Georgia head coach Kirby Smart offered a candid perspective on the challenging situation at LSU following the school’s decision to part ways with Brian Kelly on Sunday. Smart, who served as a defensive assistant under Nick Saban in Baton Rouge from 2004 to 2007, drew from his own experience at LSU to explain why coaching jobs at elite programs like LSU come with such precarious tenure.
Tigers dismissed Kelly following a 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M, a defeat that dropped LSU to 5-3 on the season and effectively ended their College Football Playoff hopes.
Smart acknowledged the unique challenges facing everyone involved in the situation, from players to fans to the coaching staff itself. He attributed much of the heightened tension to the expanded playoff format, which has raised expectations across the sport while at the same time making the consequences of falling short more severe, he also reflect on a conversation from his time at LSU that left a lasting impression on him:
“It’s the world we live in. Everybody’s got a voice, and everybody listens to somebody. But I don’t know enough about that specific situation. I don’t know enough about what’s going on over there. It’s obviously a tough situation for everybody, let’s be honest. Players are dealing with it. Fans are dealing with it. Coaches are dealing with it. I think a lot of it has to do with the playoffs. Everybody wants to be in. I am aware of the expectations for coaching at LSU. A guy once told me, ‘This office you’re in is not your office. You’re borrowing it.’ I knew right then that if you don’t win, it won’t be yours long.”
Smart’s Perspective Reveals Brutal Reality of Coaching High-Profile SEC Programs
LSU has seen three of its last four head coaches win national championships, creating a standard that few programs in the country could match. Ed Orgeron delivered a title in 2019, Les Miles won one in 2007, and Saban claimed the championship in 2003 before leaving for the NFL.
Kirby Smart on LSU firing Brian Kelly:
“There’s so much built around the Playoffs, everything’s boom or bust.”
“I coached at LSU, guy once told me, ‘That office you are in. That’s not your office. You are borrowing it.’
“I knew right then, if you didn’t win, you wouldn’t be… pic.twitter.com/ny6zzepa28
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 27, 2025
Kelly arrived at LSU in December 2021 with a 10-year, $95 million contract that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. The school lured him away from Notre Dame, where he had spent 12 seasons and compiled a career winning percentage above .700.
The expectation was clear from the start. Kelly was brought in to compete for SEC and national championships, not just to win games. His tenure included two 10-win seasons and a trip to the 2022 SEC Championship Game, but those accomplishments proved insufficient given the standard LSU demands.
Seven Power Four schools had already fired their head coaches before the end of October this season, making 2025 one of the busiest years for coaching changes in recent memory. The financial consequences of these decisions continue to escalate, but schools appear increasingly willing to absorb massive buyouts.
Frank Wilson, LSU’s associate head coach and running backs coach, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
