How Brian Kelly's first three years compared to previous LSU head coaches

How Brian Kelly’s first three years compared to previous LSU head coaches

Posted by author February 22, 2025 Football

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LSU head coach Brian Kelly just finished his third year on the job. After going 10-3 in years one and two, LSU slipped to 9-4 in year three. Kelly and the Tigers hit a skid in November, but finished with three straight wins to close the year, including a win over Baylor in the bowl game.

With year three done, it’s time to look at how Kelly’s first three years compared to previous LSU football coaches.

Kelly was the 20th coach in program history to last three or more years on the job. A couple of coaches won national titles in year three. For others, year three was the season that led to a firing. For Kelly, it was neither. LSU didn’t compete for a title, but LSU didn’t bottom out, either.

LSU has a long and storied history when it comes to football. The first coach to make it three years took the job in 1901, so this list covers an entire century-plus of LSU football.

Let’s jump in and see how Kelly’s record after three years compared to his LSU counterparts.

WS Borland: 15-7 (1901-03)

Borland was the sixth man to serve as LSU football’s head coach, but he was the first one to make it three years in the role. Borland’s first two campaigns were strong — posting a combined record of 11-2.

LSU took a step back in Borland’s third year. The Tigers went 4-5, including an 0-4 record in conference play. Borland didn’t return in 1904.

D.A. Killian: 8-6-2 (1904-06)

After Borland, D.A. Killian took over the program. Killian was active throughout LSU athletics, coaching baseball along with track and field, too.

Killian led LSU to a 3-0 record in 1905, beating Louisiana Tech, Tulane, and Mississippi State. Killian wrapped up his LSU tenure with a 2-2-2 record in 1906 — his final game was a 6-6 tie vs Arkansas.

Pat Dwyer: 16-7-2 (1911-13)

LSU went 1-5 in 1910, leading Dwyer to take over in 1911. He oversaw a first-year turnaround, going 6-3.

Dwyer’s LSU tenure was three years and he posted a 6-1-2 in his final season. Following his time at LSU, Dwyer joined Penn’s staff, returning to the school where he played.

E.T. McDonald: 17-7-3 (1914-16)

With Dwyer leaving for Penn, McDonald assumed the job. He went 4-4-1 his first year before improving to 6-2 in 1915. McDonald capped his tenure with a 7-1-2 record in 1916.

LSU did not play in 1917 due to WWI and McDonald went to coach Wake Forest.

Mike Donahue: 13-12-2 (1923-25)

Donahue was the first head coach in LSU’s history to remain in the position for at least five years. He went 13-12-2 his first three seasons on the job.

After a losing record in 1923, Donahue had back-to-back winning seasons, but he didn’t win a conference game those years. He finished his LSU career with a 23-19-3 record.

Russ Cohen: 18-9-1 (1928-30)

In 1928, LSU hired Russ Cohen, who was an assistant at Alabama from 1923-26.

Cohen posted a strong 6-2-1 record in year one. In four years at LSU, Cohen had four winning seasons and finished his LSU career with 23 wins.

Biff Jones: 20-5-6 (1932-34)

After Cohen, it was Biff Jones.

Jones had previous head coaching experience after serving in the same role at West Point. It was a good three years for LSU under Jones with the Tigers winning the SEC in 1932.

Jones lasted three years at LSU and the two didn’t separate on the best terms. A riff between Jones and Louisiana Senator Huey Long ended with Jones resigning and taking the head coach job at Oklahoma.

Bernie Moore: 27-5-1 (1935-37)

Bernie Moore is the third-most winningest coach in LSU history, winning 83 games in Baton Rouge. His tenure got off to a hot start in 1935 with a 9-2 record. He followed up with two more nine-win seasons in 1936 and 1937. Moore led LSU to two SEC titles in first three years on campus.

Moore played a large role in LSU’s emergence as one of college football’s top programs.

Gaynell Tinsley: 15-15-2 (1948-50)

After Moore was done, the program was handed to one of Moore’s former players — Gus Tinsley.

Under Tinsley, LSU struggled to maintain the success it had under Moore. Tinsley went 3-7 in year one but bounced back with a 8-3 record in 1949. In year three, Tinsley was back under .500.

Tinsley won some games, but LSU couldn’t find any consistency.

Paul Dietzel: 11-17-2 (1955-57)

Dietzel won a national title at LSU, but it wasn’t smooth sailing at first. Dietzel went 11-17-2 his first three years in Baton Rouge.

