After leaving LSU on rocky terms last year, longtime college football coach Brian Kelly is making it clear where his loyalties lie this season—and it's with the Fighting Irish. The former Notre Dame head coach has announced he's '100 percent' supporting the program and current head coach Marcus Freeman, in a move that could either warm or chill the hearts of Irish fans.
Kelly, who will join CBS as a college football analyst this fall, shared his full-throated endorsement on The Independent: A Notre Dame Football Podcast. 'I want to support the program. I want that out there,' Kelly said. 'And I want to be visible for a day. I'm not in there to look at what they're running offensively or defensively. I just want to show that I have 100 percent faith and confidence in what they're doing and how they're doing it.'
Kelly's praise didn't stop there. He had glowing words for Freeman, who served as his defensive coordinator in 2021 before Kelly bolted for LSU. Freeman then took over the head job with zero head coaching experience—and has since led Notre Dame to a 43-12 record and a national title game appearance in 2024. 'It's extraordinary that a football coach with no head coaching experience has been able to step in the job and do as well as Marcus has,' Kelly said. 'I had 19 years of being a head coach, and I felt like the water was up to my nose at times at Notre Dame. So I have such respect for Marcus.'
Kelly also highlighted Freeman's humility and adaptability as key traits. 'What Marcus does extremely well is he listens. He doesn't have a preordained 'this is the way we're doing it.' He'll get there, but he listens, and he listens to people around him, people that he respects,' Kelly said. 'He's humble, he's able to move with the job, as the job becomes difficult at times or ever changing.'
Kelly's tenure at Notre Dame from 2010 to 2021 was a mixed bag—he went 92-39 and led the Irish to the national title game in 2012, but his departure to LSU left a sour taste for many. Now, with Freeman thriving, Kelly's public backing could be seen as an olive branch—or a reminder of what could have been. For fans wondering whether to accept his support, the answer may depend on how they view Notre Dame's 2026 schedule, which some analysts call the easiest path to the playoff in years.
Kelly's new media role with CBS will keep him close to the game, and he's already signaling that his heart remains with the Irish. 'I want our fans to know, the Notre Dame fans, that I'm 100 percent supporting what they're doing and how they're doing it,' he said. Whether that message lands will be up to the faithful in South Bend.
As Freeman continues to build on Kelly's foundation, the Irish are poised for another strong season. With Kelly now in the broadcast booth, his support—and occasional critique—will be under the microscope. But for now, he's all in on the gold and blue.
