Brian Kelly's tenure as the head football coach at LSU is over, but the fallout is only just getting started. Numerous former players and staff members have since spoken out about their experiences with the now-former Tigers coach in almost unanimous criticism.
Since Kelly's firing, another anonymous former player further peeled back the curtain on how poorly he felt the program has been. The player, a former starter, claimed that Kelly's voice went almost unheard in the locker room.
“Guys didn't feel like he meant what he said,” the player said, via ‘The Athletic.' “Everyone could feel that in the building. It was just the style of coaching. If you don't truly know someone, you just see it all as a facade.”
The player also said that he had a one-on-one meeting scheduled with the LSU coach when he informed the team of his intentions to enter the college football transfer portal. He claimed that Kelly failed to show up.
Kelly was also criticized by another former employee who said he “lacks authenticity.”
“I never saw the guy,” the employee said. “He just lacks the authenticity. And I don't want to dance on his grave like you see a lot of people doing, but you could almost tell that he cashed out here… He's a decent enough guy, but I'll be honest, the effort just is not there, especially for what this place is and what we're competing against.”
Kelly has been repeatedly accused of mentally checking out long before his tenure actually ended. The 64-year-old is still owed over $50 million of his remaining contract, which Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said could fall on the state taxpayers.
Brian Kelly's firing creating mess within LSU football program
Since Kelly's firing, Landry has also essentially forced Athletic Director Scott Woodward out. Landry criticized Woodward, who has been with the school since 2019, and openly blamed him for the entire Kelly situation.
Before Woodward's departure was confirmed, Landry already said that he would not be responsible for hiring Kelly's replacement. The writing was essentially on the wall from there, as the Governor repeatedly blamed Woodward for the current mess.
LSU will finish the 2025 college football season under interim AD Verge Ausberry and interim head coach Frank Wilson. The search for the team's next head coach has already begun, but despite the lucrative opportunity, questions have already arisen asking who would be willing to walk into the messy situation.
