LSU Coach Brian Kelly Responds To Michigan Job Rumors

Getty Image / Jonathan Bachman

Two years ago, Brian Kelly stunned the college football world when he left Notre Dame for LSU after the Tigers fired Ed Orgeron. There are rumors one of the sport’s most-decorated active coaches could be on the move again.

Where to, you ask? The rumor is that Brian Kelly would be very interested in being the head coach at the University of Michigan if Head Coach Jim Harbaugh were to move on.

For yet another offseason, rumors that the embattled, but successful, Wolverine coach could be moving on to the NFL are out there once again.

Michigan won the Big Ten and advanced to the College Football Playoff for the third straight season this year, and they’ve won 28 regular season games in a row. Three straights wins over Ohio State have already cemented Harbaugh as a coaching legend in Ann Arbor, his alma mater.

But, he just can’t avoid scandals. Michigan has been given a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA regarding recruiting violations and alleged lying about said violations by Jim Harbaugh. That story has been in the background since a massive sign-stealing scandal engulfed the program in October this year and resulted in Harbaugh being suspended for the final three games of the regular season. He also sat out the first three games of the Wolverines season due to the investigation surrounding hte recruiting violations.

Maybe Jim Harbaugh has decided he’s had enough in Ann Arbor, or possibly the University of Michigan decision-makers have decided that he’s not worth the negative headlines.

If that job were to come open, Brian Kelly would be an ideal candidate. The 62-year-old is a remarkable 282-103-2 in his career, with head coaching stops at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame prior to LSU.

Those first two stops were in the state of Michigan, as Kelly coached in the state from 1987-2006.

But, Brian Kelly is denying the reports that he’s interested in the Michigan job if it were to open up.

Notre Dame fans don’t believe a word he says, I presume. LSU (9-3) plays Wisconsin in the Reliaquest Bowl on New Year’s Day.