While NIL has been a big topic of conversation over the last few years because of its role in recruitment, head coach Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have given fans a glimpse into how much it costs to build a college football roster.
How Much Does a College Football Roster Cost?
According to insider Wilson Alexander, who recently spoke with Kelly, $26.5 million combined has been allocated for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 LSU teams.
The team has also spent $13 million worth of NIL on players over the last few months.
LSU spent money to build its roster. But how much?
Brian Kelly shared some insight with me: pic.twitter.com/ZYb7ZCyYbZ
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) March 12, 2025
A lot of this money has been used to sign freshman players, retain veteran players, and recruit the country’s No.1 transfer portal class.
Simply put, the Tigers are using money to their advantage in a big way.
According to On3, the team finished ninth in the country in freshman recruiting this offseason, which should bode well for the team’s 2025 hopes, given how much money they have invested in the program.
Time for LSU To Show Results
Simply put, the Tigers have not won enough under the leadership of Brian Kelly.
Yes, they have won 10+ games in two of Kelly’s first three seasons, but that also means they have lost at least three games in each of Kelly’s three years. The Tigers have won just one title in the last 17 seasons, which is a problem.
Nick Saban, the big, bad wolf, is now gone from the SEC, which means it should be easier for some teams.
However, LSU could only win nine games in the first year without Saban coaching at Alabama.
KEEP READING: ‘Elite Player’ — No. 1 CB Recruit DJ Pickett Already Turning Heads According to Brian Kelly
The road could also be more complicated, with Texas and Oklahoma now major players in the conference. All of the pressure is, of course, on Kelly in this situation.
He couldn’t win it all at Notre Dame, even though he did take them to one national title game. It is time for him to get a national title, and he might want to do it sooner rather than later down in Baton Rouge.
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