Josh Pate recently discussed the state of Alabama football with Colin Cowherd and used that conversation to make a pointed comparison to Brian Kelly’s run at LSU. The discussion started with Kalen DeBoer and the scrutiny he faces.
Pate was addressing critics of Kalen DeBoer, many of whom claim he cannot recruit in the South, does not understand the region, and cannot carry the expectations that follow the Nick Saban era.
Pate argued that most of those critics simply want to see Alabama collapse, not because their concerns are real, but because they are desperate to see the program fall from its longstanding position of power.
Pate then shifted the conversation toward Brian Kelly. He explained that the same concerns were raised when Kelly arrived at LSU. People questioned whether he understood the culture, whether he would connect with high-level recruits, and whether he could build a contender in the most demanding conference in the country.
According to Pate, those doubts turned out to be accurate in Kelly’s case. Kelly produced winning records, but never delivered results that matched LSU’s championship standard.
“The same stuff they said about Brian Kelly, ended up being valid, not because he wasn’t from the south, it was because he didn’t work to the degree you need to work at LSU,” Pate said. (From 7:40)
Pate’s point was that DeBoer is being criticized based on assumptions, while Kelly ended up confirming the concerns people had about him before he even coached a game in Baton Rouge.
This frames Kelly’s tenure as one that looked solid on paper, but failed to match the expectations of a program that measures success by titles and playoff appearances. LSU gave him resources, talent, and time, but the team stalled under his leadership.
Brian Kelly Filed a Lawsuit Against LSU
LSU’s decision to move on created a storm of financial and legal complications. Kelly’s contract was one of the most expensive in college football, and his firing triggered a high-stakes battle over his buyout.
After his dismissal, Kelly filed a lawsuit against LSU, arguing that the school terminated him without following the proper contractual procedures. His deal included a massive buyout worth roughly $53 million, and the legal dispute centers on whether LSU fired him with cause or without it.
LSU officials indicated early on that the firing was performance-related. They expressed dissatisfaction with the results and believed the program was not competing at the expected level. But after the firing, LSU informed Kelly that it intended to classify the termination as one with cause.
The lawsuit also challenges whether the school followed the specific steps required to enact a for-cause dismissal, including written notice and defined response periods. Kelly argues that those steps were not taken, and therefore, the school is still responsible for the entire buyout.
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