Brian Kelly is entering his fourth season with the LSU Tigers. So far, he has made a lot of news but has had very little success. The pressure is piling up on Kelly to deliver this season. One positive sign for him this time is that he has a great roster.
Despite the roster strength, Kelly is yet to win the confidence of the Tigers’ supporters. The biggest shock for him, however, would be that even his dad doesn’t believe he has a real shot this season.
In a clip shared by @arch_manningcfb on X, Kelly’s dad can be heard saying:
“Ole Miss could win it all.”
All Kelly could say in return was:
“Yeah, thanks for reminding me.”
It was a light-hearted moment shared by the Kelly family. So, it’s likely that he wouldn’t let his father’s words discourage him. In the clip, Kelly talked about his father and the lessons he has learned from him. His dad worked as a manager at a local oil company and also dipped his toes in politics.
“Growing up, my dad was demanding on all of us,” Kelly said. “That’s been the foundation of who I am for 35 years as a coach, I’m demanding on all of our players.”
— Arch manning (@arch_manningcfb) August 5, 2025
Even though his coaching career has taken inspiration from his old man, hearing him prop up his SEC rivals must’ve stung a little bit. Kelly joined the Tigers to compete for the national title, and so far, he has been in a dry spell with the team.
The Tigers are yet to make a playoff appearance under him. Fans and analysts have given him a short leash, and this time, Kelly has to deliver to get some breathing space.
Analyst Outlines the Urgency That Brian Kelly And LSU Should Feel
Kelly has all the talent he needs to make this his season. He has an experienced quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier and has an overall balanced roster. But still, he needs to do a better job of utilizing that talent pool. Fox analyst Joel Klatt put it bluntly on The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod:
“I think that the urgency is there, or should be, for LSU and Brian Kelly. Brian Kelly knows it. That’s why he hit the portal so hard. They had to fill some holes, because it’s got to happen for them. Listen, Notre Dame can’t be going and playing for the national championship while LSU is not playing in the CFP.”
Klatt noted that LSU has invested a lot in Kelly and his experience. So, naturally, they’ll be expecting a great outcome. He said:
“That’s not why LSU paid Brian Kelly, that’s as plainly as I can put it. And everybody knows it. 9-4 is not going to cut it for them. They lost three straight in the second half A&M, Bama, and Florida. That can’t happen again.”
“Notre Dame can’t be going and playing for the National Championship while LSU is not playing in the CFP – that’s not why LSU paid Brian Kelly.”@joelklatt says it has to happen this season for his Preseason No. 8 team, the LSU Tigers. pic.twitter.com/4QsVvuywUH
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) August 5, 2025
Whatever perspective one has on this situation, it’s almost a make-or-break season for Kelly. As someone who has been coaching since 1983, his leadership can’t be questioned. At the same time, he hasn’t had a positive result in years. So, he’ll have to go all guns blazing to restore his respect.
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