It is a new season but the same old Brian Kelly.
The LSU head coach Kelly committed a blunder during the opening drive of his team’s season opener against Florida State on Sunday. The Tigers, lifted by a 55-yard completion from Jayden Daniels to Tre Bradford on the first offensive play of the game, marched the ball to the FSU 1-yard line within about two minutes of game time. But they were unsuccessful in punching the ball into the end zone … four consecutive times.
After LSU got a run stuffed on 1st-and-goal and then had two straight pass incompletions to make it 4th-and-goal, Kelly decided to go for it. Daniels went on to take a sack though, giving the ball back to Florida State on a momentum-shifting turnover on downs.
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Kelly was widely criticized for the decision to go for it instead of just putting guaranteed points on the board to start the game. Many also pointed to the fact that LSU was playing on the road against a top-ten opponent, tilting the risk calculus in favor of securing the three points right away.
Florida State would respond with an 86-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead (though LSU hit back with a TD of their own on the next possession to tie things up again).
Kelly is known for his aggressiveness in goal-to-go situations. Sometimes, it works out for his teams, and other times it does not. Sunday’s game against Florida State fell in the latter category.
