Brian Kelly to LSU, per report

[BeatSC]

Phil is bad at football. Full stop. There is no evidence that he is good. There are plenty of QBs who look good and play well on bad teams. I can name literally dozens.

Phil is barely a D1 player, and that’s only because he’s an athlete. He is terrible passer with clunky mechanics.

The problem was ND recruiting a bad QB, not refusal to play said bad QB.

Phil talking on the podcast now!!! His ears must have been burning.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Also another thing to think about is how Michigan state reset the coaching salary market. Honest question are Riley and Kelly still coaching at ND and Oklahoma if Michigan state doesn’t give out that monster contract?

Same with PSU. The thing is, it creates such a burden. A&M, for everything the school could be, is stuck in mud with Jimbo. MSU and PSU are going to feel it soon too. I can count on one hand the number of coaches of the last 20 years who have had elite success for 10 years consecutively. I know BK is 7 years, but that list is small as well.

 

[Luckylucci]

FWIW, Loy has mentioned a couple/few times that if it’s not Freeman, there will be a lot of changes to the commits and roster.

 

[IrishBoognish]

FWIW, Loy has mentioned a couple/few times that if it’s not Freeman, there will be a lot of changes to the commits and roster.

Seems the team, current and past, are very clear about what they think on the matter.

Just make it happen.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Phil is bad at football. Full stop. There is no evidence that he is good. There are plenty of QBs who look good and play well on bad teams. I can name literally dozens.

Phil is barely a D1 player, and that’s only because he’s an athlete. He is terrible passer with clunky mechanics.

The problem was ND recruiting a bad QB, not refusal to play said bad QB.

Phil’s listening to Mick Assaf’s Twitter space right now.

 

[NDPhilly]

Phil talking on the podcast now!!! His ears must have been burning.

Guy probably popped a bottle of champagne when he read the news.

 

[Jerry]

My guess is BK probably thinks he has a better shot at winning a national title at LSU and went for it, it’s a total bitch move that he didn’t tip his hand to anyone but it is what it is.

I love Notre Dame and always will but this should never happen at ND, the fact that it did happen makes me believe that big time coaches don’t see ND as a realistic shot to go and win a national title at anymore

I’ve felt this has been the case for almost 20 yrs. When Urban Meyer spurned ND for Florida (this was before the SEC became the current SEC) it just felt like ND wasn’t as coveted of a job. I honestly felt ND was lucky to land Kelly when they did.

 

[T-Boone]

I'm totally fine with this. Move on.

Agreed. I am excited. Lets go Freeman I say. Just get a great recruiter head coach and 2 new coordinators, maybe get Elko back on D.

 

[T-Boone]

I reckon BK wants to go toe to toe with Saban on an evenish footing. I'll follow how that goes.
So long as he doesn't pilfer (such as Logan Diggs) everything is cool.

 

[NDPhilly]

I really thought the 2022 class was a testament to how it still can be done at ND, we just needed to breathe some fresh blood into the program (Freeman). If we signed 4 classes with talent like that, we’d be right there.

Even with borderline top 10 classes, the true failure of the Kelly era was QB play which could have covered talent gaps. If there’s any position that I’d imagine ND could load up on with talent, I’d think it’d be QB right after OL and TE. Outside of Kizer in 2015, QB play has been middling to “good” at best.

 

[GATTACA!]

I really thought the 2022 class was a testament to how it still can be done at ND, we just needed to breathe some fresh blood into the program (Freeman). If we signed 4 classes with talent like that, we’d be right there.

Even with borderline top 10 classes, the true failure of the Kelly era was QB play which could have covered talent gaps. If there’s any position that I’d imagine ND could load up on with talent, I’d think it’d be QB right after OL and TE. Outside of Kizer in 2015, QB play has been middling to “good” at best.

And the coaching staff fell ass backwards into Kizer.

 

[T-Boone]

Question: Do the coaches like living in the Notre dame area?

they should make the head coach live in a dorm for the first year.

 

[Wild Bill]

I hope Kelly kills it there when he's not playing ND so this isn't sour grapes or anything but holy fuck is that lsu fan base delusional. He's going to earn every penny dealing with these twits. They're 6-6, worst record in sec outside of vandy, 0-2 against Kelly while he was at ND and if you read their boards or fans on Twitter you'd think this hire is tantamount to the Patriots hiring a local high school coach to replace Belichick.

