LSU coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] earned a bit of a standoffish reputation with the media, both during his time at Notre Dame and early in his tenure in Baton Rouge.
But the 2024 season has seemingly brought out a different side of Kelly, who has been more laid-back and willing to make jokes during his press conferences. While this may seem like a minor detail, Kelly said it speaks to his comfort level coaching at LSU.
“I love it. It’s comfortable,” Kelly said. “I think I don’t have to feel like you can’t joke around a little bit without being taken too seriously. For me, I have to check myself at times, because I think a couple of weeks ago, I was a little bit too sarcastic in the press room. So, I have to check myself, too. But by and large, I enjoy it here. I love being the head coach at LSU, and it’s a place that for me, it feels real comfortable.”
Kelly previously had joked that he still can bring the intensity when it’s necessary, pointing to a sideline interaction with quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] that went semi-viral when Kelly was animated while coaching his signal-caller following his second interception of the game against South Alabama.
“Did you see me with Nussmeier on the sideline? I mean, that didn’t look intense? I mean, I think I maintain my intensity when it’s game time. That’s my office,” Kelly said. “Like, if I had a camera in your office, I’m sure there’d be times where you’d get intense. If you had a camera in your office, there would be intense moments. But no, I mean, I just think that there’s a lot of coaching, there’s a lot of teaching going on, and for me, you have to be able to, you know, get to a lot of guys and talk to a lot of guys at different levels.
“Nuss and I have got a great relationship where he responds well if he’s leaned on in some instances. You can’t lean on him like that all the time, but there are times when you need to lean on him.”
Kelly is now in his third season at LSU and holds an impressive 24-8 record. But the Tigers are still looking for their first College Football Playoff appearance under him as Kelly tries to capture his elusive first FBS national title.
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