Brian Kelly Breaks Silence on LSU Firing, ‘Honored to Have Worn The Purple and Gold’

Brian Kelly’s time at LSU has come to an end, but he spoke highly of the program in his first statement since being fired by the Tigers.

Kelly reminisced on some of the highlights of his time in Baton Rouge, while also addressing that he didn’t meet the “great expectations” he had when he was hired.

LSU fired Kelly in October after three and a half seasons at the helm. The Tigers came into the year with championship expectations, but fell to 5-3 before the program decided it was time to move on.

Scott Woodward, who was LSU’s athletic director until last week, said the greatness the school expected from Kelly “simply did not materialize.”

“When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.”

Kelly’s tenure at LSU started out strong. He went 10-4 and reached the SEC championship in 2022 before going 10-3 in 2023 behind a Heisman Trophy-winning season from quarterback Jayden Daniels.

But after the productive seasons, things stalled. The Tigers went 9-4 last season and have been mostly mediocre this year.

While Kelly’s time in Death Valley has come to an end, it won’t be surprising if he’s coaching again next fall. The two-time Coach of the Year has a track record of success in his past stops, even if he hasn’t yet achieved the ultimate goal of winning a championship.