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Chip Patterson
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Tom Fernelli
Welcome Back to the COVID 3 podcast with your hosts Chip Patterson, Tom Fernelli, Danny Cannell and Bud Elliott. It's your call for the best college football coverage from national signing day to the national championship and everything in between. CBS Sports presents the COVID 3 podcast.
Chip Patterson
And welcome back to the COVID 3 podcast here on CBS Sports. Despot Elliot that's Tom Bri, I'm Chip Patterson coming to you live@YouTube.com cover3 and everywhere you get your podcast on demand. Thanks for hanging out. Smash that subscribe Smash that like and you see those sirens in your feed, you know exactly what that means. LSLU is firing fourth year coach Brian Kelly as we are coming to you right now. The reports indicate that as this is very much a a news that is breaking situation on a Sunday evening. A team meeting reportedly has been called for about 30 minutes from right now. But the great work of CBS Sports Matt Zenitz reporting that LSU is indeed firing Brian Kelly. That would be after a 5 and 3 start to the 2025 season that would have him at 34 and 14 and as his record over the last four years, his buyout we are north of $50 million. Of course you learned that already by going to Brian Kelly. LSU buyout Robbie Cowan CBS Sports Brian Kelly CBS Sports Contract buyout Robbie Calland Bud clearly the Brian Kelly tenure was a failure or else LSU would not be spending tens of millions of dollars at a minimum to to move on from him. Was this the the right play right now? Because the conversation throughout the day was like are we going to serve up the offensive coordinator as a little bit of, you know, meat? Are we going to let Brian Kelly, as we talked about on Saturday night, sit in this and have to deal with coaching the rest of the season? What do you make out of the the decision to move on him now?
Tom Fernelli
I mean, I think if you're lsu, like you're spending the money either way, right? Like you owe this guy the money. Do you have confidence that Brian Kelly is going to get this thing fixed? And by fixed by LSU standards, that means like a team that can really compete for a national title, a team that, you know, has a real shot to make the playoff and whose season isn't, you know, by LSU standards over by Halloween, right? And that's just kind of what they have right now. And I think, you know, if you're lsu, the Answer's in some ways probably not. Like, I think they were doing some good things on the personnel side. Like their recruiting classes is, you know, pretty damn good. But that's a long way in the future. And like, this is the now and it doesn't really seem like things are getting any better there. And you just lost to what, Mike Elko, who's in year two at Texas A M. You're probably going to lose to Kaylen DeBoer who's in year two. BK is in year four and he said four years of NFL quarterback play and has nothing to show for it. So, yeah, like, this is a weird fit from the start. I think it was a fit that could work in theory and didn't. So, yeah, time to move on.
Bud Elliott
It's. It's just wild.
Chip Patterson
Like we had the governor get involved. I mean this.
Bud Elliott
Yeah, the governor has to be involved.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, the governor got involved. Yes.
Bud Elliott
They don't have a president right now. I'm pretty sure that's the reasoning.
Chip Patterson
Right?
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
Like you gotta, you gotta get the governor on the horn and be like, hey, sir, can we spend 50 million to fire our coach? And is there any chance the state can give us some of that money?
Chip Patterson
I.
Bud Elliott
It's. It's wild. The buyout are nuts. It's was a shocking hire. When it was made, it always felt like a weird fit. It is just. We've talked about it before. Brian Kelly saying he was leaving Notre Dame because he wanted to go somewhere he felt like he could win national titles. Notre Dame seems to be like it's capable of winning a national title right now. And he's fired after four years or really three and a half years. It was just, it was a bad move on his part as far as coaching wise. Money wise, he's doing just fine because now he's getting another 53 million or so. But just. Yeah, it is. I mean, I picked this team to win the national title before the year and I had a million percent confidence in it when I made that pick. And now to hit be here on October 26th with Brian Kelly out the door on a Sunday night, just. Yeah, it's wild.
Chip Patterson
Was there a result on against Texas A M that could have changed where we would be by 2026? I'm saying not being here now is.
Tom Fernelli
Is he still the coach in 2026?
Chip Patterson
If they like, if they lose respectably, but then lose to Bama, lose to Oklahoma, so they finish the year 6 and 6, 7 and 5.
Bud Elliott
Oh, well, then he's fired.
Chip Patterson
He's fired, right? Yeah.
Bud Elliott
They had to make the playoff.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. I mean, so, I mean, even. Even if they beat Texas A M, they could still potentially finish 8 and 4. And then we probably make a coaching change. I don't want to be disrespectful to everything we had seen from this LSU team this year. They had been underperforming their talent. With the schedule that was remaining. I. I had kind of advanced to. We will probably have a different head coach. It was just the stunning way that that happened in front of their home fans at night. It was a little bit like James Franklin losing to the teams that he should beat. Right. Brian Kelly was 20 and one going into last night in night games in Tiger Stadium. And then to not just lose, but to get downright embarrassed. And how about this? Oh my gosh. I. I did not connect these dots well enough to be able to present it myself. So I apologize. But to have Brian Kelly get done in by two of his previous defensive coordinators.
Tom Fernelli
Oh yeah.
