LSU Football: Why Joe Brady was never going to stay at LSU over the NFL
By Zach Ragan
LSU football lost a valuable assistant coach in passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Brady.
LSU football was never going to hold on to Joe Brady for long.
This was evident the moment Brady came to Baton Rouge before the 2019 season.
We just didn’t realize it.
Brady is not a college coach. He doesn’t want to be a college coach. And it’s almost a certainty he’ll never return to the college game — not even to become a head coach.
Taking a gig on Ed Orgeron’s staff was necessary for Brady to advance his coaching career. When you’re an offensive analyst on a NFL team, you can’t say no when LSU, one of the most prestigious programs in the nation, comes calling.
Even if meant Brady had to do the one thing he doesn’t necessarily love.
Recruit.
It’s no secret that Brady wasn’t enamored with the recruiting grind that’s a major part of college football. He did his job, and he did it well, but recruiting teenagers wasn’t something Brady wanted to do longterm.
The realities of recruiting hit Brady hard not long after he joined Coach O’s staff. He told The Athletic last year “I’m learning it (recruiting) never stops….I’m just looking forward to having a few days in a row in the same place”.
On Tuesday, The Athletic quoted a LSU staffer as saying that Brady “just didn’t enjoy the communication aspect and all the teenager shenanigans”. They also noted, however, that he didn’t slack on the recruiting aspect of the job. He did it, even though it wasn’t his favorite thing in the world.
You can’t have that kind of attitude toward recruiting and be a longterm college coach. When you’re a college assistant, you pretty much have to love recruiting. It’s basically your life.
Brady just wants to coach football. And that’s understandable. Not everyone enjoys trying to convince 16-18 year olds to commit to a program. It takes a different kind of mindset.
Next. Coach O is the perfect coach at the perfect time. dark
LSU fans should recognize that Brady made a huge impact on the program — one that will last a long time. There’s no need to harbor ill-will for a coach taking the next step on their coaching journey.