The current transfer portal activity is nothing but a mess. Amidst the updated college football structure, hefty NIL allurement, and the shifted ideals, it is becoming more and more difficult to track talents or keep an eye on them consistently. They are slipping out of the grip like a slick stick. However, if you have to stick to a single glaring issue, it would be NIL. The lack of NIL money can make things worse for the established schools. Look at the USC Trojans, who reportedly lost over 19 talents because of the tottering money fund.

But LSU Tigers’ Brian Kelly doesn’t want NIL to get in his way of swooping talents in Baton Rouge. He recently took a trademark step in advancing NIL growth for the Tigers and it is yielding fruits.

Brian Kelly’s massive NIL move is shaping up a better roster

College football has always been a tit-for-tat on the money front. You give, you draw. The rule is simple. But Brian Kelly wants to break the stereotype. He doesn’t wait for anybody to come and take the matter into his hands. Rather, he himself poured money into the bag. The LSU head coach and his wife Paqi announced they are stumping up to $1 million to spur donations to the Tigers’ NIL fund. Such a trailblazer move to look at! But it’s not just a fantasy, Kelly’s strategy is visibly unlocking doors at the Tigers campus.

Judging the fruits of his generous effort, Chris Vannini, the co-host of ‘Until Saturday’ noted, ”Brian Kelly putting up his own money essentially to say, I think it was like a million dollars or something, so like, he’s put, he’s putting it to the Tiger fund.

Kelly lost him gem, Bryce Underwood, just a month back. Sherrone Morre and Michigan, after a lot of back and effort from the all-in-state boosters and the third parties, lured him in exchange for a heavy 10 million. But Kelly just made sure the mishap won’t repeat the second time ever in the Tigers’ roster. His efforts are already paying off. ‘‘Brian Kelly’s like really trying to make this happen and to get this kind of talent, I mean, the numbers we don’t necessarily specifically know, but it feels like LSU is now catching up in this space in a way that they maybe weren’t before,” Vannini added on.

Kelly doesn’t want to fit into a money-centered structure of the CFB culture at all. But he was helpless. This is the reality we live in. The veteran coach values talent, academic excellence and athletic supremacy, but ‘‘It’s about what’s the most money I can get, and that’s unfortunate,” the veteran HC said with a pinch of remote in his voice.

However, in a contrasting reality, despite doing all the right things without a complaint about ideals and ethics, Kelly has lost another weapon from his combat.

Brian Kelly keeps on losing leading guys over the portal

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers heavily redesigned the roster in Baton Rouge with 14 new additions via the NCAA Transfer Portal over the last month. On the flip side, they struggle to retain their existing talents. Kelly and Co. have sustained a handful of departures via the free agent market.

On Friday, they sat back and saw the 18th Portal member cut the ties after a long hustle. Defensive lineman Kimo Makane’ole became the latest guy to upset Kelly with his transfer statement. The 6-foot-4, 285-had mounted a stellar season as an offensive lineman for over three years, almost. This year, during the spring, he gave the nod to explore the defensive spots as well, and the output was nothing short of spectacular.

His numbers are certainly good, but the Florida native reportedly broke a sweat to gain meaningful snaps in the LSU jersey during less than a half-decade program. The departure news comes off as another punch in the gut of coach Kelly, but you can trust his aggressive portal inflows no matter what.

The 2025 roster is already outshining the rest! Haters, please wake up and smell your coffee.