Cover 3 College Football Podcast

🚨 LSU Fires Brian Kelly Instant Reaction | Who Should the Tigers Hire Next?

(October 27, 2025 – Summarized by the Cover 3 College Football team: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Bud Elliott)

Episode Overview

This special emergency edition of the Cover 3 Podcast delivers instant reactions and deep analysis following LSU’s decision to fire head coach Brian Kelly after four seasons. Hosts Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, and Bud Elliott dig into the fit, the finances, reasons for the move, and speculate on who could be next to lead the Tigers. The tone is unfiltered, honest, and at times tongue-in-cheek, channeling the intensity and absurdity of big-time college football.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Brian Kelly’s Tenure: What Went Wrong?

• Weird Fit from the Start: Hosts agree Kelly’s hiring never fully fit LSU’s DNA, despite his pedigree and success at Notre Dame.

  • Tom Fornelli [04:58]: “This is a weird fit from the start. I think it was a fit that could work in theory and didn’t.”
  • Bud Elliott [06:28]: “It was a shocking hire. When it was made, it always felt like a weird fit.”

• LSU Standards & “Failure” Despite Wins:

  • Kelly had a 34–14 record and major buyout, but the program failed to compete for championships—a must at LSU.
  • Chip Patterson [03:17]: “Clearly, the Brian Kelly tenure was a failure or else LSU would not be spending tens of millions at a minimum to move on from him.”
  • LSU’s season felt “over by Halloween,” and boosters and administration had “no confidence that Kelly would fix things” ([04:58], Fornelli).

• Buyout Madness & State Politics:

  • LSU will pay over $50 million in buyout; even the governor was reportedly involved due to the school's lack of a president during the transition ([06:10], Elliott).
  • Bud Elliott [06:18]: “It’s wild. The buyout are nuts.”
  • Chip Patterson [09:48]: “All of the reasons to get someone who is passionate about LSU football to start working on signing their name to that check.”

• Personnel and Roster Failures:

  • Consistent whiffing on defensive transfers; not fixing the offensive line; inability to maintain balance and development on both sides of the ball.
  • Bud Elliott [10:59]: “The bigger problems… were two years of whiffing on his defense as far as the transfer portal and this year not having an offensive line capable of playing in the SEC.”

• Arrogance & Fan Disconnect:

  • Staff moves (firing famous strength coach Tommy Moffat), lack of ties to Louisiana, and underwhelming local recruiting.
  • Tom Fornelli [13:18]: “He doesn’t have the relationships in Louisiana that Ed Orgeron has. … Do you think he really cares about your program the way you do?”
  • Tom Fernelli [16:08]: Press conferences added to tensions (“There’s nothing wrong with our red zone offense…”).

Could Anything Have Saved Kelly’s Job?

• Only a playoff appearance or much stronger finish would have sufficed.
  • Chip Patterson [07:47]: “They had to make the playoff.”
• Losing top recruits (Bryce Underwood) cost both immediate and long-term credibility.
  • Bud Elliott [17:03]: “Losing Bryce Underwood to Michigan saved him 10 million in the short run and then cost him 15 along.”

What’s Next for Brian Kelly?

Kelly’s Prospects

• Will Kelly Coach Again?

  • Possible: Age 64, could land a Big Ten job (e.g., Michigan State, Wisconsin), but unlikely to land premier jobs ([23:21], Elliott).
  • Unlikely for lower-tier Power Four or “G5” programs; ego and track record suggest he’ll hold out for a big job ([23:00], Fornelli).

• Big Picture:

  • Bud Elliott [24:20]: “He could have a job, but it won’t be Penn State, it won’t be Florida. Maybe one that’s not open yet.”

LSU’s Coaching Search: Who’s Next?

Guiding Principles

• LSU is “a top three job” ([22:48], Elliott) and can swing for the fences.
  • Bud Elliott [32:07]: “If there is a program in college football that’s kind of a turnkey operation, it’s LSU.”

Big Names & “Splash” Candidates

• Lane Kiffin, James Franklin, Steve Sarkisian, Nick Saban (tongue-in-cheek), Urban Meyer, Dabo Swinney were discussed with varying realism.

  • Bud Elliott [22:48]: “You’re LSU—swing for the freaking fences.”

• Constraints/Pattern Recognition:

  • AD Scott Woodward’s history of hiring big names—may push for that, but voices in the room could drive a broader search ([38:10], Elliott & Patterson).
  • There’s recognition the next hire may need Southern roots or at least Southern coaching experience, after the “Midwestern” Brian Kelly misstep.
  • Bud Elliott [43:27]: “After swinging and missing on Brian Kelly… There’s going to be an overcorrection. … This is going to be a Southern coach.”