Chip Patterson
Oh my God. Clark Lee and Mike Elko, back to back. And Clark was asked in an interview recently, know, what's it like you're going up against these guys, you know, guys that you had coached with. Clark didn't say a lot of words about Brian Kelly. Said a whole lot of words about Mike Elko. Oh, man. So many words about how Mike Elko set him up for the position that he's. I mean, obviously for. For Brian Kelly. But yeah, Brian Kelly done in by his own people. Literally. His. His tenure at LSU ended by two of his former defensive coordinators. And then to have the whole Tommy Moffat situation where Mike Elko is giving credit to a 60 to 6 second half scoring differential in the last two games, where he credits the strength coach that Brian Kelly fired right after he was hired. Thick. I mean, just all of the reasons to get someone who is passionate about Louisiana State University football to give them reasons to start working on signing their name to that check.
Bud Elliott
I love a good strength coach. Excuse.
Chip Patterson
I.
Bud Elliott
Look, Tommy Moffat's very good. Tommy Moffat's done very well at lsu now he's doing very well with Texas A M. But I do love that. It's like, man, you know what really went wrong? If you'd have just kept Tommy Moffat, we'd be. We'd be 12 0.
Chip Patterson
No, but it's representative of the arrogance, right? Like he came in here. Is it arrogance? Is it being your own people?
Tom Fernelli
You're going to bring your own strength guy. It just has to work. If the guy that you Jettison is kind of like renowned and loved there.
Chip Patterson
I'm just painting the emotion of an LSU football fan who's trying to like really be motivated to actually move on this guy. And you are just putting together all of the pieces to make that, like to make that story easier. I am not a strength coach expertise. I don't roll, I don't know if you've seen these, seen these noodle arms, but I don't roll in their offices all that often. Other others do in respect to them, but I just, I need to know my lane and I want to make it very clear and read into the record. I do not have any strength coach rankings, ratings or opinions on that.
Bud Elliott
I, I listen, I, I think the bigger problems that Brian Kelly had at LSU were two years of whiffing on his defense as far as the transfer portal and this year not having a offensive line capable of playing in the sec, knowing that you were going to have to replace four guys along that offensive line. It was just, it was a failure to put together a roster capable of winning this league at a time when lots of other programs have been out there developing and spending money wisely in the transfer portal. You haven't. And I think that is the downfall of Brian Kelly. Not the strength coach.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, I mean I, there was a lot that went.
Tom Fernelli
They just like if you look at it, they have had some of the best units in college football over his tenure. Like right. Really good defense this year, awesome offense. Two out of the four years. Pretty good. One in another year. This year, this year like they finally got the defense right and the offense just completely craps the bed. It's just like the failure to have like competence and incompetence plus on the other side that seems to be doing them. So I, I, I think, I mean clearly like they, they can do better now. I think college balls are a harder standard now. I don't think you should be expecting like 11 and 1 every year at LSU, but they could go 7 and 5 like that. That's not going to work at LSU for the most part. When, you know, like did they play a big non conference game this year? Yes, Clemson. But it wasn't actually that tough. Right. Like as we found out, Clemson kind of sucks.
Chip Patterson
So our colleague Damien Harris was, I mean he's been on Brian Kelly's ass all season. He just, he laid it out. The first four year records for each of the previous coaches was better. Yeah. How, how that happened.
Bud Elliott
They knew how to take care of the area. I mean like you could if you want to compare like coaching chops of Brian Kelly and Ed Orgeron. Maybe Brian Kelly's a better quote unquote football coach, but he doesn't have the relationships in Louisiana that Ed Orgeron has. He doesn't know the area, doesn't know how to get that, those players and get them into LSU and giving a crap about lsu. And sometimes, you know, Brian Kelly shows up and like, if you're, if you're from that state, you grew up rooting for that program. Like, yeah, he's the football coach, but do you think he really cares about your program the way you do?
Tom Fernelli
I, I think he screwed this up big time last year because last year they had an offense that was, was pretty damn good overall. Like, I know that they got banged up there at times, but remember his whole, like, we don't, we don't go out and buy players type thing. Like if they had gone out and bought players on last year's defense because Baker came in and did a pretty good job overall, like with what they had. I think if they had, if they had added some more hot, like really prime time pieces to last year's defense, I think they make the playoff, you know, and like, then we're probably not firing Brian Kelly, but instead they kind of made this like, you know, late shift into high school recruiting more, which is admirable, but it felt like too little too late and probably, I think you should probably start high school earlier and then, you know, add to the portal. And honestly, I mean, we could say what we want about Hugh Freeze, but I think their, their strategy to roster building has been optimal in process but not result. If you look at what Auburn's done, like they went high school, high school, high school, they spent a ton in high school, they bought great recruiting classes and then they went to supplement with the Portal. Now it so happens that they've absolutely totally botched the quarterback portal thing twice in a row. So you still got to get that right. In fairness. But man, I think if they had gone out and bought some guys last year and really actually spent real money in the portal to get impact guys last year, we're probably not sitting here tonight.
Bud Elliott
Do you think we're sitting here tonight if they had convinced Bryce Underwood to stay.
Tom Fernelli
No, because Bryce Underwood gives you hope. Like Bryce Underwood's like, hey, especially if the reason why he was there is remotely related to Brian Kelly, which it was probably in some ways related to Joe Sloan, who had done a really nice job, you know, coaching QBs there as the OC you know, hasn't been quite as good. I'm not sure how many guys are going to do a great job behind this offensive line and lack of a run game, but that's a great. Yeah, Tom, I think you nailed it. Like, he would. Do you think he'd still be there if they had Underwood? Yeah, I do, too.
