Mike Jones reveals differences in offseason under Ed Orgeron compared to Brian Kelly

LSU Tigers linebacker Mike Jones was at the 2022 SEC Media Days on Tuesday. And during his press session with the media, the junior linebacker revealed that while everybody is looking for the differences between former Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron and current coach Brian Kelly, so far, things have been quite similar except for one significant difference.

“Like throughout all college football, it’s a lot of similar things. Everybody is putting in work. The only thing I would say is probably the main difference — our strength staff now. Coach Flint and the guys in our weight room, they doing an amazing job,” said Jones. “They’re really data-based and data-driven with the way that we work. So we’re constantly wearing things that are going to track our speeds and track how much we’ve been running around. And even with the way we lift, they’re tracking our speeds with the way we lift. They have done a great job of just taking care of the guys and our bodies. Making sure we’re going to go into camp healthy and be in a position to be able to make a run and have a good year of college football.

For Jones, it appears that Kelly has implemented a system that has made the transition smooth for him and the other Tigers players. But the former Notre Dame head coach is using more of an analytics and data-driven approach to getting his players into shape for the 2022 season. And if Kelly’s mixture is successful, he can follow in the footsteps of the three previous LSU football head coaches and deliver a national championship to the program.

Saban provides thoughts on Brian Kelly joining LSU, SEC

It’s been nearly two decades since Nick Saban has prowled the sidelines at LSU. Since his departure after the 2004 season, the Tigers are now on their third head coach, Brian Kelly. And during the 2022 SEC Football media day, the Alabama Crimson Tide headman gave his thoughts on LSU’s new head coach.

“Brian Kelly is an outstanding coach, a really good person,” said Saban. “We played Notre Dame a couple of times in the playoffs at Alabama, and their teams were always extremely well coached. Very competitive, had the right kind of mindset in terms of how they went out there and performed and how they played. Very disciplined in terms of how they went out and executed. So, I have the utmost respect for Brian Kelly and the job that he’ll do at LSU.”

Notre Dame got to the BCS National Championship in 2012 only to get beat by Alabama 42-14. They’d rematch in the Rose Bowl during the 2020 College Football Playoff where Nick Saban once again won 31-14. With the Tigers, Kelly will get a clean slate and get to face Saban and Alabama year in and out. However, it’s not just beating the Crimson Tide that should be on his mind. Kelly faces some lofty expectations at LSU. Including Saban, each of the Tigers past three coaches has led them to a national championship. But with Kelly’s ability to implement a system and culture in his football programs, he will likely find himself next in line to bring home a national championship to the state of Louisiana.