Paul Finebaum explains why Brian Kelly 'has to put pressure on himself' in 2025

Paul Finebaum explained why Brian Kelly had to put pressure on himself in 2025 as LSU enters a pivotal year. He already has the outside pressure, but Finebaum said Kelly should get ahead of the curve this fall. 

Kelly did a standup job last year per the ESPN host, despite losing four games. It’s not good enough when LSU is accustomed to winning national titles, but Kelly has a chance to rectify all of that this year.

Each season hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but Kelly has gotten the Tigers to the SEC title game and coached a Heisman Trophy winner. A national championship is the only thing remaining.

“There have been some who have wondered like ‘What in the world is going on here,’” Finebaum said on First Take. “‘Why would he double down? Why would he put pressure on himself?’ Because he has to put pressure on himself, because there’s going to be enough pressure on him anyway, because of his record, not so much the 0-3 in the opening game, but the fact that last year was such an abject mess, just all over the place. 

“In fact, LSU probably should have lost two more games than they did. And Brian Kelly knows where he came from. Let’s not forget he was the head coach at Notre Dame, one of the biggest pressure cookers in the world. He went to LSU. Why? To win a national championship? He hasn’t come close. He has produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Jayden Daniels, he got to the championship game, he beat Nick Saban in overtime in Tiger Stadium, but it’s all about this year.” 

Kelly is 29-11 at LSU and 3-0 in bowl games. He is 292-107-2 overall as a head coach. Despite not winning a national title yet, at Notre Dame or LSU for example, Finebaum said it would be crazy to fire him as long as the Tigers make the College Football Playoff.

“I’m sure some of my friends up there with you are going to say Brian Kelly should be on the hot seat, I don’t think he should, for this reason,” Finebaum said. “He is recruited at an elite level. He’s got the number one recruiting class in the country working on he got, he just landed the number one recruit for next year’s class. So outside of a disaster this year, which I’m not expecting, I think they’ll make the CFP, he survives, and he should.”