LSU Football just had one of their worst performances under Brian Kelly. Fans can be furious, but those demanding for the head coach’s dismissal are completely off base.
Despite LSU’s humiliating defeat to Ole Miss on Saturday, no one will be sacked. Matt House, the defensive coordinator, will not be dismissed, nor will Brian Kelly.
I understand that LSU Football supporters are angry with the outcome of yesterday night’s 55-49 loss. The Tigers have gone to 3-2 on the season and are most certainly out of the College Football Playoff race. Lashing out is appropriate, but supporters must stay grounded in reality.
LSU fans should also remember how we got here.
Remember, Ed Orgeron left behind a mess.
During Ed Orgeron’s final year at LSU, the football program became a running joke. The Tigers finished 6-7, with more off-field drama than on-field play. Orgeron had little trouble recruiting while in Baton Rouge, but player discipline was an issue.
We must also consider why the 2023 LSU Tigers, mostly made up of Orgeron era players, are suffering in games against harder opponents.
Fans on social media are claiming LSU fired Orgeron for losing games, such as Kelly’s loss in Oxford on Saturday night. Such is inaccurate. Coach O’s employment at Death Valley unravelled over a 21-month period in which success overshadowed appropriate personal conduct.
Remember why LSU hired Brian Kelly?
Scott Woodward, LSU athletic director, was looking for a new football head coach who would be the polar antithesis of Ed Orgeron. Kelly provided Woodward with a hard-nosed coach with a track record of long-term success at previous stops. Furthermore, Kelly’s experience at Notre Dame established his ability to keep his team focused.
Kelly was a breath of fresh air for LSU football fans in 2022, but the team’s early success has done more harm than good in 2023. It is impossible to expect Kelly to win more than ten games and reach the College Football Playoff in his second year of rebuilding the program.
Mike Norvell did not win 10 games or play in a bowl game until his third season at Florida State. In year four, Norvell has the Seminoles ranked in the top four and firmly in the CFP conversation. His example is one that LSU fans should examine when assessing Kelly’s effectiveness in Baton Rouge.
Kelly’s prospects are expected to contribute significantly to LSU’s team by year four. If the defence is still giving up 55 points to Ole Miss in year four, we have a problem. Until then, fans must temper their expectations.
Kelly is hardly in the midst of an LSU Football restoration effort.
I am hopeful that Kelly can return the LSU Tigers to national title contention, but it will not happen overnight. No amount of coaching or strategizing will make up for the talent deficits on LSU’s 2023 roster, particularly on defence.
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