No matter what your opinion is of Brian Kelly, he was the right hire for LSU in 2021

While LSU has struggled at points this season the Tigers are 2-1 all while still learning new offensive and defensive schemes. While it may not look like it, there have been improvements over week one as this team continues to build to its full form.

Over the three weeks of this season, LSU fans have voiced their displeasure with Brian Kelly. Some have called for his firing while others have been more rash. The sentiment that most of the fanbase shares however is that he was the wrong hire. If you look at the coaches hired in Brian Kelly's cycle, you'd see that there really haven't been candidates that have performed better than Kelly.

The biggest hire with experience outside of Brian Kelly when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to head to Southern California. While you could argue that Lincoln Riley was the best coach on the market, LSU never had a chance to land him as he wanted no part of joining the SEC otherwise he would've stayed at Oklahoma. Besides, if you've hated the defenses under Brian Kelly, you'd be protesting outside of Tiger Stadium during Riley's first two seasons.

Many members of the fanbase wanted to hire UL Lafayette Head Coach Billy Napier as he was already coaching in the state and had a track record of success. If that was the hire LSU made the Tigers would be in the same place as Florida who is 1-2 after losing a second game at home this time to Texas A&M's backup quarterback.

Mario Cristobal was another major hire and the LSU Football program would've never had a chance at landing him. Cristobal left to attempt reviving his Alma Mater and its likely that is the only job that would've ever lured him away from Oregon.

Brent Venables was arguably the biggest coordinator hired leaving Clemson to take the Oklahoma job. While Oklahoma is undefeated, Venables hasn't achieved nearly as much success as Brian Kelly and has recruited a notch below Kelly.

If LSU didn't pursue Brian Kelly they certainly wouldn't have pursued Marcus Freeman especially as Tommy Rees was viewed as the more attractive candidate. Freeman has won a big game here and there but, LSU fans would be irate if he lost games as massive favorites like he has at Notre Dame.

Kalen DeBoer was likely the best coach hired in that cycle as he led the Washington Huskies to a National Championship appearance. The LSU football program would've never hired Kalen DeBoer as he was coaching at Fresno State and had no experience in the SEC or in a major power conference at that point.

Dan Lanning is another name that was hired that cycle and had experience under Kirby Smart and Nick Saban, with that said it's arguable that he wouldn't have been an upgrade. Through his time at Oregon, Lanning is 25-5 while Kelly is 22-8 in the much tougher SEC. Given how attractive the Oregon job is because of their NIL capabilities it's likely any coach would've taken that job.

Who would've been the hire?

It's impossible to point to another program and say you would've simply poached their head coach as there's no way to prove he would've left to take the LSU job. The Tigers roster was a mess when Brian Kelly took it over and he still led LSU to the SEC Championship game in year one. Do we all wish Brian Kelly had more success to this point? Yes but, he's still coaching a roster with players Coach O recruited and has fielded teams that have far exceeded their talent level thus far.

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