Paul Finebaum praises Brian Kelly, LSU for offseason, identifies biggest concern in 2025 season

Last season was head coach Brian Kelly‘s third year at the helm of LSU. The team posted a 9-3 record, his worst since taking over the program. Now, Kelly is under pressure to reach double-digit wins again and, further, lead the Tigers to a College Football Playoff appearance.

Kelly’s been hard at work this offseason to give LSU the best chance to achieve its goals. During an appearance on McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum praised Kelly for his offseason success.

“It’s gone wonderfully,” Finebaum said of LSU’s offseason. “When I saw him, Greg, in Destin — I don’t know what five six weeks ago — he was oozing with confidence. I really think he knows that’s the only thing he can do right now. He can’t play this second-rate game that Hugh Freeze‘s playing. It won’t work. His fans are a little bit different.

“They are used to winning national championships down there. They expect it, even though, overall, the program has been all over the place. He’s told everybody the truth. He’s got the best roster. The problem is he’s got the toughest opening game, and he’s got the toughest September. I think he’ll survive September, but that is a very tricky schedule when you consider what he has to deal with before five weeks of the season are over with.”

LSU isn’t doing itself any favors with its first week showdown against Clemson. However, the Tigers have never shied away from stiff competition during Kelly’s tenure.

LSU is yet to win a season-opener under Kelly. Last season, the Tigers fell against USC. They lost against Florida State in Week 1 the previous two years. Now, Kelly and Co. will have a chance to break their troubling streak against what is expected to be one of the best teams in the country this fall.

Kelly has put his team in an excellent position. LSU is only returning seven starters from last season, but reeled in the No. 2 transfer class in the country this offseason, according to On3’s 2025 Transfer Portal Team Rankings.

With standout transfers like AJ Haulcy and Barion Brown joining the roster, LSU will have one of its best rosters since Kelly became head coach. Clemson isn’t the only difficult opponent in LSU’s first five weeks of the season.

The team will also square off against Florida in Week 3 and Ole Miss in Week 5. While LSU could have one of the best résumés in the country halfway through the season, its CFP hopes could also be dead in the water. Alas, Finebaum apparently is optimistic for the Tigers’ 2025 campaign.