Brian Kelly further explains choice to go for two after beating Alabama
Any qualms that LSU fans or college football experts had about Brian Kelly coaching the Tigers dissipated on Saturday with a victory over Alabama.
Kelly’s decision to go for the win instead of play for the tie will go down in the history books of one of the great college football rivalries, as quarterback Jayden Daniels came through for his coach. Speaking with he media afterwards, the Tigers leader explained why he decided to risk it all for the win.
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“It was a decision at that moment,” explained Kelly. “I just felt as I thought about it, if we could boil this game down to one play, and win this game. Before the game started, if you asked me, ‘Hey, we’re going to give you one play, and if you’re successful on that one play, you beat Alabama,’ I would’ve taken that 100 times out of 100. So at that moment, it kind of hit me that way. I knew we had a really good play that we haven’t used, and they haven’t seen, and when you get five out on the perimeter, you truly have a threat.
“So I felt really good about the play, it was well executed and that was the thought behind it.”
Of course, Kelly would’ve been questioned into oblivion if the try wasn’t successful, but he believes his thought process behind the move was sound enough that the public would’ve understood.
“Look, you’re going to get second guessed if you don’t get it,” answered Kelly. “I get it. But to me, I just felt like, I looked at our team, I assessed the situation and I just felt like it was the right thing to do. I felt like, I don’t know that our fans would’ve been criticizing. They want me to get the win. That’s what I’m here for.
“But I think if you look at it and you say, ‘Let’s get the quarterback in a good play, let’s get him on the edge, let’s utilize his talents,’ you really can’t quarrel with the decision. So I don’t know if it was really much of a huge decision from that perspective.”
Alas, it worked out perfectly, as Daniels hit Mason Taylor for the victory and fans stormed the field. The play call was wonderful, and Kelly went into depth on why it worked out so well.
“It’s a play that gives you options at the quarterback positions,” Kelly elaborated. “Sprint out, the ball was in the middle of the field. It gives you the option if they are going to blitz inside, you’re out on the perimeter. If they’re going to come off the edge, you’ve got the ability to get the ball out of your hands quickly. If they play bracket coverage and they want to double up the receivers, you’ve got the quarterback now on the perimeter, very dangerous.
“So it’s kind of one of those cache-all plays that gets your best player with the ball in his hands, on the perimeter where he can make multiple decisions. I felt if we were going to go for two, let’s get him moving and give him multiple options, and he’ll kind of sort it out and make the play necessary.”
Brian Kelly was brought to LSU to beat Alabama and rebuild the Tigers into a contender. In his first season with the program, it looks like he’s on his way to making LSU into one of the premier programs in the sport once again.