JT Lindsey arrest: Brian Kelly makes first public statement on LSU RB's case

LSU running back JT Lindsey turned himself in to campus authorities a week ago today on a warrant for accessory after the fact. Since then, he has also been suspended from the team. On Friday, head coach Brian Kelly declared the situation a cautionary tale about who young people allow to be around them.

Kelly addressed some of Lindsey’s circumstances while speaking to the media on Friday. He noted several times how this is less about what took place, as it is rather about someone allowing the wrong person or people to be around them, and the effects that those choices have now caused.

“Well, this is all about who is in your circle, right. I’m not concerned about our university and the security and such. This is about, who do you give access to in your circle, right?” Kelly said. “I mean, your circle of influence has got to be based upon people that you trust, people that know you and you know them and that circle needs to really be evaluated by some players and some individuals.”

Lindsey cooperated with authorities last week on two felony charges against him for accessory after the fact. A pair of individuals who were wanted for second-degree murder stayed with him in his dorm for nearly two weeks, with allegations that he “knowingly harbored and aided” them. The suspects were arrested at the Nicholson Gateway dorms on August 4th, with multiple guns later found inside the dormitory, per reporting by those at WAFB in Baton Rouge, as well as the player’s attorney in Kris Perret.

Lindsey, a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, played his high school football for the Alexandria Trojans. He just arrived as the No. 132 overall recruit and a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle. He also rated as the No. 7 running back in the class and the No. 4 player out of the state of Louisiana. That’s according to the Rivals’ Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. That made him the seventh-highest ranked signee in this incoming class for Louisiana State, which finished rated at No. 9 in the country per Rivals’ 2025 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Kelly warned everyone about this, not just his players. He thinks all people, but specifically these modern-day athletes, have to be aware of who they choose to have around them in life.

“It’s not just players. It’s anybody that can gain access through what you have, right. And, if you’re going to give that up to somebody, it’s going to allow access to areas that they shouldn’t be in,” Kelly said. “This is really about individuals understanding – and, in particular, players today, right. I mean, you know, they’re making revenue-share money. They’re targets too. You know, people want to ingratiate themselves with people making, you know, a substantial amount of money. And so, you’ve got to be careful.”

More is still to come as far as Lindsey’s circumstances. In the meantime, though, Kelly wants to continue to help people, including the ones in his locker room, to be more mindful about decisions in their lives like this.

“My point is this. You know, we’re in an age where, you know, you’ve got to keep your circle really close,” Kelly said. “It’s got to be family members, got to be people that you elicit information from in a manner of mentoring you. You start to widen that circle because somebody said nice things to you on Twitter? You know, buyer beware – and that’s really the message to our team.

“I’m a parent and I’m concerned about it. My own (opinion) is, you know, I want to help educate these guys about who’s in your circle, and you have to be very, very thoughtful and it’s an area that they haven’t really have had to be vigilant on. They have to be much more vigilant about that now.”