Bud Elliott
Especially if, like, the threat of firing Kelly could mean underworld hitting the portal.
Tom Fernelli
It's. It's kind of the Lagway principle, you know?
Chip Patterson
But Lagway still got it here last year.
Tom Fernelli
Oh, yeah, yeah, right. Like losing this guy put up amazing games against Old Miss, against lsu. If we fire Billy now, is he Texas. Texas a starting quarterback, you know, well.
Chip Patterson
Florida last year was also the. The Brian Kelly hit your head again. It was those three straight losses. It was blowing the lead against Texas A M. You follow it up by getting pants by Alabama. And then you lose at Florida and that Alabama game was at home. I mean, it's just they're. They're truly 34 and 14. There haven't been a lot of losses, but, buddy, there have been some. The wrong ones also, like, the.
Tom Fernelli
The reactions in some of the press conferences were probably not great for job security. You know, talk about how you need to appreciate this and hey, there's. There's nothing wrong with our red zone offense when they were like 104th in red zone scoring. You know, like, that's just. That's not going to get it done.
Chip Patterson
We needed to run the ball. We did. To win the game.
Tom Fernelli
Who is this?
Bud Elliott
What?
Tom Fernelli
That's a good tweet. We can run that, right? All right. That's not. That's documented.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Mikey, if you could. Mikey, throw that up there. That's great.
Bud Elliott
But anyways, no, it's not great.
Tom Fernelli
It's really. It's. You know, it's a good. It's. That's good tweeting.
Bud Elliott
Losing Price Underwood to Michigan saved him 10 million in the short run and then cost him 15 along.
Chip Patterson
Tough.
Bud Elliott
And these are the finances of college football.
Chip Patterson
But okay, actually, let's go ahead and hit a break, then we'll jump back in. What's next for Brian Kelly? What is what's next for lsu? What are the moves here? We'll get into all that and more.
Tom Fernelli
Nuked.
Chip Patterson
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Chip Patterson
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Tom Fernelli
Please get it up.
Chip Patterson
Okay, we'll see. We're working on that. Well how about oh yeah, we got it. I don't there we go, oh, yeah, that's. Those are good. Those are good old embezzlement jokes. This ain't the first time Louisiana Football League that's not a joke.
Tom Fernelli
When it came to lsu.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, not a joke. Not a joke. That was his history is amazing. Thank goodness we still have it. Speaking of finances, so there is offset language. As a. Our. Our buzzword of the 2025 football season is offset language. There is offset language. So if Brian Kelly does want to pursue immediate employment, that would lessen the financial burden for lsu. He'd also has, as I understand it, one of those buyouts that can come in installments, you know, can be stretched out. We're not talking 50 million lump sum due in 60 days.
Tom Fernelli
Is there not a portion that's due in 60 days?
Chip Patterson
There it. Okay, the. The way that my understanding is, is that the. It is not as intimidating because of both offset and installments. Is Brian Kelly. Does he want to work? Does he want to step right out of this? Because James Franklin went on college game day and said, I'm competing for championships and I want to keep competing for championships. And hello. Let me shoot off these flares and let you know that if you want to compete for championships, James Franklin, holler at your boy.
Bud Elliott
Got. Let's see, when James was on game day, Nick was saying all the stuff that James wouldn't say for him. If Brian Kelly goes on game day, does Nick just sit there silent?
Chip Patterson
Yeah. 100. They've got. Well, because, oh, 16 minute mark might be too early, but you remember Brian Kelly and Garrett Nussmeier have the same agent. Brian Kelly and James Franklin, I believe, do not have the same agent.
Bud Elliott
Correct. Yeah.
Chip Patterson
So, yeah, that's. Yeah. LSU's open.
Bud Elliott
So is open.
Chip Patterson
LSU's open. Steve Sarkeesian, Nick Saban, Urban Meyer.
Bud Elliott
Hey, listen, you're LSU Dabo Sweeney. You're a top three job in the country. You're the best job available right now. Swing for the freaking fences.
Chip Patterson
Let's go.
Tom Fernelli
I mean, Brian Kelly's 64 years old. I think he could get another job if he wants one, but there's. There is an ego thing there, not just with him, but with a lot of these coaches that have, you know, competed at the highest level. I know he didn't really compete at the highest level at lsu, but, like, are you willing to drop down to, like a G5 type job?
Chip Patterson
No.
Tom Fernelli
Even if it's a good one? I think.
Bud Elliott
See, I. I think Brian could get a Big Ten job. I don't think he's gonna get like an elite level program job. Like if Michigan State or Wisconsin came open, I think Brian Kelly could very much be in the thick of those job searches.
Tom Fernelli
I just don't, don't know what low level Big Ten jobs. Like, I don't think that's gonna, you think that's gonna open this? Maybe it does open this year. I don't know.
Bud Elliott
It might. And he said in that state when he was at Central or at Grand Valley State.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, yeah.
Tom Fernelli
I was thinking like if Fleck gets one, like if Fleck gets ucla, you know, does. Could BK get Minnesota?
Bud Elliott
Yeah, but I don't know if he would take it.
