Josh Pate Floats Surprising Landing Spot for Former Major College Football Coach

Brian Kelly was once perceived as one of the best coaches in college football.

Brian Kelly's Coaching Future Remains a Question

Kelly started his head coaching career with the Central Michigan Chippewas before moving to the Cincinnati Bearcats, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and LSU Tigers. He has an impressive 200-76 record in his 22 seasons as a head coach.

At Kelly's most recent stop, he led LSU to a 34-14 record in his four seasons. That included three straight seasons of nine or more wins.

However, his issue was that he could never get the Tigers over the hump and into the College Football Playoff. Because of that, and because he always felt like an awkward fit for the fan base, the Tigers elected to fire him during the 2025 season after a 5-3 start.

Kelly ended up not being one of the many coaches who were hired by other teams in the wild coaching cycle this past offseason.

Instead, it was reported that he would call college football games for CBS this season. However, it won't be the marquee Big Ten games; it will be the Mountain West games.

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly reacts during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Josh Pate Sees USC as a Potential Landing Spot

But what if Kelly decided to get back into coaching following the 2026 season? Where would he possibly end up? On "Josh Pate's College Football Show," the analyst read a bold prediction from a fan saying Kelly might end up coaching the USC Trojans. Pate admitted he could see that happening.

"How far down the list, if the USC job came open, would Brian Kelly's name be?" Pate said. "That's the question we can all just ponder. But tell me that if you close your eyes long enough, you can't see Brian Kelly metamorphosizing himself into a presentable University of Southern California Trojans football coach... I could see this."

Could Kelly Actually Fit at USC?

If Kelly were to coach USC, the first thing that would have to happen is that the Trojans move on from head coach Lincoln Riley. He's gone 35-18 in his four seasons and hasn't gotten USC close to the playoff since his first year. He was one of the coaches on the hottest seats in college football. So, it's not a wild theory to suggest that he could be on the way out.

A Kelly-to-USC pairing may not be the most obvious move, but it would certainly be one of the more fascinating storylines in college football. Kelly has experience rebuilding programs, competing for championships and handling the pressure that comes with coaching at major universities.

If USC decides to move in a different direction from Riley, Kelly could emerge as a candidate who brings immediate credibility and a proven track record. Plus, a Kelly-led USC team would add even more intrigue to the rivalry matchup with Notre Dame.

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