LSU quarterback Walker Howard talks relationship with Brian Kelly

On3 imageby:Nick Schultz06/02/22

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Just after he took the LSU job, Brian Kelly went viral for his dance with quarterback recruit Walker Howard. Through spring ball this year, it turns out the two developed quite a connection on the field, as well.

Howard addressed his relationship with Kelly, who’s gearing up for his first year with the Tigers after leaving Notre Dame. The freshman quarterback said Kelly has put an emphasis on the details and is finding plenty of ways to improve his game.

“He’s very involved,” Howard said. “It makes me fired up to have a head coach so involved with me and the quarterbacks. He corrects me after every single thing I do. He’s just always trying to [help] me improve. I’m thankful for Coach Kelly always teaching me after every rep.”

Howard is among a crowded LSU quarterback room headlined by incumbent starter Myles Brennan and Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels. He had plenty of hype out of high school, arriving in Baton Rouge as a four-star recruit and the No. 46 player in the country this year, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Brian Kelly: I would not have danced with Walker Howard at Notre Dame

Howard and Kelly might still end up best known for their video, which went viral on Twitter in December 2021.

The video featured Kelly dancing behind Howard to the tune of Garth Brooks’ version of “Callin’ Baton Rouge.” It was a different side of Kelly — one fans didn’t see when he was the head coach at Notre Dame.

He confirmed this week he likely wouldn’t have showed off those moves if he was still in South Bend.

“I would not have done that at Notre Dame,” Kelly said during an interview with Jacques Doucet. “It’s just a different place, a different time. I’ve always kind of looked at my situation and said I think as a leader, you’ve got to always shift and change and look to improve and sometimes, reinvent yourself. I don’t know if I’ve reinvented myself in all those areas.

“But when a young man looks at you and says, ‘Coach, let’s have some fun with this,’ why not? I think sometimes, we get a little too caught up in what other people think instead of the people that are asking you to do some things. I had some fun with it, and I’m glad I did.”