Mike Jones breaks down why Brian Kelly was the right hire for LSU

Mike Jones Jr.‘s first season as a LSU Tiger didn’t go as planned in 2021. Notching 14 solo tackles and one sack throughout a 6-7 season for the Tigers, Jones expects a breakout season for both himself and his team under first year head coach Brian Kelly.

“I think when you look at LSU five-to-10 years down the road, there wasn’t a more perfect hire than coach Kelly,” Jones said at SEC Media Day Tuesday. “His track record speaks for itself.”

It certainly does. In 11 seasons as Notre Dame‘s head coach, Kelly led the Fighting Irish to two College Football Playoff berths while compiling a 92-39 record in the process. Kelly’s track record made him the obvious candidate to Jones for the vacant head coaching position in Baton Rouge.

“If you want guys that want to win – you want to be one of those consistent programs that are at the top of college football every year – who else can do it better than the guys who have been doing it?” Jones said.

“Just seeing the way that [Kelly] carries himself, his expectations, the things that he demands from us, [Kelly’s] process on how to prepare and get ready for the season – It translate to the success, and I’ve been around some good teams throughout my time.”

CLICK HERE to subscribe to the On3 YouTube channel

Jones spent his first three seasons of college football in the other Death Valley – with the Clemson Tigers. From 2018-2020, Jones was on the sideline for two CFP Championship berths (including one win in 2018) and a Sugar Bowl berth as well.

In those three seasons, Clemson lost only three games – meaning LSU’s poor 2021 season was certainly a reality check for a player like Jones who was groomed at the prep ranks at perennial football power IMG Academy before heading to Clemson.

Now that Kelly’s staff and game plans are implemented with just over one month from opening weekend, Jones is starting to see similarities with how Kelly is running the Tigers’ program compared to Clemson.

“Kelly’s kind of been the thing that has made me realize that maybe all good teams do things the same,” Jones said.