Coaching Carousel: Historic Changes with Kelly, Riley Moves
Brian Kelly couldn't win a title at Notre Dame, but he thinks he can at LSU.
That's the only possible explanation for the surprising reports Monday evening he was leaving South Bend after 12 seasons and 106 wins to jump into college football's toughest division.
Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel first reported the news and it was confirmed later by Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger.
Lincoln Riley apparently didn't want anything to do with the SEC, despite whatever he says.
Both moves are historic.
No sitting head coach at Notre Dame has ever left for another college job (Lou Holtz spent a couple of years on TV before taking the South Carolina job).
Kelly became the all-time leader in wins for the Irish and decided to head for the SEC West.
But he couldn't win a national title, getting blown up in BCS title games and the College Football Playoff. He didn't have the players he can probably get with LSU.
Riley reportedly wasn't particularly pleased with the decision to go to the SEC, despite that being disputed by everybody involved.
But he became the first Sooners' coach to leave for another college job since 1946.
Both of those places are where coaches get fired ... there aren't a lot of jobs you leave for what could be called a lateral move.
Kelly will be replacing Ed Orgeron, who won a national title with a perfect season in 2019.
Now he's just got to meet the expectations of a fan base that may actually demand more than the inflated-ego Notre Dame base.
You didn't think things would get easier in the SEC West did you?
Kelly just left a recruiting class that is ranked No. 4 in the 247Sports composite rankings and has to do what he can with the early signing date coming up fast with the Tigers.
LSU's current ranking is 15th, but that's just good enough for sixth in the SEC overall and third in the West.
Hang on, folks. Things are just starting to get interesting.
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