Brian Kelly blamed a lack of resources at Notre Dame for his decision to leave for the same job at LSU. The 63-year-old college football coach wanted the opportunity to compete for a national championship.
However, we found out on Thursday night that he was actually the problem all along.
Kelly spent 12 years in South Bend after being hired in 2010. The Fighting Irish won 10 or more games seven times during his tenure and reached the BCS National Championship Game during the 2012/13 season. They went 12-1 in 2018, 11-2 in 2019, 10-2 in 2020 and 11-1 in 2021 as legitimate College Football Playoff contenders. They even made the four-team field for the Playoff in 2018/19 and 2020/21!
And yet, Kelly still decided to leave for LSU as soon as he got the chance.
The timeline of his exit was rushed, which rubbed Notre Dame fans the wrong way. He also received a lot of criticism for how quickly he said goodbye to his players right before a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Kelly later explained the primary reasons for his departure. Money obviously played a big role. As did the opportunity to coach in the SEC.
Perhaps most importantly, there is a lack of academic emphasis in Baton Rouge compared to Indiana. Kelly made several requests for additional resources at Notre Dame prior to leaving. He wanted a chef dedicated to the football program and an upgraded facility for the team that includes a dining hall.
The Fighting Irish were apparently more concerned with academic buildings than athletics. Kelly did not believe it was possible to win a national championship with that focus.
We were on different paths and that’s fine […]
I want to be in an environment where I have the resources to win a national championship.
— Brian Kelly at LSU in 2022
The head coach’s quote aged like milk.
Brian Kelly had two wins over top-10 teams during his last nine seasons at Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman has three wins over top-10 teams during his last three games and the Fighting Irish are going to play for a national title. They reached the championship game with a gritty win on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, the Bayou Bengals will watch from home. LSU is 29-11 over the last three seasons with Kelly. It played in the Citrus Bowl, ReliaQuest Bowl and Texas Bowl. It has not sniffed the Playoff.
Remember when Brian Kelly said he wanted to be in an environment with the resources to win a national championship? Awkward!