LSU Football Can't Deviate From Big Picture During Acclimation Period
Change is equal parts difficult and exciting which is why many who follow the LSU football program closely have expressed mixed emotions about how the first 10 days of the Brian Kelly era have played out.
Natural acclimation with both the roster and the coaching staff was bound to happen regardless of who was brought in to be the coach. With the utter surprise and praise that was welcomed with the Frank Wilson hire, there was equal shock with the news that longtime cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond was heading to SEC rival Florida.
Gators coach Billy Napier is building a strong foundation by bringing in coaches who have had success recruiting Louisiana, knowing how important this state is every recruiting cycle. Florida will definitely be a program to watch over the next few seasons to see what kind of pull it can have on local prospects, particularly with the comparisons Napier will draw with Kelly's era in Baton Rouge.
Kelly is bringing in defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks to help with the secondary. Back in his days at Notre Dame, Kelly had a history of multiple secondary coaches on staff so it wouldn't be surprising to see another coach brought on.
Equal sadness was placed around the program when Kelly elected to bring on Jake Flint as the strength and conditioning coordinator, replacing Tommy Moffitt, a beloved member of the program. It's one of those moves that's hard to see the vision when most had become so accustomed to what has been the norm.
“Jake Flint’s passion is helping student-athletes reach their full potential, and I know that is exactly what he will do for us at LSU,” Kelly said. “He understands every component of student-athlete development and the preparation required to compete at a championship level. He has been an invaluable member of my staff for many years, and I am certain he is ready to take our strength and conditioning program to the next level.”
Give Kelly credit where it's due. He's shaking up this LSU program in a hurry and only time will tell if it's for better or worse.
That adjustment also comes through the way the roster will need to be constructed as well. LSU has lost seven players to the transfer portal, three of which have come since Kelly was announced as the head coach on Dec. 1, including quarterback Max Johnson.
With many seniors moving on from the program after this season is over, finding the right pieces via the portal and recruiting at key positions like quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker and cornerback are all likely weighing heavily at the moment.
Down to 11 recruits and not much time before the early signing period and so much uncommitted talent in Louisiana, it's easy to see why Kelly, Wilson and the staff have made driving out to various local recruiting hotspots to make their case.
Just Thursday, Kelly and offensive line coach Brad Davis, who was recently announced as one of the staff members staying with the program, were in Neville to check in on elite offensive tackle Will Campbell.
A class that's nucleus starts with Campbell and quarterback Walker Howard is a good place to start. But this class is loaded with talent in Louisiana so any big misses will reflect just how well the Kelly era starts off, even with the little time to adjust.
But it's also important to remember why all of this change has been necessary. This is a program that needed a shakeup at every level after a mediocre 11-11 record following the national championship chase. With that comes difficult decisions pertaining to the roster, the staff and general makeup of the program.
It's important to wait until all of the evidence is out on the table before making any sweeping declarations of what this program's immediate future looks like.
