LSU’s [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] wasn’t the only first-year head coach to find success in 2022.
Sonny Dykes led TCU to a national title appearance. Out west, Lincoln Riley and USC fell one-win short of a playoff berth, while Dan Lanning and Kalen DeBoer had their schools competing for a Pac-12 title.
Jon Sumrall and Troy won 11 games and a Sun Belt title as Duke’s Mike Elko led the Blue Devils to their seventh nine-win season in program history.
In the current era, Year 1s are volatile and unpredictable. Roster chaos can be a coach’s best friend with the transfer portal allowing for a quick influx of experienced talent.
It can also be a new coach’s worst enemy, as program’s best players leave in the coaching transition.
Every situation is different, with some guys facing complete rebuilds while others take over talent-rich squads. Making comparisons can be tricky, especially across eras.
With that in mind, I’m going to do it anyway. Here’s how Brian Kelly’s first-year at LSU compared to previous Tiger coaches in year-one.