Brian Kelly is trying to be the funny, personable, charismatic guy as LSU’s head coach, and it’s simply not working. From trying to sound Southern but sounding like Foghorn Leghorn at an LSU basketball game (with a fake accent, by the way) to the hilariously awkward dance moves he did with an LSU recruit, it seems like Kelly is trying to make himself likable to not only LSU fans but LSU boosters. The problem with that is the last coach LSU hired (and promptly fired) was the comedy and charisma guy, and he got ousted after a poor season last year.
Even if he’s tried it before, Kelly has never been the funny charisma coach. Last year Kelly tried to make a quip about late game execution after the Irish beat (how ironic) Florida State. “Maybe the entire team should be executed,” Kelly said. The joke fell flat, and he had to explain that he was invoking coaching great John McKay. Kelly is just not a funny person.
If Kelly wants to endear himself to LSU fans and boosters, he can do what he did at Notre Dame: win football games. It’s the most significant reason why Scott Woodward is paying him $100 million over ten years. Not because Kelly was a “culture” hire, but because in his time at Notre Dame, he only had one season below .500. In a way, Vann was right. If Kelly wins games, then people will show respect.
