Brian Kelly wasn't the coach for LSU during its TaxAct Texas Bowl appearance against Kansas State, but he still had a lot to say.
The Tigers' new coach stepped into the broadcast booth for an interview during the second quarter, hitting on a variety of topics. That included two quirky offseason storylines, beginning with a viral dance video that emerged during the recruitment of quarterback Walker Howard out of Lafayette.
"Listen, Walker Howard is a 5-star quarterback and, you know that you've got to do what your quarterback asks, right? If he says you've got to dance, why wouldn't you dance?" Kelly said.
But it didn't stop there. The former Notre Dame coach and Boston native also addressed the moment where he addressed fans at an LSU basketball game with what sounded like a fake southern accent.
"Look, I’m from Boston, we don’t have strong accents," Kelly joked, before going on to explain one of his main goals is immersing himself in Louisiana and its culture as he works to recruit the state's immense array of football talent.
"I’m so excited to be down here in Baton Rouge. They’ve treated us great. It’s about family. ... The football is so important, and look this is about graduating from LSU and playing for championships," Kelly said. "And that’s why I’m in this business, and the alignment at the university toward that end, it’s really what pushed me toward this position.”
But as good a time LSU had in the booth, it wasn't mirrored on the field where a severely depleted Tigers squad was getting rolled in the first half. With quarterback Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&M, Myles Brennan unavailable and Garrett Nussmeier done for the season, it was wide receiver Jontre Kirklin getting the start at quarterback.
While Kelly spoke, he witnessed an interception from Kirklin. His one-word assessment: "Ouch."
Kelly didn't appear concerned by his team's struggles in the bowl game led by offensive line coach Brad Davis, but he did note that all three quarterbacks in Howard, Brennan and Nussmeier would get a chance to compete for the starting job. Brennan had initially entered the transfer portal, but decided to return after conversations with the new head coach that laid out his vision for the program.
He didn't walk in the building expecting Johnson to transfer, but he won't hold it against the young QB. And the Tigers will likely see multiple former quarterbacks next season, with Johnson at A&M and former Tigers quarterback TJ Finley entering his second season with the Auburn Tigers.
"It’s a transition, there’s a lot of uncertainty. You really can’t fault kids for that. You don’t know," Kelly said. "When uncertainty is in front of them, they’re going to look toward something that’s a little bit more stable for them, so I don’t fault him for those decisions. And we just have to move on and find the young men that want to be here and are ready to move forward."