Brian Kelly delivers powerful advice to LSU successor: 'Just be Lane Kiffin'

Former LSU head coach Brian Kelly has mostly been off the national radar since he was unceremoniously fired last October, a move that kicked off one of college football’s wildest coaching carousels on record.

But nearly six months later, the 64-year-old Kelly is slowly getting back into the game, only this time as a member of the media. Kelly joined CBS Sports Network‘s “Inside College Football” show on Tuesday as a college football analyst and is expected to continue studio work and other appearances for CBS Sports providing commentary surrounding next week’s NFL Draft and upcoming season, according to USA Today’s John Brice.

But during a lengthy exclusive with Brice, Kelly opened up about a litany of topics — everything from his recovery from a torn labrum suffered last September to what went wrong at LSU. Kelly, who is 318-109-2 — including Notre Dame vacated wins in 2012-13 — in 36 seasons as collegiate head football coach, also weighed in on whether he anticipates ever coaching again.

“I think you look at everything you’ve done throughout your career and you’ve got a great process and you know that process has been successful,” Kelly told Brice. “I’ve had two losing seasons in 35 years, so you know your process is good.”

But almost more interestingly, Kelly was asked if he had any advice for the man that ultimately replaced him as the Tigers’ head coach — Lane Kiffin. The 50-year-old Kiffin was hired at LSU on Nov. 30, leaving just days ahead of the Rebels’ first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoffs.

“Lane doesn’t need advice,” Kelly told USA Today. “He’s seen it from the NFL to SC (Southern Cal) to building a program. … I don’t think I’m telling him anything he doesn’t know.

“The world we live in today, Michigan just won a basketball championship with five transfers. You can do it, but there are so many moving pieces. I don’t think he needs any advice,” Kelly continued. “I think you just continue to be who you are. I think that’s all you can be. People are going to judge you based upon what they think, anyways. So, just be Lane Kiffin.”

Kiffin hit the ground running in Baton Rouge, including landing On3’s fifth-ranked 2026 transfer portal class with an eye-popping 40 new transfer additions. Kiffin’s offseason portal overhaul was highlighted by five-star QB Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, four-star OT Jordan Seaton (Colorado) and four-star EDGEs Princewill Umanmielen (Ole Miss) and Jordan Ross (Tennessee).