Stephen A. Smith: LSU Football, Brian Kelly "In a World of Trouble" Moving Forward

Kelly and the Tigers hit rock bottom, challenges continue piling up in Baton Rouge.

Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers' 2024 season reached a new low on Thursday evening with the news of Bryce Underwood, America's No. 1 ranked prospect, flipped his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines.

The struggles for the Bayou Bengals have been apparent on the field after falling to 6-4 on the season with consecutive losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida.

Now, the program has hit "rock bottom" with the crowned jewel of the 2025 Recruiting Class backing off of his commitment and heading elsewhere.

Underwood's decision comes on the heels of a reported NIL package north of $10.5 million being offfered.

Kelly and Co. will now scramble to finish the 2024 season with matchups against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma while looking to keep the 2025 Recruiting Class intact.

What are national analysts saying about Kelly and the recent struggles in Baton Rouge?

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and SEC Network's Paul Finebaum Chime In:

“Let me say this, I think Brian Kelly is in a world of trouble at LSU. I think this is the kind of situation right here that can cost him his job,” Stephen A. Smith said Friday on ESPN First Take. “Because we saw them get romped on national television by Alabama. We’ve seen them look like a shell of themselves. They’ve already got [four] losses on the season.

“And then to lose a top recruit — you didn’t lose it to Kirby Smart. You didn’t lose it to Prime Time. You lost it to Sherrone Moore at Michigan. That ain’t Jim Harbaugh coaching at Michigan. Moore, no disrespect to him, but I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, it’s not about just the prospect you lost. It’s who you lost him to.’ And that is an indictment on Brian Kelly and what is happening at LSU.”

Smith ended his thoughts on Kelly with one final statement:

“I think it is official — Brian Kelly is in a world of trouble at LSU."

ESPN Analyst Ryan Clark Weighs In:

Former LSU defensive back Ryan Clark dove into the significance of losing Underwood.

“He’s also been committed to LSU since he was a [junior]. The entire team he put together this summer was put together around him with LSU commits and other LSU recruits,” Clark said. “This kid was leading the charge for the 2025 committed [players]… so this is huge.”

Stephen A. Smith and Clark aren't the only analysts believing Kelly is in significant trouble.

Paul Finebaum's Thoughts:

SEC Network's Paul Finebaum made his weekly appearance on The Matt Barrie Show where he opened up on LSU's struggles as of late.

“Now, you just said you don’t want to play Kansas if you’re another team. You do want to play LSU,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show. “I talk to you every Monday after I talk to Brian Kelly. There’s something that came about two years ago; we really enjoyed the relationship. And in the last few weeks, it’s just downright like riding a roller coaster at Six Flags, because it’s almost indescribable what a hot mess LSU is at the moment.” 

The on-field result has been below standard, but a piece that has been a major takeaway to some are the sideline interactions Kelly is having with his players. Finebaum alluded to that.

“I mean, you see Kelly yelling at players, them yelling back at him. You see the Notre Dame fans chirping, especially if they get through the next two weeks and make the playoffs and he is suddenly in a really bad spot, because this season has blown up on him,” Finebaum said.

"He had the number one quarterback in the country committed, and now that’s about to become a bidding war with Michigan, of which we have never seen before. And if he doesn’t get that guy, I don’t know what next year looks like for him," he added on Sunday.

Finebaum opened up on Kelly's future despite winning 10 games in each of his first two seasons at the helm of the program.

“It’s bad because LSU fans, they have no basement,” Finebaum said. “I mean, they just go from [if] beating Alabama a week ago to maybe getting to the SEC Championship game, into the playoffs. To now, the season is over and they have a home game next week against Vanderbilt. I doubt the enthusiasm level in the parking lot is going to be [up to standard]. It’s going to be close to comatose. 

“And then the final game of the year is against Oklahoma, which won’t be any better. And Kelly, who I really believe is an elite coach, somehow, has just watched this thing blow up on him. A number of injuries happened, and who knows what else. Garrett Nussmeier cannot get out of his own shadow. I think, depending on how the season ends, I mean Kelly’s going to be facing maybe the coldest winter of any SEC coach.”

LSU will return to action on Saturday against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Tiger Stadium with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m. CT.

More LSU News:

Paul Finebaum: LSU, Brian Kelly in a "Really Bad Spot" Moving Forward

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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