However, Kelly’s comments have drawn criticism, with many pointing out the irony of his departure from Notre Dame in pursuit of what he described as a “better opportunity.” Upon accepting the LSU job, Kelly was quoted saying, “I want to be in an environment where I have the resources to win a national championship.” This week, Kelly pushed back against that narrative, clarifying, “I wasn’t leaving Notre Dame because I couldn’t win a championship. You can win championships at Notre Dame, but I chose another path because I wanted a different challenge.”
It’s tempting to compare Kelly’s struggles at LSU so far to Notre Dame’s success under Marcus Freeman, but in the long run, the split looks like it will benefit both sides.
For Notre Dame, this season has already made that clear. Marcus Freeman has more than proven his ability to pick up where Kelly left off and take the program to new heights. Freeman has improved Notre Dame’s record each year as head coach and now has them competing in the national championship game on Monday. Without Kelly’s departure, Freeman might never have gotten his shot as Notre Dame’s head coach and could have left the school in pursuit of a promotion elsewhere.
LSU head coach Brian Kelly has been making headlines this week as his former team, Notre Dame, prepares to play for a national championship. Kelly, who coached the Fighting Irish from 2010 to 2021, hasn’t hidden his support for his old program.
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