Brian Kelly Discusses the Trajectory of the LSU Football Program

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers fell to 6-3 on the season after a Week 11 loss to Alabama, program looking to turn the page.

Sep 21, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the No. 21 ranked LSU Tigers dropped their third game of the season on Saturday night in a 42-13 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

A game that sent shockwaves across the college football scene, the Bayou Bengals were simply unprepared for Kaleb DeBoer's club in a prime time Southeastern Conference showdown.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe carved the Tigers' defense from start to finish after ending the night with 185 rushing yards paired with 109 yards through the air.

"If you are watching the game, you're like, what did these guys do for two weeks? We have a scheme to stop the quarterback. We did not get that done. So, I take responsibility for it. [Defensive coordinator Blake] Baker is not going to hide from the responsibility, but we also have to put our playerrs in position to take advantage of what they are capable of doing.

"We own it together and we have got to get it fixed. Now, we go into these last three games with the need to win all three and play better football in the month of November."

Now, the questions continue surrounding Kelly's program, what's next and how LSU can rebound after falling to 6-3 on the season.

Kelly's Thoughts on the Trajectory of the LSU Program:

One Loss Does Not Define LSU:

“Did we not win 14 consecutive games at night? From that perspective, the odds are I feel pretty confident we know what we are doing,” Kelly said on Monday when asked about the faith of the fanbase being wavered. “Am I happy about what happened? No. Are our players? No.

“When it comes to an overall look at the program … we’ve won 10 out of our past 13 games.”

Looking Ahead to the Future:

“I am not in a position to worry about what people are saying about the overall health of the program,” Kelly said. “We have one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Those things are only going to continue to get better.

“A championship program is what we are going to have here. There are going to be some stumbles along the way, but we will get back up and we are going to keep building our program where it needs to be. And that’s a championship program.”

Finishing the Season on a High Note:

“We have the opportunity to finish the season strong and look forward to a minimum of a 10-win season, and that’s a standard for this program,” Kelly said. “We have to play more consistent. Offense, defense and special teams. That’s what is most important. Consistency play in and play out.”

The Current SEC Standings:

1. Tennessee Volunteers (8-1, 5-1)
2. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2, 5-1)
3. Texas Longhorns (8-1, 4-1)
4. Georgia Bulldogs (7-2, 5-2)
5. Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2)
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2, 4-2)
7. Missouri Tigers (7-2, 3-2)
8. LSU Tigers (6-3, 3-2)
9. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3)
10. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-4, 3-3)
11. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-4, 3-3)
12. Florida Gators (4-5, 2-4)
13. Oklahoma Sooners (5-5, 1-5)
14. Auburn Tigers (3-6, 1-5)
15. Kentucky Wildcats (3-6, 1-6)
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-8, 0-6)

No. 21 LSU will return to game action on Nov. 16 against the Florida Gators with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. CT in Gainesville.

More LSU News:

The Updated AP Top 25 Poll: Where LSU Football Stands After Week 11

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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