LSU legends react to Brian Kelly's firing member of current LSU staff

Brian Kelly made waves among Tigers faithful when it was announced he wasn’t bringing back long-time LSU staff member. On Friday, news broke that Kelly opted not to retain the Tigers’ long time strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt, who helped propel the team to three national titles.

To illustrate, Moffitt is considered by many in college football to be one of the nation’s elite strength and conditioning coaches. In his 19 years with LSU, he trained the Tigers that have won 187 games during his time — easily the winningest stretch in school history for the program.

Afterwards, LSU legends Jacob Hester and T-Bob Hebert reacted to Kelly’s major decision.

“I hated to hear the news that Coach Moffitt wasn’t being retained at LSU,” tweeted Hester. “I knew this day would come eventually, and I knew it would feel like this. Tommy Moffitt was the person that molded me to be the player I was from Day 1 on campus. #YeahYeahYeah.”

Evidently, Moffitt had a huge impact on the LSU Tigers fullback turned member of the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Moreover, Hebert echoed Hester’s statement.

“Tommy Moffitt is my favorite coach I ever had in my entire life,” tweeted Hebert. “Pushed me to levels I didn’t know I could achieve. Showed me the importance of physical and mental strength. Prepared me for life. And taught me how to crank dat mothafuggin diesel! I love this man.”

As you can see, it’s obvious Moffitt made a gigantic impression on LSU players. While Brian Kelly isn’t retaining Tommy Moffitt, the strength and conditioning coach may have no shortage of offers on the open market with his resume preceding him.

More on Brian Kelly, Tommy Moffitt

In his career, Tommy Moffitt has been part of national championship teams at Tennessee, Miami and LSU (twice). Moreover, Moffitt was named the 2003 College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by America Football Monthly.

While working for the Miami Hurricanes, he was named the 1998 Big East Strength Coach of the Year while working for Butch Davis.

Furthermore, Moffitt began his football coaching career as an assistant coach at John Curtis High School in River Ridge, Louisiana. There, he coached from 1987 to 1994 — earning the 1992 National High School Strength Coach of the Year award. John Curtis is one of the most prestigious high school football programs in America — producing the likes of former New York Jets running back Joe McKnight.

As for Brian Kelly, he now turns his attention to finding a suitable replacement for Moffitt. It’s a huge decision — the strength and conditioning coach is one of the most important hires any head coach in college football can make.

The position doesn’t get nearly the enough media attention of an offensive or defensive coordinator, but the strength coaches spend an incredible amount of time around the players in the off-season. The relationship between the strength coach, the head coach, and the players in any program is critical.

The key question for Brian Kelly is if he’s going to let one of the best strength coaches in the country go, who will he get to replace him at LSU The Tigers fan base will find out in the coming days and weeks, no doubt.