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Former LSU HC Issues Blunt Reality Check to Brian Kelly Before Tigers’ 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated May 17, 2025 3:02 PM ET

While most college football programs would be happy to finish 9-4 or 10-3, which were the results for the LSU Tigers over the last two seasons, the expectations for the SEC powerhouse are always very high. The Tigers last won a national championship in 2019 and have produced two Heisman winners in the past decade.

Since his arrival ahead of the 2022 college football season, head coach Brian Kelly has compiled a 29-11 record, but that still may not be good enough for the decision-makers inside this program.

Former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron appeared on "XL Primetime" to discuss LSU football and the lofty expectations that are likely weighing upon Kelly.

"Expectations at LSU are No. 1 or nothing! I mean, that's it! LSU expects you to win the national championship. They don't expect you to win it every year, but Coach Saban won it in his third year, Les Miles won it in his third year, and I won it in my third year.

"I think (Kelly) has a really good team, a really good quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier. He's got a tough opener in Clemson. The expectations bring on a lot of pressure, especially when you haven't won a championship yet. The pressure there is to win a championship."

Orgeron began at LSU before the 2015 season as the team's defensive line coach. He was named the interim head coach after Miles was fired early in the 2016 season. In Orgeron's third full season as the team's head coach, he led the Tigers to a perfect 15-0 record and secured LSU's fourth national championship.

Over the next two seasons, the wheels came off for the Tigers as they compiled an 11-11 record with back-to-back .500 records.

Kelly was hired as Orgeron's successor after more than a decade leading Notre Dame. In 12 years with the Fighting Irish, Kelly led the college football powerhouse to a 92-39 record.

In a recent way-too-early college football rankings, ESPN's Mark Schlabach lists the Tigers at No. 6. He believes LSU should be in the mix for an SEC championship.

LSU will begin this upcoming season on the road against Clemson on Saturday, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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