Brian Kelly looks back on how LSU's staff bought in during Year 1

Brian Kelly had a lot of success during his first year at LSU after a slow start, namely a loss to Florida State. His entire Tigers staff bought into his vision.

Going into 2023, LSU has a chance to repeat as SEC West champions and get back to the conference championship game. If that was just one year of LSU under Kelly, then Year 2 could be special.

Kelly opened up how his staff saw his vision and outline for a great start to the tenure.

“Well, I think you start with a vision that you paint to everybody, so everybody’s gonna see it,” Kelly said. “What’s coach’s vision for the program? And you have to communicate that. And I think we did a really good job of communicating that and showing what the vision was of this program. I think then your leaders start leading, and those are your coordinators and your directors and so it’s not just the football coaches, it’s everybody in this building. 

“That is consistent with what your process is. It’s the same every day. We don’t have, you know, three or four people espousing one way of doing it, and three or four saying, ‘Well, we’re gonna do it this way.’ We’re unified and cohesive and one message and I think that that in itself when you come to this building, as a player for example, you’re like, ‘well, there’s only one message here, and there’s only one way to buy in,’ and that helps a lot.”

Kelly continued on to talk about the development that he wants to focus on heading into next season. He says it’s something that he feels he has found success in during his career and that he hopes to provide all the knowledge that he can to his players.

“It’s what I believe I’m good at. And I don’t say that in any kind of egotistical way. But that’s what I’ve been doing for 32 years. And I love doing it, I think I’m good at it. When you’re good at something, you really invest your time in it,” Kelly said. “And so I love investing my time in the players because I can bring so much experience to that. 

“Whether it’s sleep or nutrition. Or how we can help them during a practice and being the best they can be during the week. And flipping that switch to Saturdays and being the best competitor.”