Chip Patterson
I think Michigan State or Wisconsin would be the two that would come to mind right there. What about Penn State? So, so we think no Penn State.
Bud Elliott
I don't think Penn State's going to go that direction. Maybe he returns home, he leads UMass to glory.
Chip Patterson
Oh.
Bud Elliott
I don't know where Brian Kelly's going to be next year. Like he could have a job, but it won't be Penn State, it won't be Florida. It would be maybe one that's not open yet or like a, you know, like a middle Power 4 gig.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, but Grant. Yeah, Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati. There is a footprint, you know, Notre Dame. So yeah, if the right job is open, he, I could see him taking it. What about lsu, Carolina?
Bud Elliott
He can go to North Carolina. Him and he can be, he can be Bill's offensive coordinator. When they fire Freddy Kitchens.
Chip Patterson
I'm not standing in the way.
Bud Elliott
I don't. Who ends up at lsu.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
All right, now this is interesting.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Is it a coach who already beat them this year?
Bud Elliott
Could be Dabo Swift, nothing.
Chip Patterson
Lane.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah. Yeah.
Bud Elliott
I mean if you're laying Florida or lsu, I think LSU is the better job. I think Florida might be more along Lanes interests.
Chip Patterson
I don't know. I don't know how Lane would lean there or if Lane is just going to end up staying at Ole Miss.
Tom Fernelli
Which he could.
Chip Patterson
Which he could.
Bud Elliott
Which he could.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, I, my, my thought is that he, he seems to have his pick of amazing jobs and whether he will have his pick of LSU or Florida or, you know, we'll see. But man, he's a, he's a top candidate for either one of those jobs. I don't, I mean, James Franklin, no go at lsu.
Tom Fernelli
I can't say it's a no go because the AD is just obsessed with hiring big names regardless of fit.
Chip Patterson
I'm scratching off Dan Laning.
Tom Fernelli
I mean the Jimbo hire at you know, I, I think you can excuse him for the Jimbo hire at A M because like the guy had won a national title. Like those of us that were covering that program on a day to day basis were like, this guy is cooked. This is like A and M fans are gonna be so pissed with this hire. And we first guessed it was like, like he's not the same coach he was before all the stuff went down, you know, so. But they kind of ignored that and like they figured money whip everybody. They were doing nil before I was a thing. Right. And you know, still couldn't win. And then like BK was always kind of a weird fit, but like, I thought it could work.
Chip Patterson
Well, yeah, I mean, Saban on paper is a weird fit at lsu and he changed the entire trajectory of the football program. So the, I don't need you necessarily to be like from the state of Louisiana to work at lsu, but clearly.
Bud Elliott
There is also some don't come in giving off airs.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Okay. So if it's like, I don't know what, what job Lane would pick, I think LSU is a better job. Florida might be like, like Tom said, more to his interest. They have a pretty good coach in their backyard. And it doesn't fit Scott Woodward's idea of let's just go hire the biggest name but the guy, John Sumrall. Right. And they did not do the Napier thing because they didn't want to hire a coach from a G5 in the state of Louisiana.
Chip Patterson
Oh, let's go in the time machine, bud. Let's jump in the time machine to 2021. Mikey, can we get it on the screen? This is just pressing it beyond belief. You want to read it for the, the audio listeners?
Tom Fernelli
Yes. From 2021. If Florida hires Billy Napier after in state, LSU showed no interest. One rival is going to look smart and the other will probably look dumb in a few years. Not sure who turns out. Maybe both.
Chip Patterson
Both.
Bud Elliott
That's the, that's the science of hiring a football coach right there. You really have no damn idea. You could hire Urban Meyer and you might not win a national title. You don't know.
Chip Patterson
You could hire Urban Meyer and he can kick your kicker. Allegedly flame out gloriously. I mean, I, I any name. I mean, is Jimbo Fisher a candidate at lsu?
Tom Fernelli
No, no, no.
Chip Patterson
Okay.
Bud Elliott
Joe Brady won the national title there as offensive coordinator, doing really well still in the NFL. I don't know if he's actually interested in coming back into running a college program or not. I think he'd rather be an NFL head coach, and he's probably on track to get one of those jobs soon enough. So I don't know if he would do it, but I think you kick the tires. I think you kick the tires on Clark Lee. I think you kick the tires on all the typical names that you would expect to be in line for a job like this. Right now.
Tom Fernelli
I would call Notre Dame's guy again, Marcus Freeman. I. I don't. I don't know that he would take it, but I would call it.
Bud Elliott
But, yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Not a great recruiter, obviously. And he's at it. He's at his alma mater. But, like, is Jeff Braum gonna get more in play here with this many openings?
Chip Patterson
Oh, maybe. We'll see. Jeff's been around, man. Jeff, that's a. That's a. What does Jeff want? And I, I'm not close enough to him to have a good beat on that, but, yeah, he's. He's a good enough coach. Again, it's my tagline, but I'll say it forever. He got. He got Purdue to the Big Ten title game. I don't care about Big Ten west or whatever. Like, you want to put on that. He's. He put together one of the winningest streaks of Purdue football since Joe Tiller. So I'd put him on any list for any job to at least gauge his interest.
