"He’s underperformed a little bit": Paul Finebaum drops his verdict on Brian Kelly's hot seat status as 2025 season inches closer 

Brian Kelly’s journey at LSU since leaving Notre Dame has been a turbulent one, marked by some successes but also increasing scrutiny. After missing out on the playoffs last season, certain critics are placing the Tigers’ coach on the hot seat ahead of the 2025 season.

However, Paul Finebaum does not belong to this bandwagon. In his appearance on ESPN's “First Take” on Friday, the veteran analyst explained why Kelly deserves more grace in Baton Rouge. While Finebaum acknowledged his failure to live up to expectations, he cited a host of things he's done well.

“I understand why it’s being done, because when he was hired a couple of years ago from Notre Dame, he’s the first coach, I think in forever, to leave Notre Dame voluntarily,” Finebaum said via On3.com.

“That was the expectation. But I think you have to look a little closer at what Brian Kelly has done and what he hasn’t done. He did beat Nick Saban. He got to the SEC championship game with Jayden Daniels. He’s underperformed a little bit since then, but the most important thing in college football is your roster," he added.

Brian Kelly boasts a 29-11 record in his three seasons so far at LSU. This includes a 10-4 record in 2022, 10-3 in 2023 and 9-4 last season. However, there's a national championship expectation in Baton Rouge, and his performance led to fans calling for his firing in 2024.

Paul Finebaum believes Brian Kelly is now getting a lot right

Speaking further on “First Take,” Finebaum noted that Kelly is getting a lot of things right at LSU at the moment, which could eventually result in success. He pointed out the positives in the coach's work that do not make him deserving of the intense pressure of getting fired.

“He now has an outstanding roster," Finebaum continued. "He told me a few weeks ago it’s the best roster he’s had since he was at Notre Dame. He is also recruiting at an elite level. He just picked up the No. 1 player in next year’s class yesterday.

“That matters. I’m sure there’ll be some pushback here, I understand that. I’ve been on the other side of these issues before. But I do not believe Brian Kelly, at this point, should be on the hot seat.”

As the 2025 college football season approaches, there are a lot of expectations for Brian Kelly and his team, with the amount of investment made this offseason. Without a doubt, securing a playoff spot is the least expected of the Tigers next season.

How do you think Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.