Roster of Names Mentioned

(not all ranked or advocated equally but discussed as part of the search)

• Big Schools/“Splash Hire”

  • Lane Kiffin – Possibly better fit for Florida, but LSU better job overall ([25:24], Fornelli).
  • James Franklin – Not ruled out but not a clear fit ([25:46], Elliott).
  • Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) – Worth a call but unlikely ([29:20], Fornelli).
  • Jeff Brohm (Louisville) – Proven, but personal preference unclear ([29:47], Patterson).
  • Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri) – Candidacy depends partly on season timing ([33:37], Patterson).
  • Brent Key (Georgia Tech) – “Might be a good coach, has never had the opportunity…” ([45:34], Patterson).
  • John Sumrall (Kentucky/Troy ties) – Popular among hosts ("OG Troy boy… would be great with boosters" – [47:38], Elliott).
  • Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills OC; former LSU OC) – Unlikely to prefer college, but worth checking ([28:49], Elliott).

• Longshots/NFL Connections/Satirical Mentions

  • Bill Belichick (“You could shake up college football with Belichick at LSU!” – [48:28], Patterson).
  • Chip Kelly, Lincoln Riley, Kellen Moore, Cliff Kingsbury—largely dismissed due to recruiting, fit, lack of interest, or personality ([36:25], Elliott & others).
  • Mario Cristobal (Miami) – Unlikely to leave; supreme fit at Miami ([40:13], Patterson).

• Young/Unproven “Energy” Hires

  • Glenn Schumann (Georgia DC), Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State), Brian Hartline (Ohio State)—maybe too green, but the template is considered ([32:08], Elliott; [42:48], Patterson).

• Other Notables

  • Clark Lea (Vanderbilt), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Willie Fritz (previously Tulane), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Manny Diaz, Colin Klein (Kansas State), even Dion Sanders—discussed but generally dismissed as unlikely.
  • Bud Elliott [36:25]: “You have to, like, for LSU to be where it Wants to be, you need to have a dogged recruiting staff…”

Top Job Debate

• Spirited chat discussion about whether LSU is “top three.”
  • Bud Elliott [34:09]: “I’d rather have LSU than Bama.”
  • Chip Patterson [34:06]: “I’d rather have LSU than Texas.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Buyout:
  • Bud Elliott [06:28]: “Like, you gotta get the governor on the horn and be like, hey, sir, can we spend 50 million to fire our coach?”
• On Losing to Former Coordinators:
  • Chip Patterson [08:46]: “Brian Kelly, done in by his own people. Literally… tenure ended by two of his former defensive coordinators.”
• On LSU’s Place in College Football:
  • Bud Elliott [32:07]: "I feel like if there is a program in college football that's kind of a turnkey operation, it's LSU..."
• On Kelly’s Recruiting Approach:
  • Tom Fernelli [13:18]: “Remember his whole, like, ‘we don’t go out and buy players’ type thing… If they had actually spent real money in the portal to get impact guys last year, we’re probably not sitting here tonight.”
• On the Madness of Coaching Hires:
  • Bud Elliott [28:18]: “That's the science of hiring a football coach right there. You really have no damn idea.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Brian Kelly Firing News & Reaction – [03:17] to [07:47]
• Whys and Wherefores (fit, roster, buyout, politics) – [04:58] to [10:59]
• Could Kelly Have Saved His Job? – [07:20] to [17:03]
• Financial and Contract Details – [20:49] to [21:34]
• Speculation About Kelly’s Future – [22:04] to [24:52]
• Begin Next Coach Carousel & Criteria – [25:01] to [34:47]
• LSU’s Status Among Elite Jobs – [33:43] to [34:47]
• Deep Dive on Candidates (real and hypothetical) – [34:47] to [46:05]
• LSU Search Power Structure – [38:10] to [39:21]
• Further Coaching Carousel Effects (Auburn, Kentucky, etc.) – [46:49] to [47:58]
• Final Thoughts & Recap – [49:02] to [52:04]

Summary Takeaways

• LSU’s move is as much about fit and ambitions as it is about wins and losses. Kelly’s inability to culturally connect and failure to maximize talent doomed his run.
• The Tigers are viewed as an elite job -- the search will be broad, but expectation is for a proven (and ideally Southern) recruiter/roster builder.
• No clear frontrunner, but likely not a Big Ten/Midwest retread. The search will be colored by Woodward’s big-name tendencies and the desire for new energy.
• This firing will send ripples through the entire coaching carousel, especially with Florida, Penn State, and possibly Auburn also in the mix.
• The panel is skeptical of retreads and favors giving an up-and-comer the keys, but expects a wild, multi-cooked process.

Sample Quote Montage

• Bud Elliott [06:28]: “It’s wild. The buyout are nuts… It was just, it was a bad move on his part as far as coaching wise. Money wise, he’s doing just fine.”
• Tom Fornelli [04:58]: “BK’s in year four and he’s had four years of NFL quarterback play and has nothing to show for it.”
• Chip Patterson [08:46]: “Brian Kelly, done in by his own people. Literally.”
• Bud Elliott [32:07]: “If there is a program in college football that’s kind of a turnkey operation, it’s LSU.”
• Bud Elliott [34:09]: “I’d rather have LSU than Bama.”

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode delivers sharp, entertaining, and deeply informed context on why LSU pulled the plug on Brian Kelly, why it was inevitable, and why the next coaching hire will be one of the most watched—and most unpredictable—of the year. If you’re a college football junkie, this is the inside track on how big programs think and spend, who might be next, and why LSU is still one of college football’s most coveted seats.