LSU Football Recruits React to News of Brian Kelly's Hiring

Howard, Campbell and Johnson among the 2022 commits excited to get to work under new coaching regime

Just like many over the last six weeks, LSU commits and recruits were on pins and needles wondering who the athletic administration would elect to run the football program. Now that the Brian Kelly hire has been made official, it's a weight lifted off of many players' shoulders as the future becomes a bit more clear. 

In reaching out to a number of prominent commits and recruits, LSUCountry was able to gauge the excitement level for the Kelly hire, beginning with perhaps the most crucial commit to this date, offensive lineman Will Campbell. The Neville star tackle has been loyal to LSU since committing in January of this year. Through first an offensive line coach change and then a complete overhaul of the staff, Campbell was just excited to see that the program finally found a direction.

“Glad they hired someone I don’t really know coach Kelly though but he knows how to win. Just hope he keeps Brad Davis,” Campbell said.

Another integral piece to the 2022 puzzle is quarterback Walker Howard, who once the departure of Ed Orgeron was announced, began to start feeling out other options, with Notre Dame being among the schools he thought about. Howard has publicly endorsed the hire, saying he thinks it can bring championships to the program.

"He's going to bring us to national championships," Howard told The Daily Advertiser. "I can tell you that for sure."

LSUCountry reached out to almost all of the current commits and heard back from a few other highly touted players, including tight end Jake Johnson and offensive lineman Emery Jones.

“Think he’s a great coach, who has done some great things with the Programs he’s had. Excited to see what he can bring to Death Valley!” Jones said.

“I need to meet him or talk to him on phone. I’m sure he is an awesome coach. I need to meet TE coach too,” Johnson said.

The next steps for Kelly and this current crop of recruits is to start that relationship building process before the Dec. 15 early signing period. There are a number of highly talented recruits such as safety Jacoby Mathews and wide receiver Shazz Preston who have yet to make decisions who could change the course of this class.

LSU's class currently sits at 14 and the Tigers could very well lose at least a few more players to the transfer portal as well. It'll be a crucial next few weeks before the Tigers bowl game to see how Kelly, general manager Austin Thomas and the rest of the LSU staff handle a bevy of impending moves.