LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

LSU HC pins transfer portal struggles on reluctance to 'buy players'

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 5/8/24

LSU head coach Brian Kelly should've put his foot in his mouth when discussing the Tigers' inability to acquire top defensive linemen in the transfer portal.

"We're not in the market of buying players," Kelly said of the transfer portal woes on Tuesday, via WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge. "And unfortunately, right now, that's what some guys are looking for. They want to be bought. We're not going to go out and buy players."

It's no secret that the transfer portal and NIL deals — which allow athletes to profit from their name image and likeness — have transformed college football recruiting. As On3's Andy Staples pointed out on his X account, "Everyone is in the market of buying players."

EVERYONE is in the market of buying players. (It's 2024 and you're not at Notre Dame anymore. You can just say it.)

But if you say "We're not interested in paying way above market value just because demand outstrips supply at this very moment," it's probably true. https://t.co/kMZ78h9ddy
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) May 7, 2024

On the surface, Kelly's statement could make him sound like a coach who doesn't want to adapt.

Per Staples, NIL funding isn't unlimited, meaning a coaching staff must manage money like an NFL team and build a cost-effective roster. Perhaps Kelly meant to say LSU didn't want to overpay for certain players.

Considering LSU's budget, however, this seems like an excuse. In 2023, LSU associate athletic director Taylor Jacobs told Business Report its athletes have landed nearly 2,000 NIL deals since 2021.

Kelly is also one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. In 2022, he left Notre Dame, signing a 10-year, $95M deal with LSU.

Kelly is 20-7 in two seasons at LSU but has yet to win an SEC or national championship. The Tigers may need one or two more playmakers to reach the next level. They could find some in the transfer portal, but they've struggled to do that.

247 Sports ranks LSU's transfer portal haul 42nd in the FBS. It includes one defensive lineman, Gio Paez, out of Wisconsin. Kelly and his staff should reevaluate the program's strategy.

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