LSU nabs Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly as next head football coach, reports say
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
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Brian Kelly leaves Notre Dame for LSU (NCD)
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU is finalizing plans to hire head football coach Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame, despite his reign as the winningest coach in the independent university’s storied sports history, a source confirmed to The Associated Press late Monday.
Notre Dame won the 2012 Bowl Championship Series title game and made College Football Playoff appearances in both 2018 and 2019 under Kelly’s tutelage, the sports news network reported.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are less than two years removed from an undefeated season that culminated with the 2019 CFP National Championship.
According to The Advocate, Kelly is the winningest active coach in college football and the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, having surpassed the legendary Knute Rockne. The Fighting Irish’s 45-14 thumping of Stanford on Saturday raised Kelly’s overall record to 284-97-2 in 31 seasons.
Kelly’s most recent 113-40 record came across 12 seasons in South Bend, and Saturday’s win over Stanford helped the Irish finish the regular season 11-1 and ranked sixth in the current CFP rankings. The final in-season rankings will be released Tuesday and the four CFP teams will be announced Sunday.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s .742 winning percentage trails only that of Alabama coach Nick Saban’s .802 among active NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision coaches, The Advocate reported.
LSU's offer to Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is a 10-year deal that will take him north of $100 million with incentives, sources tell @BrodyAMiller and me.
Prominent Notre Dame sources who spoke to ESPN earlier Monday said that LSU approached Kelly earlier in the fall, but he declined any interest in the Southeastern Conference head coaching job. The Tigers then made another play for Kelly over the weekend.
According to ESPN, Kelly last week addressed the possibility of leaving Notre Dame for another job, telling reporters, “No. I mean, [Pittsburgh Steelers coach] Mike Tomlin had the best line, right? Unless that fairy godmother comes by with that $250 million check, my wife would want to take a look at it first. I’d have to run it by her.”
Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell will be a top target to replace Kelly at Notre Dame, sources told ESPN’s Chris Low, while other sources indicated that Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator Marcus Freeman would also receive serious consideration for the position.
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Brian Kelly SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on before the game against the Bowling Green Falcons at Notre Dame Stadium on October 05, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 26: Head Coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish speaks at the after game press conference at a college football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide fist bump before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is interviewed after the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 11: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is seen during the game against the Toledo Rockets at Notre Dame Stadium on September 11, 2021 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts to a play against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first half of the game at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on before the game against the Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium on November 16, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish squats and looks on from the sidelines during the second half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Head Coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team leads his team into the stadium before the second half of an NCAA football game against the Stanford Cardinal on November 27, 2021 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California; at right is Josh Lugg #75. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) (David Madison/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on after the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame greet fans during the player walk to the stadium before the game against the Bowling Green FalconsFighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on October 05, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
