When LSU decided to fire former head football coach Brian Kelly last October, it didn’t come as a surprise. He began the season with a win at Clemson, but things slowly fell apart before he was let go.
He began this season on TV after being passed over in the last coaching cycle after he was fired. However, as jobs began opening across the country, it appears that the former Notre Dame and LSU head coach is getting the itch to return to the sideline as soon as 2027.
Former LSU and Notre Dame Football Coach Brian Kelly Expresses Interest in Maryland Opening
Last week, Maryland was the first school to fire their head coach, Mike Locksley. On Saturday, North Carolina State fired Dave Doeren, and Baylor fired Dave Aranda after a loss to Kansas over the weekend. There are likely going to be more jobs open by the end of the season. However, Kelly appears to be lobbying for the Maryland job when he joined College Sports Radio on SiriusXM.
“They’re all unique, right? You know, we’re talking about ACC, Big 12, and and and the Big Ten,” said Kelly.“From a conference standpoint, the Big Ten obviously has proved itself to have that kind of appeal, right? With Maryland, it is a fertile recruiting area. There’s no doubt that that DMV area is a really good recruiting area. I think they’ve done great things in terms of upgrading facilities.”
Yes, the DMV is a great area to recruit in, but it’s not a slam dunk that you’re going to be able to retain players. James Franklin at Virginia Tech owned that area when he was at Penn State and will now battle Matt Campbell, his replacement in State College, for the top players. Then there is resources. Virginia Tech is giving Franklin all the resources he needs, while Penn State has what Campbell needs to have success. Maryland doesn’t have the same resources as both schools right now.
Kelly went through the trenches at Notre Dame with a non-conference schedule. Then he went through a tougher schedule at LSU in the SEC. The Big Ten is turning into just as much of a premier conference as the SEC. The Big Ten has produced the last three national champions.
Brian Kelly Is Looking To Get Back on the Sideline
Pete Nakos of On3 reported recently that sources told him that Kelly wants to return to coaching. If not Maryland, NC State, or Baylor, he might be another candidate for a Big Ten job that has yet to open, but could at some point.
“Could he revive a Maryland program that has been at the bottom of the Big Ten the last few seasons? His name has also been tied to Rutgers if the Scarlet Knights decide to move on from Greg Schiano,” wrote Nakos.
There are likely going to be a handful of other jobs open across college football. Some coaches might be fired, and others might leave for another job. Whatever happens, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kelly back on the sideline somewhere in 2027.
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