After LSU football’s 6-6 campaign last season, Athletic Director Scott Woodward and many on the LSU Board of Directors believed it was time for a change at head coach. Ed Orgeron was fired, and former Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly signed a 100-million-dollar contract for the next 10 years.
Over the course of Orgeron’s six-year tenure, he led the Tigers to a 51-20 record including a perfect season and a National College Football Playoff Championship in 2019. These accomplishments would earn most college coaches a lengthy extension, however, LSU’s expectations are to be in national championship contention every year.
After the 2019 season, LSU lost double-digit players to the draft and went 11-13 in Orgeron‘s final two seasons. Woodward believed the football program was heading in the wrong direction and a new head coach was needed in order to change the trajectory of the program.
Woodward knew that whoever the new coach was he must possess an elite resume in order to rationalize his decision to part ways with a head coach that brought LSU to a national championship less than three years ago. Woodward believes he found that coach in Brian Kelly. He is on the short list of active coaches with over 200 wins, has won the Associated Press Coach of the Year award twice and gave new life to Notre Dame’s football program since his first season in 2010.
Although these accomplishments speak for themselves, many LSU fans and critics pointed out the fact that Kelly has never won a Division One National Championship before. Kelly has, however, won back-to-back Division Two National Championships at Grand Valley State in 2002 and 2003.
At every school Kelly has coached, it took time for him to turn them into a winning program. Over his 13 seasons at Grand Valley State, it wasn’t until his last three seasons that Grand Valley State appeared in the National Championship. In his three seasons at Central Michigan, his last year was the best when the team went 9-4 and won the Mid-American Conference title.
During his four-year tenure at Cincinnati, his last season was the best when they went 12-0 and won the Big East Conference title. In his 11 seasons at Notre Dame, the 2018 season was his best when his team went undefeated in the regular season and were ranked No. 3 in the country before losing in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The trend is clear, and it is that it will take time for Kelly to bring LSU back to national title contention. Kelly has found success at every program he has coached, but it will take more than one off season for him to have a successful season in the eyes of LSU fans.
This idea was proven on Sunday when LSU lost Kelly’s coaching debut 24-23 to Florida State on the same field coach Orgeron won the 2019 National Championship game. It was an abnormal and unexpected loss that had many LSU fans questioning Woodward’s decision.
Kelly responded by talking about the “process” and putting some of the blame for the loss on coaching. Kelly understands the expectations are through the roof, but also realizes a national championship-caliber team will not be built overnight. Woodward also realizes it will take time for Kelly to bring LSU football back into national title contention and that is why he gave him a 10-year contract.
One bad game does not define Kelly’s coaching ability, but many LSU fans have already formulated their opinion on him. Some view him as “cocky” or “arrogant” and Kelly can be these things if he is winning games. This “arrogance” comes from his confidence in his ability to coach. However, if an improvement from last season is not in the cards for this season, more and more LSU fans will question Woodward’s decision.
