Paul Finebaum calls out ESPN analyst for Brian Kelly take, defends LSU coach in potential loss to Clemson

The LSU Tigers haven’t backed away from a fight in Week 1 in recent seasons. In fact, in the first three seasons of the Brian Kelly era, the Tigers have lost to three Power Four opponents. Now, they again face a massive test, traveling to the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley.

As SEC Media Days are underway, ESPN pundit Kevin Clark appeared on First Take. There, he argued not only that LSU should win the game, but that Brian Kelly needs to win the game or it could define his tenure there. That’s something that Paul Finebaum clearly disagreed with, and quickly pushed back against.

“I hate to go scorched earth on Kevin here,” Paul Finebaum said. “But that is truly one of the most remarkable comments I have ever heard from you. I’m a fan. I think you’re one of the smartest people on television, but you must have bumped your head on the way to the studio today.”

Brian Kelly has acknowledged his issues in Week 1 games at LSU. On Monday at SEC Media Days, he admitted his team’s struggles in those openers. That does need to change, but it also won’t prevent LSU from going where it wants to go. Of course, that’s the College Football Playoff.

“That game is not going to define anything in a 12-team Playoff. That’s what you have to remember. This isn’t the old BCS where two teams make it, or even the four-team Playoff. I’m not saying it makes things easier because the LSU fans are professional football fans. They follow the Saints and they follow LSU, and they do not differentiate because one is college and one is pro. So, if he loses this game, which he has a good chance of doing, then he’s going to face Florida in a couple of weeks, and if they lose that, then we’re back here on First Take on Monday having a legitimate conversation about his future,” Finebaum said.

“I think Brian Kelly knows what he’s up against and that’s why he said what he did. He also has a great roster. You mentioned [Garrett] Nussmeier. Yes, he could be a Heisman contender. By the way, wouldn’t that be amazing if Nussmeier won the Heisman? That would be the third LSU quarterback since 2019 to win the Heisman. Remember, Joe Burrow. Of course, Jayden Daniels. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m just making a point that Kevin will probably make sometime later.”

Since getting to LSU, Brian Kelly has gone 29-11 and played for the SEC Championship in 2022. However, the Tigers only went 9-4 last year, and the standard is higher at LSU than that. After all, each of the last three head coaches — Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron — won national championships. That’s something that Paul Finebaum believes Kelly is capable of, it just won’t be decided by the Clemson game.

“But, Kevin, you have to be realistic. You fire a coach just because he doesn’t win the SEC, which very few people other than Nick Saban and Kirby Smart have done in the modern era,” Finebaum said. “And where do you go? I’m not gonna fight my own argument, but Les Miles, who’s one of the biggest goofballs in the history of college football, won a national championship with Nick Saban’s players… Ed Orgeron, I’m not sure I’d trust Ed Orgeron to run a convenience store, he won a national championship because he had Joe Burrow and about two or three other future NFL wide receivers. I think Brian Kelly will get there, even if he doesn’t get there on the opening, most defining weekend in college football — Kevin Clark — coming in about a month.”

Brian Kelly has a familiarity with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, going back to his time at Notre Dame. However, that included some struggles, going 1-3 during that time with one of those losses coming on the road. He’ll look to rectify that on August 30th with LSU.