In a scathing revelation, ESPN’s Bruce Feldman described former LSU head coach Brian Kelly as having “cashed out” during his tenure, prioritizing personal pursuits over program commitment.
On “The Ryen Russillo Show,” Feldman detailed Kelly’s detachment, noting that staffers frequently approached him with recruits on iPhones post-2019 national title, only for Kelly to demand appointments rather than engage.
Brian Kelly was checked out at LSU @BruceFeldmanCFB pic.twitter.com/5HYSuSiGjI
— The Ryen Russillo Show (@TheRyenRussillo) November 14, 2025
“He cashed out there,” Feldman said. “He would spend a lot more time golfing than he would around the building.”
A stark anecdote came from an anonymous starting center who played under Kelly for two years.
“One of the players — it was a starting center for him for two years — was like, ‘I had no relationship with them. He didn’t even try to get to know me,'” Feldman recalled.
This echoed broader complaints, with players lamenting Kelly’s failure to learn their names, undermining recruiting as rivals mocked, “He’ll never talk to you guys.”
Fired in late October after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M — ending a 34-14 run without a College Football Playoff berth — Kelly is now suing LSU for his full $53 million buyout, rejecting $30 million offers amid a “for cause” probe.
Reports also surfaced of Kelly hiring a D.C. image consultant to soften his abrasive persona, including a faked Southern accent that backfired spectacularly.
