-19 record in his sixth season with the Rebels.
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Presently, Kiffin is in a favorable position personally. His children and ex-wife reside in Oxford, Mississippi, and his brother, Chris, serves as his defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for defense.
That being said, could Kiffin secure a national championship at Ole Miss? He has leaned significantly on the transfer portal in constructing his rosters over the past few seasons, which puts immense pressure on the coaching staff to consistently refresh the roster.
Accepting a position like LSU would align Kiffin with SEC powerhouses Alabama, Georgia, and Texas. He could construct his roster using Louisiana’s rich high school recruiting landscape and supplement it with transfers to address needs.
For those reasons, LSU may represent a more attractive job than Florida, and the Tigers don’t face in-state rivalries for top talent. — Schlabach
