Brian Kelly ‘uncomfortable’ being linked to coaching jobs, but ‘can do the Jersey accent’

Brian Kelly 'can do the Jersey accent, ' against the backdrop of speculation concerning Rutgers football job.

Key points

• I don't feel straightforward concerning it, Kelly noted Wednesday while appearing on SiriusXM College Sports Radio with Danny Kanell.
• Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.
• After briefly getting sued by Kelly, agreed to fire Kelly without cause last November, initiating a buyout of approximately $54 million, LSU.
• Asked regarding The Athletic's report linking his name to a potential opening at Rutgers last week, Kelly stated he hadn't seen it.
• Kelly was in the fourth year of a 10-year contract when the Tigers relieved him of his duties on Oct.

It's been almost a year since Brian Kelly was fired as LSU football coach, and as other schools start pondering coaching changes of their own, Kelly's name keeps popping up as a feasible replacement. It's a position the former college football coach finds "uncomfortable."

"Well, you can imagine coming from my perspective as a sitting football coach when I was in that position, you hate hearing the rumors since it means somebody's job is being evaluated. And so it's uncomfortable for me. I don't feel straightforward concerning it, " Kelly noted Wednesday while appearing on SiriusXM College Sports Radio with Danny Kanell.

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"I think we all know it's something that gets out in the media and it's talked regarding as it's juicy, right? But for me, I just focus on what I'm doing on a day-to-day basis, and those things take care of themselves. Those that are making those decisions, they have a plan. This is really just regarding getting media hits and something to talk concerning. And then we'll see what happens when we obtain into December."

Asked regarding The Athletic's report linking his name to a potential opening at Rutgers last week, Kelly stated he hadn't seen it. But he has seen the AI-generated meme of him as Tony Soprano. It led to a lighthearted reference to his early days at LSU, when he famously went viral for saying "family" with a Louisiana accent during an LSU basketball game.

Kelly has notable connections to Rutgers' leadership from his time at LSU. He worked alongside Scarlet Knights' athletic director Keli Zinn. This person served as LSU's executive deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, and university president William Tate, who held the same role in Baton Rouge.

"My son sent me that, " Kelly remarked concerning the viral photo. "It was funny, I'm trying to do the game, right? And my son is in operations at Ole Miss. I obtained my phone, I'm trying to do the game, that's hard enough for me as it is, right? You know you've obtained the telestrator and you've secured the live action, you're getting questions, and he's like sending me pictures and updates and all that stuff. Finally, I have to take my phone and put it in my backpack since I'm like, 'How do you guys not do your job if you're on the phone all the time?' So yeah, I saw that one."

He continued: "I think they just feel like I can fake any accent no matter where I go. You know what I mean? So I could do the Jersey accent. I can do anyone you want."

Kelly was in the fourth year of a 10-year contract when the Tigers relieved him of his duties on Oct. 26 of last year, one day after the Tigers dropped their third-straight top-25 ranked game of the season, a lopsided 49-25 loss to Texas A&M at home.

In his four seasons with the Tigers, LSU went Kelly went 34-14 overall, a slightly lower win percentage than what he posted at Notre Dame, where he left as the program's all-time winningest coach. It marked the first time that Kelly had been fired in his coaching career. It has included stops at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.

After briefly getting sued by Kelly, agreed to fire Kelly without cause last November, initiating a buyout of approximately $54 million, LSU. It's the second-largest buyout in FBS history, behind only the $76 million Texas A&M owed Jimbo Fisher when it fired him in 2023.

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So, as the hot seat and coaching carousel rumors commence to ramp up throughout college football in the coming weeks, Kelly noted he is focused on what's in front of him. It is his work with CBS and CBS Sports, which includes serving as an analyst on select games and appearing on CBS Sports Network's "Inside College Football" on Tuesdays.

"I'm focused on doing my work, and I know it happens because it's part of the business, " Kelly remarked. "But yeah, I don't relish my name being mentioned with other jobs. I'm pulling for the guy that's obtained that job, and I want to see him do well."

Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

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