Ole Miss Hires Brian Kelly's Son to Football Staff in Support Role

Ole Miss has hired Patrick Kelly, son of former LSU coach Brian Kelly, as assistant director of football support after his stint on the Tigers' staff under his father.

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

In college football, the spotlight falls on head coaches, coordinators and the players who turn Saturdays into highlights. But behind every winning program is another layer, one that rarely makes headlines, yet plays a vital role in everything fans celebrate on the field.

Ole Miss continues to build out its football operations staff, hiring Patrick Kelly as assistant director of football support, according to Pete Nakos of On3. Kelly is the latest familiar name from the LSU football orbit to join the program, a move that fits Ole Miss's broader effort to strengthen the operational side of its football infrastructure behind the scenes.

Kelly, the son of former LSU and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, joins the Rebels after spending multiple seasons in Baton Rouge working with LSU's football operations and recruiting infrastructure. Though not an on-field coaching hire, the addition continues to highlight Ole Miss's administrative support in providing resources that drive roster building and program efficiency at the SEC level.

Ole Miss Continues Staffing Changes

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Recent staff movement between LSU and Ole Miss continues, as Kelly joins general manager Austin Thomas and assistant general manager Kelvin Bolden, both of whom came from LSU after helping put together the No. 1 transfer portal class during their final stint together in Baton Rouge.

Kelly arrived at LSU in 2022 as a graduate assistant working primarily with tight ends. In 2024, he transitioned into an off-field role with football operations responsibilities, and by 2025, he had settled into a more defined position focused on logistics, internal coordination and recruiting workflow. Those areas have become increasingly central in the transfer portal era.

His experience reflects the evolving reality of college athletics, where success is no longer defined solely by a coach's command of Xs and Os, but also by the ability to effectively manage recruiting operations, roster construction, and internal communication in an era where rosters are turned over on a yearly basis.

With a recent push in high school recruiting, Kelly should be able to hit the ground running and quickly integrate into Ole Miss's football operations staff ahead of the 2027 cycle.

Ole Miss will host LSU on Sept. 19, 2026 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

For Ole Miss, the message is increasingly clear: competing at the top of the SEC is no longer just about what happens on Saturdays. It's about how well the entire operation is built to support them.

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