Fire Brian Kelly? For Who? Can LSU Football Actually Do Better?
Yes, LSU Football lost another opening game. No, its not time to panic across the whole program.
Fact is the Tigers were ranked, and USC were ranked. It was the biggest matchup of the weekend. The Trojans defeated the Tigers 27-20, but the game was essentially what everyone was expecting.
Like any other LSU loss, the internet was filled with FiRe BrIAn kELLy posts. From social media to message boards, LSU "fans" were screaming that they're done with Brian Kelly as their Head Coach.
Which is crazy.
Was it Brian Kelly's fault that LSU oddly decided to stop throwing the ball after the passing attack was shredding USC? Absolutely. But is this the first time a football coaching staff makes a stupid decision mid-game and can't shake it? No.
Sometimes these coaches think they're smarter than everyone, and that they will force something to work. Rarely is this a good idea. If LSU would have abandoned the running game that was generating more plays for loss than first downs, they probably would have pulled this out.
So was the team poorly built? No. Were they unprepared? No. Were they overmatched? No. LSU failed because of coaching decisions in the game, and the play of the players on the field. Do you blame a Head Coach for either of those? Maybe. But I blame the Offensive Coordinator and the players more than someone like Brian Kelly.
But if you still blame Brian Kelly, and think he should be fired right now...who would you replace him with?
Lets look at the money. LSU is still paying Ed Orgeron millions to NOT coach the team. They also own millions to former Defensive Coordinator Matt House. Then, if you fired Kelly, you're looking at somewhere in the range of $9 million a year through 2031. So what could you afford?
Beyond that, WHO would want to coach a program that pulls the plug on one of the biggest names in college football after 2 years? Do you really want to swing on a Sun Belt coach? Ask Florida how that's working out.
Nick Saban isn't coming back. Does anyone really want to see what Jimbo Fished did at Texas A&M in Baton Rouge? Maybe Mack Brown's UNC performance really fires you up.
Brian Kelly has two National Championships at the D2 level, won the SEC West already, has coached in the National Championship game and took Notre Dame to the College Football Playoffs. Who has a better resume that you can go get...or WANT?
Dabo ain't leaving Clemson. Kirby ain't leaving Georgia. Urban Meyer is still toxic, so is Jim Tressel. So who has a better resume that you could get to come to LSU after you fire Brian Kelly? Oh, there's one guy.
The only remaining National Championship coach we haven't mentioned is Gene Chizik. Who did not return to Mack Brown's UNC staff this year. So he's available.
Is that what you want LSU? You want to keep paying Brian Kelly $10 million a year for a decade, and have Gene Chizik coach the program? Good luck.
Let Brian Kelly cook. Look over what he build at Notre Dame for a decade, and then realize that LSU doesn't have the academic standards, and has way better facilities. Give Brian Kelly time...his first batch of recruits haven't even flushed through the program yet.