Former LSU Coach Brian Kelly Interviews for Big 10 Job

Former LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly didn't come close to living up to the massive championship expectations that were placed upon him during his time in Baton Rouge.

However, that isn't stopping him from receiving continued interest at the Power 4 level.

Kelly recently interviewed for the head coaching job at Maryland following the firing of Mike Locksley last month, per reports from On3.

Kelly, a Massachusetts native, could be a better fit in College Park than he was in the south with LSU.

Brian Kelly Has Been Linked to Multiple Head Coaching Jobs

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly talks to wide receiver Zavion Thomas (0) against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was always hard to imagine that Kelly's coaching career was truly over despite being fired from LSU last year.

Kelly had already been linked to the head coaching job at Maryland along with Rutgers under the expectation that the Scarlet Knights would potentially fire Greg Schiano.

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

Time will tell how things work out for Kelly. Sure, he didn't live up to expectations at LSU but he's certainly proven himself to be a successful college football head coach.

Kelly has a 297-109-2 record as a head coach. Those kind of numbers speak for themselves.

Brian Kelly Gets Honest About His LSU Career

Now, as Kelly continues through his first year as an on-air analyst for CBS Sports, Kelly is speaking openly about his LSU career and isn't afraid to admit that he failed the program.

"I didn't live up to the standards that are set there at LSU," Kelly said in an interview with Front Office Sports. "They brought me in to win a national championship, and there was a lot of work that needed to be done to get there. More so than than many thought. But at the end of the day, I didn't get to that level of expectation that they had, and that is to win a national championship. And Lane will have the same expectations.

"It's like anything else. You know, sooner or later, you have to let your the work speak for itself. You got to win football games, and at LSU, all that other stuff means nothing, provided you win enough games."

Kelly finished his LSU career with a 34-14 record. A solid record, but it wasn't enough for a prestigious program that expects to be in national title contention every season.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google