CBS Sports analyst calls for end of Brian Kelly era as LSU tumbles out of Top 25
By David Wasson
Published:
The LSU Tigers began the 2025 season ranked No. 9 in the country with College Football Playoff aspirations and promptly moved to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 after beating then-No. 4 Clemson 17-10 in Week 1.
But those days seem far gone now, as LSU has tumbled out of the Top 25 polls entirely following consecutive losses to Vanderbilt and Texas A&M. That free-fall has pundits like Damien Harris from CBS Sports calling for the end of coach Brian Kelly’s tenure.
“Can we finally close the curtain on the Brian Kelly era in Baton Rouge?” the former Alabama standout said Sunday on CBS Sports HQ while mentioning the records of Nick Saban, Les Miles and Ed Orgeron — the coaches who preceded Kelly at LSU. “Brian Kelly is 34-14 with absolutely nothing to show for it. Not as much as a conference championship.”
Harris went on to criticize one of Kelly’s first personnel moves: the dismissal of strength coach Tommy Moffitt shortly after Kelly took over the program in 2021. Moffitt had been with the Tigers for 21 years and moved on to Texas A&M – the same Aggies team that handled LSU 38-23 last season in College Station and demolished the Tigers at home 49-25 in Week 9. Texas A&M was particularly impressive in the second halves of those games against LSU, outscoring the Tigers 60-6.
“Why is that? Because they’re the more conditioned team, they’re the tougher team,” Harris continued. “They are built to last the full 60 minutes, where LSU clearly is not.”
The Tigers are idle this week and play at No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 8.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
