Setting Championship Standard One of the Goals for LSU Coach Brian Kelly
There was a strategy to all of the coaching moves that Brian Kelly made this offseason. Past relationships with coaches, recommendations, ties to Louisiana and overall fit with the vision Kelly has for this program all went into those hires.
But one of the most common traits Kelly was searching for in filling out an assistant staff is finding coaches with "championship standards." Knowing what winning looks like isn't all that hard to find but honing in on coaches that take winning to championship levels is the key and was one of Kelly's goals this offseason.
Defensive coordinator Matt House has won a Super Bowl with Kansas City. Receivers coach Cortez Hankton just won a national championship with Georgia. Frank Wilson was a part of a national championship appearance at LSU. Cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples won a state championship as a high school head coach in an incredible short turnaround of De Smet in Missouri. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock just came off a College Football Playoff appearance.
"They've been through it so they know what standards are," Kelly said. "They know what a high standard is and how to demand it so I think what it means is we come at it with a same perspective. If we something not up to the standard, we don't have to wait for me to address it because it's always been addressed. When you know what championships look like you're not gonna let those standards slip at any time."
Going into as tough a conference and division in all of college football, this is an opportunity that all of these coaches don't take lightly. The SEC West is an absolute juggernaut and for the purple and gold to climb their way back to the top, it was key that Kelly found coaches that not only had winning experience but SEC experience as well.
For example House spent several seasons at Kentucky as the defensive coordinator while offensive line coach Brad Davis spent a few seasons at Arkansas as the offensive line coach. Wilson and Hankton have past experience in the conference as well at LSU and Georgia.
"Going into the SEC, this isn't a place for training wheels. You gotta come out and be experienced, understand what you're getting into," Kelly said. "It was important we had coaches that had experience in this state and we could pull our base."
Of course the next step for the coaches is to instill those core winning and championship values in an LSU team that's played a lot of .500 ball over the last few years. The number of players who were a part of that championship team three years ago is dwindling, with quarterback Myles Brennan, running back John Emery, receiver Jaray Jenkins, linebacker Micah Baskerville and safety Jay Ward are just a few of the leaders on this team who were on that team, all of whom played little to no on field role.
Even Kelly has been a part of winning teams but has never captured that national championship trophy in all his years at Notre Dame. Building those championship habits with a group that hasn't won at an elite level yet will be one of the main focuses for this group come spring.
"The process is about building the right traits with the group as we get an opportunity to be around them more," Kelly said. "Whether that is actually when you put the helmets on or having dinner or meeting with the leadership group or in the weight room, to me that's one in the same. Each day is important and building those habits and those traits that are necessary to build a championship team, I'm excited to get to spring practice."