It's like they're too dumb to understand they don't get credit for bama success.

Good luck bri.

 

[NDPhilly]

I hope Kelly kills it there when he's not playing ND so this isn't sour grapes or anything but holy fuck is that lsu fan base delusional. He's going to earn every penny dealing with these twits. They're 6-6, worst record in sec outside of vandy, 0-2 against Kelly while he was at ND and if you read their boards or fans on Twitter you'd think this hire is tantamount to the Patriots hiring a local high school coach to replace Belichick.

It's like they're too dumb to understand they don't get credit for bama success.

Good luck bri.

Don’t think I can stomach rooting for him but yeah it’s like they totally memory-holed their 2 losses to us in the last 10 years. Guess they weren’t trying.

I really question Kelly’s ability to go up against Saban, Kirby Smart, & Jimbo and win Deep South talent. Will be interesting to see where their 2023 class ends up. Half of the reason Dan Mullen was canned was bc his recruiting wasn’t “good enough” for UF fans liking.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Kelly is a much better coach than Miles and Orgeron. If he doesn't get hamstrung by NCAA sanctions, I expect he'll get at least one title in the next five years. And even if he doesn't, he still walks with $100m. Not bad for a worst case scenario.

 

[CanadalovesND]

BK went from 2.6 million per year to, what is the number, 10-15 million…
would anyone else turn that down?

 

[Ndaccountant]

Kelly is a much better coach than Miles and Orgeron. If he doesn't get hamstrung by NCAA sanctions, I expect he'll get at least one title in the next five years. And even if he doesn't, he still walks with $100m. Not bad for a worst case scenario.

I don't see him ever winning a title mainly because of Saban and Smart. The only way that happens is if Kelly turns into a recruiting juggernaut. Yes he can still pull in more talent, but he still needs to play A&M, Ole Miss (assuming Kiffen stays), Bama, UF each year. Clemson is OOC game in 2 or 3 years too IIRC. Kelly is a really good coach, but the last few ND schedules have been lighter than usual on top tier opponents. I think BK is going to produce similarly as Jimbo.

 

[Irishbounty28]

I hope the next coach comes in and absolutely shits on the idea ND can’t win a title. When he does, I hope he references the coach that ran out on his players with a potential title opportunity. Then I hope said coach is fired at LSU, and is able to cash out the astronomical
buyout. While sitting in his Luxurious penthouse I hope he watches as ND becomes a dynasty off the foundation he built(and ran out on). He can enjoy his lofty retirement knowing someone else was able to accomplish what he was unable to.

This man will be referred to from this point forward as ND Coach #31.

 

[Ndaccountant]

BK went from 2.6 million per year to, what is the number, 10-15 million…
would anyone else turn that down?

He makes much more than 2.6M. It's never clear with ND, but the numbers floated by many in the media today was $7M. Before the wave of contracts this past two weeks, $7M was a really good number.

 

[CanadalovesND]

He makes much more than 2.6M. It's never clear with ND, but the numbers floated by many in the media today was $7M. Before the wave of contracts this past two weeks, $7M was a really good number.

$7M would seem more appropriate. 2.6M would have been crazily underpaid.

I was referencing an older sporting news article, that reference a Sports Illustrated list, from when Kelly signed his extension

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...otre-dame-lsu-coach/c2ifwe72z8sf1ga7u8ayk1xt3

 

[GATTACA!]

$7M would seem more appropriate. 2.6M would have been crazily underpaid.

I was referencing an older sporting news article, that reference a Sports Illustrated list, from when Kelly signed his extension

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...otre-dame-lsu-coach/c2ifwe72z8sf1ga7u8ayk1xt3

7-8 is always what I've read.

 

[ulukinatme]

Kelly is a much better coach than Miles and Orgeron. If he doesn't get hamstrung by NCAA sanctions, I expect he'll get at least one title in the next five years. And even if he doesn't, he still walks with $100m. Not bad for a worst case scenario.

Good point. In the Twitter Space tonight Golic Jr. pointed out that the last 3 coaches at LSU all won championships, and among those 3 only Saban is better than Kelly. You get stupid talent to come to LSU without the restrictions. Yeah, there's Alabama to contend with, but as we've seen even they are susceptible to a down year every so often. If Kelly wants a title, LSU is probably his best shot legit.

