Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to take the head coaching position at LSU. He was fired four seasons later, leaving him unemployed.
In a recent interview, he hinted at the possibility of returning to the sidelines. Malik Zaire, a former Irish quarterback, chastised his previous coach for generating a avoidable situation.
Kelly’s departure from South Bend was widely condemned. He left Notre Dame late at night to become an SEC executive.
Kelly ghosted his personnel, informing them of his surprise decision to quit through message. The next morning, following a very brief team gathering, he hurried for Baton Rouge.
At the time, the Fighting Irish were in the College Football Playoff conversation. They would eventually place fifth in the final vote, falling just short of the four-team cut.
Brian Kelly did not want to leave Notre Dame.
The coach discussed his last moments in South Bend in a recent interview with Sirius XM College Sports. He asserts that he had no intention of leaving. He was actually attempting to establish deeper roots in the region.
Kelly spoke about building his Indiana “dream house. ” LSU’s $10 million per year was more than enough to make him forget about his future with the Irish.
He departed for Baton Rouge before the 2022 season. While he would advance to the SEC championship game in Year 1, his overall performance fell short of the Tigers’ expectations.
LSU sacked its coach.
Brian Kelly won ten games in each of his first two seasons. That total dropped to nine victories in Year 3. He was fired before finishing Year 4.
In all, he had a 34-14 record at LSU. He never replicated the success he had at Notre Dame, where he won 10 or more games seven times and appeared in a national championship.
During four of those seasons in South Bend, he coached quarterback Malik Zaire. From 2013 to 2016, the quarterback was a member of the Fighting Irish. He relocated to Florida after losing his starting role.
He’s previously mocked his previous head coach. During the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the team’s first game without Kelly in charge, he addressed the attack.
He couldn’t afford to miss another chance to deliver a punch this week.
Brian Kelly hinted at a comeback to coaching.
“These next 2-3 weeks, I’m going to be visiting some sites for spring ball and get a chance to see some things related to the football side, the operational side, and some things… with NIL and the transfer calendar,” he said.
“(I want to) get a sense of where I can grow and where I can be better… ” I will definitely consider it if the proper opportunity presents itself and I am prepared.
He also addressed his LSU firing while listing a long list of previous accomplishments. Zaire saw it as a job offer to any institution willing to accept him.
Brian Kelly is a controversial character in college football. Despite having burnt bridges with prior fan bases, his track record is still amazing.
He seems to be thinking about returning to coaching while collecting unemployment benefits from LSU. It may be only a matter of time before we see him return to the sidelines.