Tom Fernelli
Two more. Eli Drinkwitz, if we're mentioning for Florida, like, the guy does a really good job at Missouri. Obviously they're not going to have a nice finish to their season with both quarterbacks out, but he's done a really good job there. And Brent Key, I mean, if he's kind of a saving guy, right? I mean, like, that's. They may want to get back to that model. Or do you take big, big swings here? Like, do you call Nick. Do you call Urban?
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
You know what I would do? Honestly? I'm paying 50 something million in a buyout. I'd probably go for somebody who's not an established big name. Somebody I feel like I could get for a little cheaper, somebody a little more young, somebody energetic, whether that's like a Joe Brady or even though Glenn Schumann from Georgia, like, hiring Georgia's defensive coordinator at Oregon, seemed to work pretty well for Oregon so far. You kind of have, like, it's not turnkey, but I feel like if there is a program in college football that's kind of a turnkey operation, it's lsu because, you know, Barton had used to say on the show all the time, what did he Say, Chip, what are the colors of every single high school in Louisiana?
Chip Patterson
He said, and he painted the picture. If you've been at one of these before, when a football stadium is going to hold five state title games through the day, they're going to start at like 10am and they're going to go through the day. And he said about every Damn classification, the 1, double A, the 2, double A, the 3A, the 4A, there's always a team with purple and gold and. Or they're named the Tigers. Like, it is. Just like the whole high school football system is to breed the best players to go to lsu.
Bud Elliott
So bring in somebody who can establish one side of the ball for you, who will recruit like crazy and bring in that talent. And then, you know, don't give them a contract with a giant buyout, just give him a good contract.
Tom Fernelli
So Dillingham.
Bud Elliott
Dillingham would be a great hire at lsu, I think. Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. I mean, I really do think that. Because of Tom. You said top three job, right?
Bud Elliott
@ worst.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, yeah. Because we're dealing with the top three job. I will say any name. Sure, you're a candidate for LSU. You might be 40th on their power rankings. But.
Bud Elliott
But you will consider it for sure?
Chip Patterson
Yes. Yeah, that's. That's the best way to put it.
Tom Fernelli
Did we mention. Did we mention Corkley?
Chip Patterson
Yes, we did. And somebody mentioned this earlier in the tailgate. The posing the question, is Eli Drinkwitz a flight risk? This is incredibly unfair to Missouri fans and to Eli Drinkwitz, but reading his, reading the language on his face in the post game press conference on Saturday night was someone who very much understood the seasons. Probably like, this is going to be a tough year the rest of the way, you know, and he said, but we're still in the mix for the playoff. We're probably out for the sec, but, you know, we got to rally around our, our young quarterback and we gotta, you know, figure out a way to get this thing done. Like, ooh, if Missouri is conveniently wrapping things up around Thanksgiving, that could change the, the Eli Drinkwitz. Just, you know, sometimes it's the timing and you never know what it's going to be like. Eli might be a big candidate for lsu, might be a big candidate for Florida. Whether it happens, whether Missouri, you know, gets him to stay, I think that he's definitely going to be very much on the table.
Bud Elliott
You're in the chat saying that LSU isn't one of the top three jobs in the country. Did you just start paying attention to this? Sport in 2021.
Tom Fernelli
I. I think you could make a list of top three. It doesn't include lsu. But to assume LSU is not top three. Yeah, like, I mean, Ohio State. You could go like, Ohio State, Bama, Georgia. And I wouldn't say, like, that's wrong necessarily. You know, like.
Chip Patterson
Like, I'd rather have LSU than Texas.
Bud Elliott
I'd rather have LSU than Bama. I mean, Bama was under Nick saying.
Tom Fernelli
I think we're supposed to know.
Bud Elliott
Bear Bryant was there, and I know Stallings were there, but that was in the long, long ago. I'm talking about the modern era football. This program has had three different coaches win national titles. Les Miles, Ed Orgeron, and Nick Saban. Okay. And then Nick Saban went to Alabama and one more, but he did it at LSU first, and then two other guys were able to do it there after him. Like, what other school can claim that in this era of sports, the Ohio State?
Tom Fernelli
A lot of folks in the chat are saying, Kelvin Shepard, the. The Lions, dc. Oh, he was at LSU for a year. I mean, he obviously played there, but he. He was actually. He was there as a player after his NFL career for the COVID year.
Chip Patterson
Hey, people like him at the NFL. I mean, Tom, you. You're gonna have more Detroit Lions knowledge than I will. But don't people generally respect his sort of like, what he's done with that Lions defense this year?
Bud Elliott
Yeah, a bit. I mean, yeah, the Lions defense is. I mean, I think it's a Dan Campbell operation more than anything. It's nothing against Shepherd. I just feel like the culture in that franchise right now is just kind of established.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. You.
Tom Fernelli
You wouldn't go get the Saints head coach, right? Kellen Moore, like, what's a better job, LSU or the Saints?
Bud Elliott
Lsu.
Tom Fernelli
Lsu. Right. The guy was just the OC for the super bowl champion, right?
Bud Elliott
Yeah, I. I don't know if I want Kellen Moore, though. I mean, it's not exactly working well for the Saints to this point.
Chip Patterson
Wait, Kellen Moore's the head coach of the Saints right now?
Bud Elliott
Yeah, yeah.
Chip Patterson
The real, like, we'll see.
Bud Elliott
That was an interim Boise State quarterback.
