Brian Kelly compares, contrasts 2012 Notre Dame roster to LSU's

During a recent interview with a local news network, LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly took a trip back to 2012. That year Kelly’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish squad was dismantled by the Alabama Crimson Tide in the national title game. During that interview, Kelly was essentially asked if he had LSU’s 2012 roster would he have fared any better than his 2012 Notre Dame team did.

Notre Dame lost that title game to Alabama 42-14. Kelly sidestepped the question but did point out a major flaw in that year’s Notre Dame team and it’s a flaw that LSU team certainly didn’t seem to have.

“Well, the physicality is what we lacked,” said Kelly while revisiting why the 2012 Notre Dame squad struggled against Alabama. “I thought, games are won and lost still the same way, in the trenches. And they were much more physical than we were at the point of attack. I thought we had some really good players across the board, on both sides of the ball, but they controlled the line of scrimmage. They were able to run the football. They were big, they were strong, they were physical on both sides of the ball and that was the difference. And quite frankly, my comments were right to that fact. That we needed to develop, and since that time, we had developed six first round offensive lineman; because we needed to focus on that, and I think we did.”

The Tigers have always had a pool of players with the size, talent, and capability to go head-to-head with the Crimson Tide but the knock at times for LSU football nationally has been the presence of a coach like Alabama head coach Nick Saban. With Brian Kelly now leading the Tigers into battle, some believe LSU has a chance to close the gap with the Tide in the SEC West.

Although Kelly didn’t answer the question, reading between the lines seems to suggest he may think that, too.

Kelly comments on his LSU salary

The LSU Tigers football program made one of the biggest coaching moves of the year when they pried Brian Kelly away from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Some have speculated that Kelly left Notre Dame because of the impressive salary that LSU offered. However, during a recent interview, the Tigers new headman had a simple response to that accusation, ‘I’ve never chased the dollars.’

“Well you wouldn’t be in this for 32 years, like I have, if you were chasing dollars,” said Kelly. “If you’re chasing dollars and that’s what motivates you, I would have been out of this a long time ago because I would have probably been fired. I’ve never chased the dollars.”

“And quite frankly when you think about it, the big contract, it’s almost disrespectful to LSU when people say well coach Kelly went for the money. I would never have taken a job for a little bit more money if it wasn’t the best job. I had a great job, this is a better opportunity for me. So people really need to understand that, is it a great salary absolutely and I’m blessed to have that but, it’s the job. It’s LSU that’s really why I’m here; because you don’t leave a situation like Notre Dame unless it’s a better opportunity for you.”

LSU and Notre Dame have two of the most prestigious athletic programs in the country. And speaking strictly on football, both are consistently among the top teams year in and year out. So, while coach Kelly’s decision might not have been financially motivated, one thing is for sure; he will remain with a program that gives him an opportunity to win a national championship.