News Article: Brian Kelly's Take on the future of the SEC

[sanjosecrimson]

Brian Kelly and LSU ready for national title without Jayden Daniels (usatoday.com)


“Kalen DeBoer is an outstanding football coach,” Kelly said of Saban’s heir. “His success is real. They hired somebody that, I think, creates the same kind of expectations at Alabama.”

No longer, though, does Saban directly impede Kelly’s championship quest.

Who’s the new face of the challenge?

“It’s Kirby Smart,” Kelly said.

Imitation is a college football coach’s highest compliment, and Kelly’s program-building blueprint for LSU resembles Smart’s method at Georgia. Kelly doesn’t covet Lane Kiffin’s “Portal King” throne. He’s intent on signing and developing recruits and using transfers to fill cracks.

I think Kelly is putting the cart before the horse with his Smart comment. Alabama with or w/o GOAT will still be LSU's nemesis.

 

[B1GTide]

Brian Kelly and LSU ready for national title without Jayden Daniels (usatoday.com)


“Kalen DeBoer is an outstanding football coach,” Kelly said of Saban’s heir. “His success is real. They hired somebody that, I think, creates the same kind of expectations at Alabama.”

No longer, though, does Saban directly impede Kelly’s championship quest.

Who’s the new face of the challenge?

“It’s Kirby Smart,” Kelly said.

Imitation is a college football coach’s highest compliment, and Kelly’s program-building blueprint for LSU resembles Smart’s method at Georgia. Kelly doesn’t covet Lane Kiffin’s “Portal King” throne. He’s intent on signing and developing recruits and using transfers to fill cracks.

I think Kelly is putting the cart before the horse with his Smart comment. Alabama with or w/o GOAT will still be LSU's nemesis.

I agree with him - for now. Smart has done more than any other active college football coach.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't think he said anything out of line or "crazy". Until CKD proves he can keep Bama at the top of the SEC mountain the obvious choice is Kirby. Up until this past season, they'd won back-to-back NC's. So with Saban retiring the logical next in line is Kirby.

 

[Con]

I agree with him - for now. Smart has done more than any other active college football coach.

I am with you @B1GTide. He is the one with the blueprint. I hope Coach DeBoer supplants him quickly.

 

[stlimprov]

There are plenty of cases of SEC teams in the last decade and a half that focused so much on the "face of the challenge" that they couldn't make it through the other potholes along the way.

 

[BamaMoon]

He may be right, but if I"m CKD I'm making a note to remind my team of this come next November (or whenever we play LSU again).

 

[sanjosecrimson]

I am with you @B1GTide. He is the one with the blueprint. I hope Coach DeBoer supplants him quickly.

I think Kiffin who has won B2B 10-win season is more of a threat than Kelly. What Lane has done at Ole Miss is impressive. If he can adjust some of his in-game decision and stubbornness, this year's OM team could be his best chance to make the Playoffs. The game vs Georgia at Oxford this season will tell us both about these teams.

 

[colbysullivan]

Brian Kelly and LSU ready for national title without Jayden Daniels (usatoday.com)


“Kalen DeBoer is an outstanding football coach,” Kelly said of Saban’s heir. “His success is real. They hired somebody that, I think, creates the same kind of expectations at Alabama.”

No longer, though, does Saban directly impede Kelly’s championship quest.

Who’s the new face of the challenge?

“It’s Kirby Smart,” Kelly said.

Imitation is a college football coach’s highest compliment, and Kelly’s program-building blueprint for LSU resembles Smart’s method at Georgia. Kelly doesn’t covet Lane Kiffin’s “Portal King” throne. He’s intent on signing and developing recruits and using transfers to fill cracks.

I think Kelly is putting the cart before the horse with his Smart comment. Alabama with or w/o GOAT will still be LSU's nemesis.

So....2022 just doesn't exist then? Half of LSU's team was portal players...

 

[Tidelines]

Kelly may be trying to de-emphasize the rivalry with Alabama a bit. Getting sky high for Bama has never worked for LSU. Make the Bulldogs the target instead of us. Not a bad strategy. We will see how it works out.

 

[colbysullivan]

Kelly may be trying to de-emphasize the rivalry with Alabama a bit. Getting sky high for Bama has never worked for LSU. Make the Bulldogs the target instead of us. Not a bad strategy. We will see how it works out.

That's actually a very good point.

 

[CrimsonEyeshade]

I don't think Kelly's fanbase will allow him to de-emphasize the Alabama game. With Saban gone the level of pure hatred might, MIGHT, ease off a click or two. But dem peoples is crazy.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't think Kelly's fanbase will allow him to de-emphasize the Alabama game. With Saban gone the level of pure hatred might, MIGHT, ease off a click or two. But dem peoples is crazy.

Yeah, I think the angst around this game for them will drop quite a bit now that Saban is gone. It doesn't mean they'll become cordial or anything. Let's not get crazy! LOL! They'll still want to win the game and definitely will have it circled. It just won't be circled in blood anymore.

 

[bamadwain]

I think Kiffin who has won B2B 10-win season is more of a threat than Kelly. What Lane has done at Ole Miss is impressive. If he can adjust some of his in-game decision and stubbornness, this year's OM team could be his best chance to make the Playoffs. The game vs Georgia at Oxford this season will tell us both about these teams.

He should make the playoffs, have you seen that schedule it's pathetic, makes Georgia's look good, he should go 10-2, little luck 11-1

 

[Bama_N_Va]

I agree with him - for now. Smart has done more than any other active college football coach.

Well, he certainly has the 'get drunk, drive fast, [maybe] kill someone' process down to a Science!!!

 

[BamaMoon]

Kelly may be trying to de-emphasize the rivalry with Alabama a bit. Getting sky high for Bama has never worked for LSU. Make the Bulldogs the target instead of us. Not a bad strategy. We will see how it works out.

Not to derail, but I personally always thought we came into the LSU game too tight too. We almost never played a loose, free game and great execution. I think LSU was CNS's real rival (instead of you know who and I've mentioned this a hundred times as to how we never seemed prepared enough for Auburn).

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Not to derail, but I personally always thought we came into the LSU game too tight too. We almost never played a loose, free game and great execution. I think LSU was CNS's real rival (instead of you know who and I've mentioned this a hundred times as to how we never seemed prepared enough for Auburn).

I agree, LSU was Saban's rival. They were his "Auburn".

 

[Tidelines]

Emph

Not to derail, but I personally always thought we came into the LSU game too tight too. We almost never played a loose, free game and great execution. I think LSU was CNS's real rival (instead of you know who and I've mentioned this a hundred times as to how we never seemed prepared enough for Auburn).

I agree with your post. I was coming from an LSU point of view. Personally, I never thought coach Saban handle the Auburn game all that well. I know the record, but some of those wins were Cliff hangers.

 

[colbysullivan]

I still don’t even buy Kelly as LSU’s coach. Such a weird fit.

 

[B1GTide]

I still don’t even buy Kelly as LSU’s coach. Such a weird fit.

It is, and he is a jerk, but he is also a great coach.

 

[GrayTide]

The SEC, even without divisions, is a meat grinder conference. With the exception of Vanderbilt there are "no walkovers".