Chip Patterson
Yeah, well, obviously. Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
No, he's like, they hired him, like, and they're.
Chip Patterson
Was he in Dallas when I was.
Tom Fernelli
Cramming pre show, I was like, oh, the Saints are screwed forever with this salary cap stuff. So maybe he jumps.
Chip Patterson
Cliff Kingsbury, Anybody we want to. Yeah. Relive old dreams.
Bud Elliott
Cliff's not going to recruit well enough there. You have to, like, for LSU to be where it Wants to be. You need to have a dogged recruiting staff, which is why, again, I would go the younger route. I wouldn't go for the 60, 50 year old guy unless I know that that guy is going to recruit like crazy. Which is one reason why I think you'd have to consider James Franklin. Because James Franklin would recruit. You know that for a fact.
Chip Patterson
I think James Franklin would fit what, lsu. I think he. He could hit the ground running at lsu.
Tom Fernelli
Do you think that they might go, like Oklahoma model with the GM dictating to the head coach?
Chip Patterson
Depends on who they hire.
Bud Elliott
They could. I mean, the recruiting's been pretty good.
Tom Fernelli
The last two years, like high school wise. Like, they, you know, even under bk, who's not an amazing recruiter, that kind of fits Tom's idea of you don't need to go crazy expensive on this. But that's very antithetical to what their AD has done.
Bud Elliott
Well. Oh, just point out.
Chip Patterson
Okay.
Tom Fernelli
Hey, hold on. A lot of people think Lashley is really happy at smu. And from everything I've heard, he is. And I think he's probably a little too close to Gus to like, get Auburn. And I don't think I would leave SMU to take Arkansas. Is this a job SMU needs to be worrying about? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Chip Patterson
I think they. I think SMU needs to be worried about Florida, too.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, I would agree.
Bud Elliott
Would you say if I am Scott Woodward? I would look at that stat. But dropped on the reaction show last night about me being responsible for hiring the two guys with the biggest buyouts. And I might say, you know what? Maybe this third time I try a different route.
Chip Patterson
I also, oh, buddy, this is reckless. This. This might be not ready for. We. We should have buried this in. In an instant reaction show like an hour and 42 minutes in. But when you have this kind of rallying of resources to make the move, it also means we've got a lot of cooks in the kitchen. I do not think that the athletic director individually will be wielding the scepter. Is that a fair thing to assume, given what we're talking about to make it happen? I don't know enough about their power structure. Yeah. I mean, think about this. All the smoke all day about high level conversations are being had about the future of Brian Kelly. Things are trending towards, you know, this just. I feel like there's a group chat. You know, I feel like there's a telephone tree. I feel like there's a lot of people who are going to have a say here. So it could be another crazy splashy head coach. But I don't know if I'm going to put it just at Scott Woodward's feet on this one though. His trend historically is. Speaks for itself. So anybody else who want to get on the record?
Bud Elliott
Every coach in the country, Bruce Feldman said.
Tom Fernelli
Matt Campbell apparently.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. Again, make it sure. And if a Matt Campbell. Hell yeah, Matt Campbell's a good football coach.
Bud Elliott
Lsu. Are you excited by Matt Campbell?
Tom Fernelli
No.
Bud Elliott
Neither am I if I'm lsu.
Chip Patterson
No.
Tom Fernelli
But if I'm like Michigan or something, then yeah, yeah.
Bud Elliott
Penn State. Yeah. Especially because LSU just hired the Midwest coach and now here we are, four years and $50 million later.
Chip Patterson
John Sumrall, he's right there.
Bud Elliott
I think summer I would be a very good hire.
Tom Fernelli
Dak Daniels in, in the chat says crystal ball. I. I don't think crystal balls leave Miami.
Chip Patterson
I think crystal ball superpower is being at Miami.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Mario Cristobal can be, in my opinion the most powerful version of himself in the college football world by being the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes. If he wants to go to the NFL or something, sure, that can be another conversation for another day. But in college football, it ain't going to get much better for Mario than being the head coach at Miami.
Tom Fernelli
Campbell's also like not having the season to get hired off.
Chip Patterson
No, no.
Tom Fernelli
Like if they were making a playoff run, sure. But no, not, not now.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. Below two double digit leads to BYU at home, you know, did they take.
Tom Fernelli
A look at Golesh?
Chip Patterson
I don't think it gets there. Okay.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, I think I agree they probably swing big or just like, go ahead.
Bud Elliott
Possibly unpopular opinion. I don't feel like that offense is meant for these programs.
Tom Fernelli
I mean Tennessee's done a good job modifying it now.
Bud Elliott
I just. But do you look at Tennessee as a title contender?
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, I think it in the right year. Yeah. I, I think they bring in talent like about that way. Like given the flattening of the sport. Yeah, I think so. Plus he was calling it the one year where it was just basically unstoppable there. I mean he was, he was the play caller here. Right.
Chip Patterson
Of the 22.
Tom Fernelli
22.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
It just, I feel like to me, and this is my observations, I'm Oregon, by the way. Like.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, like guys. No, no. Like there's a reason we don't bring.
Bud Elliott
That up, but to me that's just an offense that when it runs up against the kind of elite defenses you're going to see in the college football playoff, it gets shut down.
Chip Patterson
I'VE also still got the nightmares of not being able to protect the lead at Memphis on Saturday.