In year three, Dietzel and LSU finally hit .500 with a 5-5 record. Dietzel and LSU took off in year four, going undefeated and winning a national title.

Charles McClendon: 24-7-2 (1962-64)

After Dietzel, LSU hired the man who went on to be the winningest coach in Tiger history.

Charles McClendon maintained Dietzel’s momentum during his first three years on the job, compiling a 24-7-2 record. That included Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl appearances.

Jerry Stovall: 18-14-2 (1980-82)

Jerry Stovall was an LSU great on the field, but after McClendon, he tried his hand at coaching.

Stovall posted a winning record in year one but fell below .500 in his second year on the job. Stovall bounced back in year three with an 8-3-1 record.

But in year four under Stovall, LSU was back under .500 and Stovall’s tenure came to an end.

Bill Arnsparger: 26-8-2 (1984-86)

After Stovall, LSU had a successful run under Bill Arnsparger.

With an 8-3-1 record in year one, Arnsparger led LSU to the Sugar Bowl and followed it up with two more nine-win campaigns. Arnsparger’s first three years at LSU were his only three as he went on to be Florida’s athletic director.

Mike Archer: 22-12-1 (1987-89)

Archer was able to capitalize on Arnsparger’s success in year one, leading LSU to 10 wins. That was about it for Archer’s good times at LSU as the program began to slip.

Archer went 8-4 in 1988 before falling to 4-7 in 1989. Archer went 22-12-1 his first three years.

Archer and LSU moved on after Archer went 5-6 in year four.

Curley Hallman: 12-21 (1991-93)

After Archer’s tenure finished with back-to-back losing records, Hallman couldn’t turn it around. Hallman’s first three years consisted of three more losing records. Hallman was 12-21, going 7-16 in SEC play.

Like Archer, Hallman only lasted four years. He was out after a 4-7 record in 1994.

Gerry DiNardo: 26-9-1 (1995-97)

After one of the worst five-year spans in LSU history, DiNardo was tasked with righting the ship. For a short time, he did just that. DiNardo’s first three years were strong and LSU went 26-9-1 in that span. DiNardo went 6-2 in SEC play in years two and three.

But after year three, DiNardo’s program began to slip. He went 4-7 in year four and after another losing record in year five, DiNardo was out at LSU.

Nick Saban: 31-9 (2000-02)

Many now know Nick Saban as the greatest college football coach at all time. His introduction to the SEC began at LSU in 2000.

Saban didn’t create a powerhouse right away, but he raised the bar in year one with an 8-4 record. LSU followed it up with double-digit wins in Saban’s second year.

Saban finished his first three years with a 31-9 record, comparable to Brian Kelly’s mark of 29-11.

Les Miles: 34-6 (2005-07)

After Nick Saban left for the NFL, LSU hired Les Miles away from Oklahoma State. All Miles did was win 34 games in his first three years in Baton Rouge. That span culminated with a national title campaign in 2007.

With Miles taking over, LSU continued its run as one of college football’s top programs. Miles went on to win 114 games at LSU but was fired after LSU went 2-2 to start 2016.

Ed Orgeron: 34-7 (2017-19)

With Miles firing, Ed Orgeron was promoted to interim head coach. We won’t count 2016 as year one for Orgeron, though.

Like Miles, Orgeron won 34 games in his first three years on the job. And also like Miles, he led LSU to a national title in year three. Orgeron’s 2019 squad went 15-0 and is remembered as one of the best teams in the history of college football.

After the pandemic hit, LSU did not sustain the success and LSU parted ways with Orgeron in 2021.

Brian Kelly: 29-11 (2022-24)

That brings us to Brian Kelly. After three years at the helm, Brian Kelly is 29-11. He didn’t match the instant success of Orgeron or Miles, but he’s in line with several of the best coaches on this list.

LSU won 10 games in each of Kelly’s first two years before posting a 9-4 record in year three. After singing the top-ranked transfer portal class in the country, Kelly is hoping 2025 will be his best year yet. The Tigers have the pieces in place to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff and make a run.

Year four was a pivotal season for a handful of previous LSU coaches. This is often where we learn the general direction of a program. DiNardo’s first three years weren’t that different from Kelly’s, but DiNardo went in the wrong direction in year four. On the other end of the spectrum, Paul Dietzel led LSU to a national title after a slow build in his first three years.