The 2024 season will always be etched in LSU Tigers HC Brian Kelly’s memory. Is that because they concluded the season on a low note (9-4)? Well, it can be one of the factors. However, it’s quarterback Bryce Underwood who has made the last season memorable for Kelly and Co. Well, not for good reasons, of course. But for the big betrayal that’s going to nudge the Tigers HC for the longest time. 

However, Kelly is not a man who would not brood over the losses. Rather he has started to heal the wound by controlling the damage. Looks like someone has already won his heart to step in Underwood’s place.  

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers and their renewed focus

Now all things do not have a happy ending, right? This is the biggest lesson that Kelly learned the hard way. There was a time when the Tigers beamed with pride. It was this time last year. Underwood announced his commitment to LSU. However, it did not take long for Kelly to realize that the quarterback had come here not to stay. So, they tried to tighten the gates and dished out a hefty offer. According to The Advocate, the offer was valued at more than $1.5 million per year. But some things are just not meant for you. Like that Kelly lost Underwood to Sherrone Moore’s Michigan. Well, we don’t know the exact NIL figure. But it’s said to be $12 million over four years. Since then, maybe the fire for revenge has been burning bright within the Tigers HC. The On3 Recruits podcast also hints at the same.

The host Josh Newberg threw a question for the guest of the evening, analyst Shea Dixon. Newberg asked, “We got Jake Fette here at the top Arizona State quarterback commitment. Is this a name that LSU fans need to know?” Well, Dixon thinks that it’s too early to comment. After all, it’s January, which marks an evaluation period. The Tigers’ OC Joe Sloan and the coaches “are out on the road seeing all these prospects that’ll shut down this week.” However, Dixon had something positive to share. “When the dust settles Jake Fette will maybe emerge as the top Target here. He’s an El Paso kid so he’s in Texas. Arizona State obviously did have a great season but they’re not going to let up on recruiting him,” the analyst sounded all confident. 

Even Dixon could not deny the fact that Underwood came off as the biggest heartbreak for Kelly. But it’s high time that the HC starts things afresh. And what better motivation than to land the No. 55 overall prospect and No. 5 QB in the 2026 class? So, the analyst stated, “They had the Underwood commitment all the way till December. So now it’s like okay time to start over…I think Jake Fette is the name we’re going to watch.” But what about the player? 

Will Brian Kelly’s luck finally shine in his favor?    

Apart from the Tigers, the 6-1’ and 190-pounder have landed an offer from Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels in December. The Mississippi State is also in the race with Kelly to land Fette. The quarterback is one of the three commits in Kenny Dillingham’s 2026 class. His numbers are enough to do all the talking. In 11 games as a junior, Fette threw for 2,488 yards and 32 touchdowns with just one interception.

As On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power wrote, “Jake Fette is a dynamic playmaker at quarterback. One of the better athletes at QB in the 2026 cycle that we’ve seen thus far…A true dual-threat and a fluid athlete with a good arm.” Do you know that the Del Valle junior quarterback had been named the Class 5A, Week 7 Build Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week? All these might be making the Tigers HC more impatient to land Fette. 

However, Brian Kelly has no other option than to surrender to God’s plan. Even having so many offers on the line, looks like Jake Fette would prove his loyalty to Arizona State. “You know being committed to ASU right now is a big-time thing. Coming off a season like they did all I can think about is how I can impact the school when I get there. Coach Dilly and the guys up there did a tremendous job this year and it just leads me to be more and more excited to be a Sun Devil,” the quarterback confessed in an On3 interview. With revenge on his mind, will Brian Kelly pull off the heist and land Jake Fette?