Brian Kelly is all set to whitewash his image. For the LSU head coach, the mission is simple and non-negotiable: The losing streak in season openers ends now. LSU is 0-3 in its first games of the season under Kelly, a statistic that hangs heavy in the humid Louisiana air. So, he has promised, “We need to win the opener. I’m not going to make any other statements other than the fact that we need to win.” Kelly might show that he has erased the faulty past and is ready with a pen and paper to write a fresh narrative.

But one of his dark chapters has been engraved deep in his heart. That’s the big Bryce Underwood snub who jumped into the Michigan wagon. What was the reason? Quite predictably, NIL. Now, only a loyal recruit can fix the wounds of Kelly’s heart. But what if we tell you that the gash is only going to get bigger? Thanks to his 5-star wide receiver Tristen Keys—the No. 1 WR in the class—who committed to LSU back in March.

On June 13, On3 NIL posted on X, “The race for LSU 5-star WR commit Tristen Keys continues to heat up🔥 Keys is expected to ink an NIL package that will pay him between $500K to $1 million as a freshman, per @PeteNakos_💰.” The Mississippi product will be closing his commitment in August. Even though he felt highly of Brian Kelly’s squad, as he promised, “Once a Tiger, always a Tiger,” the Tennessee Volunteers have replaced the Tigers in Keys’ heart.

On the June 18th episode of The Triple Option podcast, FOX Sports’ Rob Stone played a video. He said, “Recruiting has changed through the years, right? We all know that, but sometimes the visuals scream at us. So this is out there right now. This is a five-star LSU wide out commit Tristan Keys. again an LSU commit on his official visit though, here we go to Tennessee.”

And one can sense the surprise mixed with frustration in Urban Meyer’s voice, who blurted out. “Okay, yeah, I’m out.” Kelly’s 6-foot-2.5, 185-pound receiver commit visited Josh Heupel’s squad on the June 13th weekend. The clip that Stone used was from that visit. It showed Kelly’s 5-star recruit dancing in full Tennessee’s orange-colored gear. That’s how LSU got the clarity that the “just visiting” narrative no longer exists when it comes to Key and Tennessee. If they are still not convinced about Tennessee being just a step away from handing out the $1 million NIL check, here comes another wake-up call for Kelly.  

Meyer shared, “Once commit just means you’re in the final three. It doesn’t mean you’re going to get the guy. Obviously, it depends on the people. So much of it depends on the mom and dad when you sit in a home and you’re like ‘Okay, this one’s done.’ As opposed to that third uncle sitting there and saying, ‘Okay, now what’s what’s in it for me?’” Yes, Kelly might feel sad if the Underwood heartbreak repeats itself; however, he must not pester over it. After all, the LSU head coach right now has too many things on his plate. 

Brian Kelly faces a countdown in Baton Rouge

This time around, there is a new addition to the old ‘clock’s ticking’ narrative with Kelly. Already, Paul Finebaum has raised an alarm for their 2025 chapter. “The hype for LSU football is not hype. I think it’s real. The question I have is how does coach Kelly navigate that schedule is daunting.” Kelly’s LSU and Dabo Swinney’s Clemson will meet during the regular season for the first time when the teams square off at Memorial Stadium. Overall, Kelly’s LSU is 3-1 against Clemson, with all four previous meetings coming during the postseason.

Then there are tough road games for LSU as they will be facing off against Alabama and Ole Miss. If that’s not enough of a wake-up call for Kelly, here comes some more. With their quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, at the helm, they rode a six-game winning streak after the season-opening loss to Southern Cal. However, Kelly could not savor the happy moments for long. The Tigers got into a triple loss loop. The Tigers ranked 92nd in sacks per dropback (7.1%), 113th in turnover rate (3.0%), and 120th in success rate (35.5%). Along with the concerning stats, LSU’s storied history must be haunting Kelly in his sleep.

LSU has claimed four national championships so far and 16 conference championships. Unfortunately, none of the victories are credited to Kelly’s name. Analyst Gerald V.Dixon thought of pestering the LSU head coach a little more. “You are the last coach out of four coaches to be the only one who has not been to the playoffs, or brought us home a National Championship. So, it’s due time here, when you cash in and put your own money, you are truly invested.” Later on, Josh Pate, too, hinted at the same thing. 

“Expectations are sky high at LSU. Every coach this century has won a national championship at LSU. It’s why Brian Kelly went to LSU. Kelly needs a great start to the season, and that’s exactly where the pressure point is.” If Keys bolts for Tennessee, Kelly’s got no time for sulking. His best bet is to tighten his grip on the wheel and steer through the storm.