Bud Elliott
Yeah, but that could happen to anybody.
Tom Fernelli
Is Zach Taylor. I just looked him up. He's the Bengals coach.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
Yes.
Tom Fernelli
I assume that's a joke, then.
Bud Elliott
I'm guessing a Bengals fan. They lost to the Jets.
Tom Fernelli
Okay, got it.
Bud Elliott
All right.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. So. But yeah, that's.
Bud Elliott
That.
Chip Patterson
That sounds like a Georgia fan who's been dropping Mike Bobo into. In the chat for the last 37 minutes.
Tom Fernelli
All right, so if you wanted to go NFL, I mean, you don't.
Chip Patterson
Don't go NFL. You're gonna have to wait too long. Unless you've got somebody who's ready to drop everything right now.
Tom Fernelli
Todd Monkin did a pretty good job at Georgia.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
Ravens might be out of the playoff race in a few more weeks.
Chip Patterson
Georgia just might bring Todd Monkin home.
Bud Elliott
They might.
Tom Fernelli
Is the job too big for Brian Hartline?
Chip Patterson
Yes.
Bud Elliott
Certainly fits the recruiting model. I would. I would like to have more of a track record as a coordinator, but we have seen hires where guys weren't coordinators or play callers of any significance before getting the head coaching gig, who turned out pretty well. One of them lost LSU this year, though.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Well, I mean, if. If Penn State's taking a swing at the guy you call Matt Rule. Yeah, sure. Is that. Is that two Midwestern Brian Kelly?
Bud Elliott
I think that's two Midwestern Brian Kelly.
Tom Fernelli
Again.
Bud Elliott
I do feel like I. I do feel like after swinging and missing on Brian Kelly to that extent. We are definitely. I'm not. There's going to be like an over correction toward. This is going to be somebody from the south, somebody with ties, maybe not directly to the state, but this is going to be a Southern coach.
Tom Fernelli
I mean, I don't think of Jed Fish as a Southern guy, but like, he obviously went to Florida. Mm.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
He doesn't need an accent. He just needs experience coaching in the South.
Chip Patterson
I don't. If it gets to Matt Rule, that would be extremely interesting. I would look forward to hearing what conversations got us there. You know, we've mentioned a lot of coaches who I think would say yes. I just don't know what order LSU is going to go in.
Tom Fernelli
That's Lincoln Riley in the chat.
Chip Patterson
That's.
Bud Elliott
I would. I would. I would do that just to see the reaction from LSU fans.
Chip Patterson
I mean, that would just be funny because of Lincoln Riley's. I am not going to LSU the day before he leaves for usc.
Tom Fernelli
Going spell G, E, A, U, X. Yeah.
Bud Elliott
But also because you hired the guy from Notre Dame who couldn't win at the Premier Blue Blood, but we'll get him to win here. To go hire the guy who can't win at the Premier Blue Blood program, but we'll get him to win here.
Chip Patterson
Yeah. I give, give, give the keys to somebody who maybe hasn't had these resources, see what they can do. If you can win a title with Les Miles, Oklahoma State coach, and with Ed Orgeron, you can, you can give it to somebody who maybe hasn't been in that position before and see what happens.
Bud Elliott
That's what I'm doing.
Tom Fernelli
The more I think about it, the more I eventually take a swing at Brent Key.
Chip Patterson
Sure.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Another good example. Think he might be a good coach. He's never had the opportunity to run a program like this.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Give him the shot. I would take all of these over a Jon Gruden. I would take all these over John Gruden, an Urban Meyer. I mean, I'm just trying to think of, like, what is the opposite of let's give somebody a crack at, like, you know, being able to really operate again. Like you said, Tom, not turnkey, but man, oh, man, there's a lot of advantages that can work in your favorite lsu.
Bud Elliott
It is funny to me because, you know, like, Urban Meyer does get mentioned, obviously, because he's Urban Meyer and he's not. Doesn't have a job. But I feel like Urban would be miserable coaching in this era. I mean, he was miserable coaching when he was still able to run everything.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
Now, now when the players had power and money over him, I think. Yeah, he would lose his mind.
Tom Fernelli
We saw that in Jacksonville.
Bud Elliott
Mm.
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Anyway, any, any. Anything else we want to get. I mean, we're going to keep talking about this again. This is. The Louisiana State University football job is open in the same hiring cycle where the University of Florida football head coaching position is open and Penn State and more to come. So. Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Does this impact any other school's decisions?
Bud Elliott
It could. I mean, if you're Auburn, FL and LSU are open, so you're not going to get your top choice.
Tom Fernelli
Well, unless their top choice is John Summerall, which I think it might be, actually.
Bud Elliott
Well, then, I don't know. Depends who your top choice is.
Tom Fernelli
Like, I've got an Auburn buddy's pretty plug. He's like, dude, Pat Summerall, he's. Or John Summerall is the next bad guy.
Chip Patterson
He's. He's, he's dialed in.
Tom Fernelli
He's next.
Bud Elliott
Pat die.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Which I actually think he'd probably killed It Auburn to be honest but me too.
Chip Patterson
That's the OG Troy boy. You think OG Troy boy don't understand how to. How to work his way around would.
Bud Elliott
Be great with the boosters.
Tom Fernelli
Kentucky thinks Summer all is theirs. No, not.
