LSU's two new head coaches, Kim Mulkey (Women's Basketball) and Jay Johnson (Men's Baseball) completed their first season as head coach at LSU so Tiger fans have a reasonable idea what to expect in the future. This writer thinks the future looks a lot brighter based on performance.
The spotlight now turns to LSU's new head football coach Brian Kelly whose team kicks off the season September 4 (58 days from this writing) in the New Orleans Superdome. It will be a home game away from home for LSU and the Tigers will pack the stadium. No one is certain what the final results will be for Kelly's first year at LSU at seasons end but we do know the following.
Except for the 2019 season when LSU won it all, the Tigers have not been a consistent winning team and have made the BCS playoffs only once since it began 8 years ago. LSU's 2020 and 2021 seasons both ended playing 500 ball and the 2021 team had a 3-5 losing record in the SEC and finished in a tie with Auburn for last place in the SEC west. The football program took a giant step backwards during those two seasons.
So what does the future hold for LSU football under new head coach Kelly? The judgement and answer must come down the road. The answer will be very elementary regardless how LSU ranks in recruiting. The real question is, "what will Kelly do with the players on his team." Will he be the coach that will produce a consistent winning team that makes the playoffs on a regular basis and therefore has a shot at competing for the national championship more often?
If that does not take place, the future of LSU football will look like the past. There is another unanswered question. How did LSU go from a national championship team in 2019 to breakeven seasons in 2020 and 2021? Does LSU have other internal problems that have never been addressed? The future has the answer.
In the meantime, hope is always there for LSU fans and when the season ends everyone will be able to judge what the future will look like for LSU and its new head coach.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
