Is Brian Kelly Considering Rutgers? The Former Head Coach Addressed Rumors

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When you lose to UMass and Boston College on back-to-back weeks, it is almost certain that there will be rumors of the next coach — but it might not be one you were thinking of.

Last week, Rutgers was linked to former LSU and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly.

After being fired by LSU last year, Kelly began working in the CBS studios as an analyst while doing hits on satellite radio each week.

While on SiriusXM’s ‘The Early Read’ on Wednesday, Kelly addressed the rumors of becoming the next head coach at Rutgers.

“We’ll see what happens when we get into December,” Kelly said. “I’m focused on doing my work. I know it happens because it’s part of the business, but I don’t relish my name being mentioned for other jobs. I’m pulling for the guy that’s got that job and I want to see him do well.”

“We all know it’s something that gets out in the media and is talked about because it’s juicy, right? But for me, I just focus on what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis and those things take care of themselves.”

Kelly was first linked to Rutgers via Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. The 64-year-old coach worked with Rutgers president William Tate and athletic director Keli Zinn during his time with the Tigers. The connection makes sense, especially when considering Feldman’s claim that Kelly wants to get back into coaching.

Kelly has found success at every stop before stumbling in Baton Rouge. He began his career at Grand Valley State, winning back-to-back national titles at the Division II level. Kelly then moved to the FBC with Central Michigan, turning the team into a 10-game winner in his final season. His next stop would be at Cincinnati where he led the Bearcats to consecutive Big East titles and a 34-6 record.

Kelly famously left Cincinnati ahead of the bowl game for Notre Dame. He spent 12 years in South Bend, becoming the winningest coach in program history and led the team to the National Championship game in 2012. In 2022, Kelly shocked the college football world and left Notre Dame for a chance to coach LSU. He won 10 games twice with the Tigers but failed to lead the team to its ultimate destination of a title.

During his introductory press conference for the Tigers, Kelly went viral for his southern accent. If he were to become the next coach of Rutgers, he might need to take on another accent.

“I think they feel I can fake any accent no matter where I go,” Kelly said. “I can do the Jersey accent. I can do any one you want.”

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