 

[Luckylucci]

TIFWIW, but an “in the know” poster at LSU 247 is saying that Rees knew of the hire and will be the next OC.

 

[ulukinatme]

That Twitter Space was pretty good. I mentioned it in the HC thread, but I counted a good 25 current and former players at least and there were probably a lot more I couldn't see. Almost 5k listeners at it's peak time.

A lot of players expressed how much love both Freeman and Rees have among the players and that either would be good hires to keep the team together. More than anything, as Dale pointed out, everyone stressed how much Balis, Flint, and the S&C staff have to be retained. More than the HC it was a unanimous thing that each guy pointed this out. It was mentioned they spend up to 90% of their time with these guys, they're the cornerstones of the program in so many ways. For that reason I'm guessing BK probably finds a way to bring at least Balis with him, he's too important.

Eli Raridon also mentioned that many of the players in his class committed to the school and not the coach. While that certainly isn't going to be true for everyone, I wouldn't completely worry about things falling apart with this move.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Good point. In the Twitter Space tonight Golic Jr. pointed out that the last 3 coaches at LSU all won championships, and among those 3 only Saban is better than Kelly. You get stupid talent to come to LSU without the restrictions. Yeah, there's Alabama to contend with, but as we've seen even they are susceptible to a down year every so often. If Kelly wants a title, LSU is probably his best shot legit.

Jimbo is getting insane talent at A&M.

Arkansas is no longer the pushover it once was.

Kiffin is building something at Ole Miss.

OU and Texas are incoming.

I still think Auburn might be good with Harsin.

It's a lot more than just Alabama that Kelly has to contend with in the SEC.

 

[ulukinatme]

Jimbo is getting insane talent at A&M.

Arkansas is no longer the pushover it once was.

Kiffin is building something at Ole Miss.

OU and Texas are incoming.

I still think Auburn might be good with Harsin.

It's a lot more than just Alabama that Kelly has to contend with in the SEC.

Jimbo could certainly be a threat. Kiffin is certainly making it interesting. Auburn we'll have to wait and see, one close rivalry game isn't enough. We'll have to see what happens with OU too. I don't think Kelly is sweating Texas though, and Arky isn't there yet.

Kelly doesn't have to really convince good talent to come to LSU the way he does in South Bend though, and he doesn't have any of the restrictions either. No losing players for the year because of weed, and it's unlikely they have any academic issues. No worries about cold weather. Great environment, the best conference to play in, tons of exposure. LSU has won three championships with the last three coaches, ND hasn't won won since '88. Kelly realizes he hit his ceiling in South Bend, and he's certainly better at X's and O's than Orgeron or Les Miles was. I'm not saying he's automatically going to succeed there, but Orgeron certainly left some great talent for him to work with.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Good point. In the Twitter Space tonight Golic Jr. pointed out that the last 3 coaches at LSU all won championships, and among those 3 only Saban is better than Kelly. You get stupid talent to come to LSU without the restrictions. Yeah, there's Alabama to contend with, but as we've seen even they are susceptible to a down year every so often. If Kelly wants a title, LSU is probably his best shot legit.

If that's the case, he better get Joe Brady and Dave Arnada as coordinators.....Tommy ain't Joe Brady.

 

[Irishnuke]

TIFWIW, but an “in the know” poster at LSU 247 is saying that Rees knew of the hire and will be the next OC.

I don't doubt this. Don't know where it was posted but earlier when this was all breaking the guy who first posted it on twitter said his friend was friends with Tommy's best friend and he already knew it was a done deal over the weekend, or some shit along those lines. Clearly not everyone on staff knew.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Matt_Fortuna/status/1465499247357345794[/TWEET]

 

[Golden_Domer]

Chill Jess... I'm muting you.

lol

lol what did she say? I didn't catch it since Book was talking, I think.

 

[ulukinatme]

If that's the case, he better get Joe Brady and Dave Arnada as coordinators.....Tommy ain't Joe Brady.

Tommy also hasn't had a Joe Burrow play for him. In his two years as OC he's had a pretty weak WR group to work with too, not to mention the struggles at OL this year. He's been successful anyway, good enough to make it to the playoffs both years. FWIW the players on the Twitter Space tonight all vouched for either Freeman or Rees to take over as HC because the players love them both.