LSU football coach Brian Kelly is excited about what he has to work with this season. Kelly dropped a major statement on the quality of the Tigers' 2025 football roster.

Kelly complimented his team in an interview with ESPN's College Gameday Podcast. He says he's confident this is the best overall team he has had in Baton Rouge.

Kelly also spoke about the recent House settlement, which allows for college athletes to be paid directly by schools. Under the terms of the settlement, billions are also going to former NCAA athletes in back pay for NIL.

Kelly is about to enter his fourth season at LSU. He has yet to win an SEC championship since taking over the school. Before coming to Baton Rouge, Kelly spent several seasons at Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Central Michigan and Grand Valley State.

The pressure is on Brian Kelly's LSU football team in 2025

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LSU football fans have to be cautiously optimistic with Kelly's assessment. They want the team to reach the College Football Playoff, which it hasn't been able to do yet under Kelly.

In 2024, Kelly and the Tigers had a successful season. They won nine games, including a bowl game over Baylor. The team though did suffer a three-game losing streak, which dashed their chances of going to the CFP. LSU lost to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida in consecutive games.

Kelly is seen as entering the 2025 season on the hot seat, due to the program's expectations.

“Year four for Brian Kelly…You look up and it’s like, okay, but they’ve had two 10-win seasons. In most places, 10-win seasons get people off of your back. They’ve had a nine-win season. But, here’s the difference – expectations are sky high at LSU,” said Joel Klatt on his show. “Every coach this century has won a national championship at LSU. It’s why Brian Kelly went to LSU. He didn’t go down there to build South Bend-South, you know. He went specifically because he felt like this program, this location was going to give him a better chance to win a national championship.”

LSU starts their 2025 campaign in August, when they play Clemson in the first game of the season.