John and Susie Q. Football Fan can’t stomach Brian Kelly.
I asked Kelly about this once, a couple of years ago. Why does the average college football fan dislike LSU’s coach so strongly?
Kelly offered a theory: He coached 12 years at Notre Dame, and few folks harbor neutral feelings about the Irish. You either love them or hate them. By extension, that applies to the coach.
“Notre Dame is a polarizing place, in many ways,” Kelly told me in 2023. “So, for those that are on the other side of that, that can build some (animosity).”
Decent theory, but that doesn’t fully explain this phenomenon. Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s dashing successor at Notre Dame who could audition to be the next James Bond if he wasn’t busy winning College Football Playoff games, would score notably higher than Kelly in the Q-score metric that measures a celebrity’s likability.
Kelly tends to get hot under the collar while coaching. His sideline demeanor makes him an easy target for red-faced memes that cast him a bad light. More, he didn’t just coach Notre Dame. He spurned the Irish in an exit for LSU that caused some to see him as a turncoat. Also, he’s a native of a Boston suburb working in a sport that caters to Southerners and Midwesterners. He lacks Bobby Bowden’s charm or Mack Brown’s folksiness.
And so, from South Bend to the Deep South, folks just love seeing Kelly get served his just deserts, as Notre Dame stands tall in the College Football Playoff, while LSU muddled through its worst season in three years under Kelly.
Well, get your wisecracks in now, John and Susie Q., and fill your belly with schadenfreude. When the laughs stop, you might notice Kelly is winning the offseason.
And so, from South Bend to the Deep South, folks just love seeing Kelly get served his just deserts, as Notre Dame stands tall in the College Football Playoff, while LSU muddled through its worst season in three years under Kelly.
Well, get your wisecracks in now, John and Susie Q., and fill your belly with schadenfreude. When the laughs stop, you might notice Kelly is winning the offseason.
Kelly stands atop the “Portal King” standings. LSU signs one marquee transfer after another, and although no prizes are awarded for ruling the offseason, this roster overhaul positions LSU to compete for trophies next season.
If you can’t stomach Kelly now, how will you feel about him when he ignites LSU? Gird your lions, because Kelly’s Tigers are stirring, and that’s no joke.
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Within the SEC, the moment ripens for an LSU revolution.
Alabama sits at an inflection point after a clunking debut season from Kalen DeBoer. He’ll need a new quarterback as Jalen Milroe heads to the NFL.
Georgia’s dynasty receded after a second consecutive season in which the Bulldogs failed to reach the CFP semifinals. Kirby Smart’s roster enters a state of regression. So, too, does Tennessee’s.
