LSU has a lot of work to do in the wake of Brian Kelly's firing. The school needs to find a new head coach, fill out a coaching staff, and hit the recruiting trail hard in an effort to not only bring in new talent, but hang on to players that are already committed. A long road is ahead for Scott Woodward and company, who can't afford to whiff on finding Kelly's replacement.
LSU's buyout of Brian Kelly is making history for all the wrong reasons
Even in the new era of NIL and the transfer portal, recruiting top talent from the high school ranks plays a massive role in college football roster construction. As LSU continues to build future recruiting classes, it is imperative that LSU retains 5-star prospect Lamar Brown. Hailing from right down the road at University Lab, Brown is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the country for the 2026 class.
Brown has been committed to LSU since July 10, but from the moment LSU fired Brian Kelly, Tiger fans began wondering if Brown would stay committed to LSU. According to Rivals, both Texas A&M and Miami (FL) are "pushing hard" for Brown amid the Kelly firing.
Texas A&M and Miami are pushing hard for LSU Five-Star Plus+ ATH commit Lamar Brown, @Hayesfawcett3 reports👀
— Rivals (@Rivals) October 28, 2025
Read: https://t.co/8KlCTqxSi0 https://t.co/Poc2zE7RvC pic.twitter.com/osoFYt8ewH
Texas A&M was among Brown's finalists, although he ultimately chose LSU. But now that Kelly is gone, Mike Elko and his staff are hoping they can flip Brown and bring him to College Station. Brown was in attendance for LSU's embarrassing 49-25 loss to the Aggies this past weekend, and A&M fans began chanting "We want Lamar" as LSU fans headed for the exits.
Brown sent a heartfelt message to Kelly on social media when his firing was announced on Sunday night. Kelly and LSU were the first school to offer Brown a scholarship, and it's obvious that the highly-touted prospect is appreciative.
Being a local product, LSU has to feel good about its chances at keeping Brown. However, it's imperative that the new coaching staff keep him at the top of their priority lists. As it stands, LSU has the No. 11 recruiting class in the country for 2026 according to 247Sports. Brown is the highest-ranked prospect in the class, and losing him would be detrimental to the Tigers.