Brian Kelly Reportedly Was 'Less Hands-On' With Day-to-Day Operation Before LSU Firing

Following Sunday's firing of former LSU head coach Brian Kelly, more details have emerged about what led to his demise in Baton Rouge.

According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, while Kelly has frequently been described as "a true CEO-style head coach," sources with knowledge of the program said he "became less hands-on with the day-to-day operation" of the Tigers after taking over the team in 2021. The 64-year-old reportedly "operated the program somewhat from a distance, handling the media and the public-facing elements."

"That's his M.O.," one former staff member said of Kelly's lax approach.

Since his days at Notre Dame, Kelly was known for hiring strong coaching staffs and allowing the members to do their jobs. Rittenberg noted that "few who have worked with him described him as overly mettlesome," but it's clear that he needed to be a bit more involved after taking the helm at LSU.

According to Rittenberg, Kelly's CEO coaching style "ultimately cost him" in a conference like the SEC, as "head coaches don't just oversee the operation, but recruit maniacally, interface regularly with everyone who touches their teams and grind until the wee hours of the morning just about year-round." He simply wasn't able to keep up with the many "championship-minded programs" in the conference.

While Kelly is sure to garner interest from teams in need of a new head coach, it's almost guaranteed that he won't stay in the SEC following his failed tenure at LSU.