Brian Kelly left LSU on an disappointing note, dimming the chances of him being preferred as a top candidate in the market. There are many attractive positions still open for him, and many more will free up after the season. However, Kelly might just be pairing along with one program, if it even pans out.

Kelly had it all at Baton Rouge this year. And yet, the on field production was nothing of what LSU had claimed before the season. Though his LSU records paint only one part of the picture, his career in general still makes him an attractive hire. However, now at an important crossroads in life, the question begs – will he even want to coach? And if yes, where does he want to go? According to Bruce Feldman, Brian Kelly probably has his eyes set on one college.

“The one job I could see him maybe at, is if Michigan State does open up,” Feldman said on a November 18 episode of The McShay Show. “After that, I just don’t see him go [anywhere else],” he added. Feldman talked about G5 schools like Tulane and North Texas opening up, if their coaches move on to the higher ranks. But they won’t be as appealing to Kelly. “There’s only, you know, there’s only so many jobs I could see him wanting,” Feldman said.

CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer also hinted at the same connection, fueling the buzz around this potential development. The Spartans are now desperately trying to fight for a bowl game appearance. HC Jonathan Smith is 3-14 at East Lansing now, finding himself on the hot seat for good this season. Those are bad numbers, especially after going winless in his first season. But will MSU take the leap and hire a flashy coach like Kelly?

Going from LSU to Michigan State is a daunting move, but Kelly will still be at a P4 conference. The Spartans seem like an interesting fit here, because the former HC has coached in the Midwest region his whole career. Moreover, a languishing program like this could stand to gain massively from someone who’s coached at the top levels. This also seems like a safe bet for Kelly, since the SEC turned out to be too much for him.

Penn State, Florida, Arkansas and Auburn are still open. Brian Kelly has emerged as a candidate for those jobs, but some heavyweight favorites are already ruling the hype for those seats. Unlike the Ed Orgeron rumors, Kelly being linked to just one program now implies that he’s playing it extremely safe. He is entitled to that whopping $54 million buyout, making life very easy for him even if nothing pans out for him.

That has led many to speculate Kelly retiring from coaching altogether. And with his age and other issues at LSU, things get a little tricky for programs who might want to consider him.

Bruce Feldman warns of Brian Kelly problem areas

Brian Kelly is the oldest former coach in the market currently, which adds a unique factor for his future. At 64, can Kelly work to turn things around for himself and his future destination? Bruce Feldman noted that the number in itself is not a problem, because Curt Cignetti, also 64, is now vying for the National Championship. But the Indiana coach has been able to adapt to the new era of college football, unlike Kelly.

“I think this is a different job, as a college football coach, than it was pre-portal, pre-NIL, right?” Feldman said. That brings forward a key red flag of Kelly’s: recruiting. “Penn State, I don’t know how you sell him there, because the recruiting is a big issue with him. And how committed is he to doing it at this stage of his career? I think that’s, to me, that was as much of his undoing as almost anything else was,” he added.

Brian Kelly made some waves with the transfer portal, but there have been a lot of controversial stories about his recruiting moves. Feldman mentions that Kelly wasn’t “trying hard” with his recruits. Kelly lost out on Bryce Underwood because Michigan offered him $12 million. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, on the other hand, was offered $8 million to transfer this season. But he stayed put at as a Gamecock. According to ESPN, Kelly “operated the program somewhat from a distance.”

Brian Kelly brings with him some invaluable experience, but he is a tough figure to deal with. The Spartans are worth $708 million as a program, with an average revenue of $88.5 million. Will Michigan State reciprocate to the former HC warming up to their program?