"Brian Kelly expressed strong criticism following the LSU Tigers' 'unacceptable' defeat.

 

                                                 

                                                                  News Video Link

                                                                 Today Sport News

Brian Kelly slammed his fist on the news conference table with such force that his water bottle nearly tipped over.

After No. 13 LSU relinquished a four-point lead with just under six minutes remaining and fell 27-20 to No. 23 USC on Sunday night, Kelly voiced his frustrations candidly.

"We had some players who gave their all tonight, and yet here we are again, discussing the same issues!" Kelly exclaimed, hitting the table. "We fail to finish games when we have our opponents on the ropes. Instead, it seems like we’re acting as if the game is already over."

Kelly admitted that this was the first time during his LSU tenure that he felt "angry" at his team and criticized their lack of a "killer instinct."

"I’m so frustrated that I need to take action. Clearly, I’m not doing a good enough job as a coach," Kelly said. "I need to coach them better because it’s unacceptable that we didn’t find a way to win this game. It’s outrageous and baffling."

Despite amassing 421 yards of offense and controlling the clock for six minutes longer than USC, Kelly’s team couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities. Their opening drive covered 74 yards over 13 plays in more than seven minutes but ended without any points. Although LSU managed to take the lead twice in the third quarter, they were unable to secure the victory.

"Unfortunately, it's evident that when we take the lead, we struggle to manage the situation," Kelly said. "You have to finish off teams when you have the chance. We had the opportunity to put this game away, but instead, we became complacent and made more mistakes. We need to maintain a sharper focus and develop a stronger killer instinct. It's frustrating."

Kelly's criticism was underscored by LSU's performance: the Tigers committed 10 penalties for 99 yards, compared to USC's six penalties. Some of these infractions came at critical moments. On USC's game-winning drive, a targeting penalty on LSU moved the Trojans into the red zone, where they scored with just eight seconds left.

 

 

Penalties weren't the only issue. LSU's rushing attack fell short of expectations. Despite offensive lineman Will Campbell's earlier declaration that the Tigers would dominate on the ground, LSU managed only 117 rushing yards. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had to carry much of the offensive load, throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns. However, after LSU took the lead in the third quarter, the offense stalled, allowing USC's revamped defense under coordinator D'Anton Lynn to make crucial third-down stops.

"They had every reason to be confident," Lincoln Riley said of LSU’s offensive line. "But so did we. We just didn’t broadcast it."

The Tigers faced 13 third-down situations and converted only five. Following their go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, LSU’s next four drives resulted in two punts, a field goal, and an interception by Nussmeier that ultimately sealed their fate.

"For us to be the kind of team I envision, we need to eliminate careless mistakes," Kelly said. "We also need to improve how we play off each other. Read Continue