Bud Elliott
Not if those jobs are open. He's not.
Tom Fernelli
If you wanted summer on your Kentucky you should have hired him out of Troy.
Chip Patterson
And the Willie Fritz, the former two lane head coach maybe.
Bud Elliott
But that, that's not a fit to.
Chip Patterson
Me as far as I only think it's not a fit because it's hard to go from the 60 plus year old head coach to the 60 plus year old head coach.
Tom Fernelli
Dion. I definitely don't think Dion is a is a candidate. No.
Chip Patterson
No. But Bill Belichick content though Bill Belichick has a low buyout right now.
Tom Fernelli
I think man would do well there by the way.
Chip Patterson
Take the world up. Scott. Scott, I know you're a big fan of the COVID 3 podcast. You can shake up the college football world by bringing Bell Belichick to lsu.
Bud Elliott
And remember you're not just getting Bill but it's a package doodle package deal.
Chip Patterson
With Jordan and Lombardi.
Tom Fernelli
I. I mean look, Joe Brady's interesting. Manny Diaz, I don't think we'll get it but like I think he would do well there.
Chip Patterson
Chip Kelly.
Tom Fernelli
That would be.
Bud Elliott
No.
Tom Fernelli
All right. It's like how many parallels here. Does doesn't like recruiting last name is Kelly, older guy.
Chip Patterson
From the like a northeastern sort of region in general.
Bud Elliott
To be clear, Chip Kelly wouldn't want this job. Chip Kelly passed up on Florida to take UCLA for the very same reasons. He wouldn't want to work the LSU job. He just wants to go call play somewhere and have fun and be a football coach. He doesn't want to have to do all the other crap.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
I think the most important thing is like will they go pro model where like the GM calls the shots. That's probably going to dictate which I don't think they will but maybe they will.
Bud Elliott
Barton Simmons to lsu.
Tom Fernelli
I mean if they do that, I assume it'll just keep Austin Thomas, but it could be wrong. Also like to circle back on the is LSU a top three job debate. I think it's very arguably is. I don't think they have like I don't think they have the money advantage that they had maybe under Saban, you know.
Bud Elliott
But they did just spend 50 million to make their coach go away.
Tom Fernelli
This is true. Yeah. They're. They're not poor.
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
We will continue this conversation. Yeah.
Tom Fernelli
Colin Klein. That's probably.
Chip Patterson
I don't know.
Bud Elliott
I don't know about Colin as a recruiter, so I couldn't really comment on that. Is Colin a good recruiter?
Tom Fernelli
He's not bad. Yeah. But like, I just. Plus, he's also going to be in a playoff race. A M's playoff odds got pulled off the board.
Bud Elliott
They're in. Yeah, I declared it hit the desk. It's in Them and Ole Miss, Sharpie.
Chip Patterson
Well, maybe we'll do that as an upon further review.
Bud Elliott
Who.
Chip Patterson
Who's Sharpied into the College Football Playoff?
Bud Elliott
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A M, Ole Miss.
Chip Patterson
Oh, save it for the show, tops.
Bud Elliott
You. You asked the damn question.
Chip Patterson
I said. I said maybe. That's a fun. Upon further review.
Tom Fernelli
Well, don't we go earlier than all the other shows Anyway?
Chip Patterson
What, at 11?
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
Bud Elliott
I don't know when the other show's going.
Chip Patterson
I'm. I'm sorry. I focus on us.
Bud Elliott
Yeah, there are other shows.
Tom Fernelli
Why?
Chip Patterson
What? All right. We will be back on Monday, you know, in just, just a little bit. 11:00am Eastern time with upon further review, one last look back at week nine in college football. The our final look at the week that was more on the coaching carousel and then we will spin it ahead. Tuesday we'll be on CBS Sports Network getting you set for the week ahead in the Big Ten. Big game breakdown on Wednesday, then week 10 locks on Thursday. It's spooky season, so come and join us@YouTube.com cover3 and you can follow him on Twitter at Tom for Elliott. You can follow him@bud elliot3. Follow me at chip Underscore Patterson. Gentlemen, thank you very much.
Bud Elliott
Oh, get the gumbo going.
Chip Patterson
Your fantasy season doesn't end after your draft. The Fantasy Football Today podcast is going to get you through the season and to a championship. Fantasy Football Today, part of CBS Sports Podcast Network, has episodes every single day. Waiver wire, trade talk, starter sit, mailbags and more. If you want to win your league, you need to listen to Fantasy Football Today. Download and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere podcasts are found.
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.
Weird Fit from the Start: Hosts agree Kelly’s hiring never fully fit LSU’s DNA, despite his pedigree and success at Notre Dame.
LSU Standards & “Failure” Despite Wins:
Buyout Madness & State Politics:
Personnel and Roster Failures:
Arrogance & Fan Disconnect:
Will Kelly Coach Again?
Big Picture:
Lane Kiffin, James Franklin, Steve Sarkisian, Nick Saban (tongue-in-cheek), Urban Meyer, Dabo Swinney were discussed with varying realism.
Constraints/Pattern Recognition:
(not all ranked or advocated equally but discussed as part of the search)
Big Schools/“Splash Hire”
Longshots/NFL Connections/Satirical Mentions
Young/Unproven “Energy” Hires
Other Notables
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.