LSU fans, y’all still reeling from the end of this season? It was looking so promising—starting 6-1 had folks whispering “playoffs,” especially with Garrett Nussmeier balling out. But three straight Ls to close the regular season? Yeah, that hurt. A 9-4 finish ain’t cutting it for a program like LSU. Playoffs or bust, that’s the SEC way, and missing the cut? It hits low-key different for former Notre Dame HC Brian Kelly. But don’t sleep on Brian Kelly just yet. The man’s on a mission, and his transfer portal moves are downright legendary.

Look, some folks are still side-eying Kelly after missing out on the playoffs. On The College Football Enquirer, Pat Forde didn’t sugarcoat it: “This year was not good enough by LSU standards. The Brian Kelly era hasn’t been good enough by LSU standards.” Ouch. But he’s not wrong—missing the playoffs ain’t the LSU way. Still, Dan Wetzel balanced it out: “They’ve got a number of top 100 players… LSU might be disappointing to a degree, but that’s by the standards of the program under Brian Kelly.” Translation? LSU might be down now, but they ain’t out for the 2025 season.

LSU’s offseason? Oh, it’s lit. Kelly’s got 14 kids rolling in, and these ain’t just your run-of-the-mill transfers. He locked in Patrick Payton, the No. 1 edge rusher in the entire portal, straight outta Florida State. Add in another 4-star edge, Jack Pyburn, and 2 studs of CBs—Mansoor Delane and Ja’Keem Jackson. That’s fixing voids! And let’s be real, Garrett Nussmeier might have that cannon arm, but his inconsistency? Yeah, LSU needed this roster boost badly. Kelly’s moves? They’re screaming ‘comeback season 2025.’

Brian Kelly didn’t just roll the dice and pray. He played the NIL game with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Also, Ross Dellenger broke it down: “Brian Kelly, more than maybe any coach, has been pretty public about the NIL stuff—basically sending messages to his donors to give more and more.” That $1 million match? A power play in Baton Rouge.

LSU’s got boosters stepping up and the fruits of those donations are clear as day. Ross Dellenger added, “It’s a good sign… a sign of urgency there to win.” Urgency, y’all—Kelly knows the clock’s ticking.

Brian Kelly’s transfer portal game is next-level

Brian Kelly didn’t just fill up the gaps; he rebuilt the damn ship. The LSU Tigers literally ranked No.1 in the portal. LSU added 6 of Rivals’ top 61 players, including defensive linemen like Sydir Mitchell from Texas. Cooper Petagna from 247Sports hyped it up: “What they’ve been able to do, I think, is really, really encouraging from somebody that follows the program, and seems like a team Year 3 under Brian Kelly that had a lot more hol-s than you would expect.” And Boy, don’t sleep on Mansoor Delane, the No. 2 cornerback in the portal.

Pat Forde also pointed out LSU’s aggressiveness perfectly in Baton-way: “It’s a program that would be expected to be active in the transfer portal.” LSU missed the playoffs, what did they do? They re-loaded with talents in the portal to fix the gaps. And safe to bet that Brian Kelly’s proving him right. That secondary? About to be locked down like a bank vault.

Still, there’s work to do. LSU needs more depth at safety and on the interior D-line, but Kelly’s already shown he’s not playing this offseason. He’s hustling like his job depends on it (and let’s be real, it kinda does). If this portal magic translates to the field, 2025 could be the year LSU reminds the SEC who’s boss.

Look, Brian Kelly might’ve missed the playoffs, but his transfer portal game is putting the SEC on notice. LSU’s roster just got a glow-up, and while there’s still work to be done, the Tigers low-key meant for a serious comeback. Kelly’s moves are sending one clear message: LSU isn’t here to play—they’re here to win. Buckle up, y’all. The Brian Kelly redemption arc 2.0 is just getting started.