ESPN analyst, former LSU star weighs in Brian Kelly move to Bayou

Former LSU football player and current ESPN analyst Booger McFarland knows what Brian Kelly must do to attain success. To McFarland, it comes down to keeping the talented recruits close to home.

“The fit is all about – can you coach and can you relate to the talent that’s in the state?” he said on Thursday’s Paul Finebaum Show. “If he does, Brian Kelly will win a National Championship in 3 to 5 years. If he can’t, he won’t – it’s as simple as that.”

It’s clear looking at Kelly’s track record that he can coach. In 12 years with Notre Dame, he amassed a 113-40 overall record and two appearances in the College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish also made the BCS Championship game in 2012, Kelly’s first season.

Notre Dame has the No. 7 overall class in the 2022 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings, with nine players ranked inside the top 100. Additionally, he nabbed a pair of four-star recruits from the state of Indiana in offensive tackles Joey Tanona and Ashton Craig.

Even with his impressive resume, Kelly will have to hope results come quickly in Baton Rouge. LSU announced this year would be coach Ed Orgeron’s in the middle of this year, two seasons removed from a national championship. He finished 67-47 overall with the Tigers.

The fans expect to win, and that means every season.

Kelly left the Irish in good shape, sitting with an 11-1 record this season and vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame was previously No. 5 in the committee’s rankings, but dropped to No. 6 following the announcement of Kelly’s departure.

The hope in Baton Rouge is that the coach can eventually produce the same level of success we saw in South Bend. LSU’s only appearance was in its championship season.

If that is to happen, however, Brian Kelly will need to hit the recruiting trail hard and continue to coach at a high level, according to Booger McFarland.