Brian Kelly, head coach of the LSU Tigers, just signed his resignation papers after it was confirmed that…
Brian Kelly stated on Wednesday that while he had no intention of leaving Notre Dame going into the season, he couldn’t pass up the chance to take over as head coach of LSU.
LSU shockingly announced on Tuesday that Kelly has signed a 10-year, $95 million contract.
Kelly has 12 seasons and 113 wins at Notre Dame, making him the program’s most successful head coach ever (including wins that were vacated).
“As I started the 2021 season, I had no intention of searching for another opportunity,” Kelly informed reporters at his Baton Rouge press conference. “I had a fantastic football team that we were building, but when you have the chance to speak with [LSU athletic director] Scott Woodward and he lays out a clear strategy and opportunity, it’s thrilling to see what kind of vision he has for you. As I had the chance to discuss this option with additional people, I felt compelled to seize the opportunity.”
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Kelly’s resignation was made public on Monday. The following morning, at a team meeting, he spoke to the players, telling them he wanted to “get in front of them” and inform them directly.
Kelly stated that attending LSU was a tough choice for him because of his passion for his old teammates.
“We tried our best, but leaving is never easy,” he remarked.
Notre Dame, which is 11-1 and ranked sixth in the country, “deserves to be in the playoff,” according to Kelly.
Although he noted that he was interested in taking some of his previous assistants to Baton Rouge, he made it clear that they were still working and had more work left in them.
“We’ll need to work through that process,” he remarked. “On both sides, there are squads to coach.”
LSU, which concluded the regular season with a 6-6 record, intends to play in a bowl game, as Woodward revealed on Wednesday.
Kelly stated that he and Woodward had not discussed the current plan, which calls for offensive line coach Brad Davis to serve as the interim head coach through the bowl game. Kelly described the conversation as “open.”
Kelly becomes the next head coach at LSU following the resignation of Ed Orgeron, who led the team for five full seasons before being let go in mid-October.
Orgeron guided the Tigers to a national title in 2019, but in the two seasons that followed, they have finished 11-11. Orgeron is owed $16.9 million for his buyout.
The appointment of Kelly marked “a momentous occasion for Louisiana State University,” according to President William F. Tate IV.
Following their meeting, Woodward claimed to be confident that Kelly’s “winning days are just getting begun.”
“His and our plans to advance this initiative are identical,” he declared. “His goal is not to experience success. He is here to keep it going. He shares our vision for what LSU football can become. He’s not just here to blend in with our way of life. His purpose is to change it. Most importantly, we have the same expectations for LSU football from him. He is not here only to prevail. He is here to take home titles.”
Kelly emphasized that he was drawn to LSU because of the alignment from the university president to the athletic director and down. Kelly has coached in the Midwest his whole coaching career.
He remarked, “I wanted to be with the greatest, so I came down here.” “These are excellent materials. Alignment, excellence, and the bar for expectations set the stage. Hear me out: This place measures you in championships. That’s what I desire. I would rather be in the bright light. My dream is to perform on Broadway. That’s my area of interest. Undoubtedly, that is indeed a component of the attraction.
