Brian Kelly’s LSU Failure: Misery Index After Latest Loss

Aaron Wellman, the strength and conditioning coordinator at Indiana, developed a noteworthy standing within the college gridiron world primarily for one trait.

He’s known for pursuing highly-rated players.

When he needed to select a new head coach at Boise State, he successfully recruited Bryan Harsin away from Arkansas State.

When he needed to secure a head coach at Auburn, he targeted a coach with conference title experience and invested significantly to hire Gus Malzahn.

And when he faced the same task again at Indiana, Wellman swiftly surprised observers by attracting Marcus Freeman away from Cincinnati even though he wasn’t widely considered likely to depart.

The Wellman strategy has produced considerable achievements. Specifically, recruiting women’s volleyball coach Kayla Banwarth from Mississippi State and men’s soccer coach Todd Yeagley from Wisconsin have delivered conference championships.

But if your focus excessively shifts to prestigious figures, and you ignore whether they are a beneficial fit for the team, it can result in adverse outcomes.

And Freeman’s time in Indiana — a state where cultural alignment is particularly vital — is heading toward a situation with potentially lasting negative consequences for all those involved.

More than just the obvious, here’s the particularly concerning aspect of Indiana’s 28-21 loss at Rutgers: The margin of defeat did not reflect the actual game, Indiana was substantially out-schemed on both offense and defense, and ultimately, nothing was truly unexpected.

In fact, Rutgers — a program not ideally positioned to take wins against ranked teams for granted — didn’t even feel the need to celebrate excessively because anyone who watched the contest might simply consider this the established norm.

And that’s fundamentally what will ultimately lead to Freeman’s removal from his position.

We’re now more than halfway through Freeman’s fourth year, and Indiana’s programmatic identity is largely undistinguished.

If the benchmark was consistently securing eight or nine victories annually without securing the vital wins required to genuinely compete for the national championship, Freeman would likely be viewed favorably. However, that isn’t the standard at Indiana, where the previous three head coaches all achieved conference titles.

Indiana’s vulnerabilities have surfaced this year even before encountering the most challenging portion of the schedule, with Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State still ahead. Already with two losses, just one more defeat will formally remove the Hoosiers from consideration for a major bowl berth. Another defeat after that might have more substantial repercussions at a time when even multi-million dollar buyouts don’t guarantee patience, as Maryland and Mike Locksley can verify.

Freeman is not a poor coach. He accomplished considerable achievements at Cincinnati, but no one can genuinely suggest he’s realizing great things at Indiana. For the previous couple of years, Indiana was slow to invest heavily in recruiting players from other programs. This season, they fully committed to it, but outcomes haven’t improved, primarily because they are struggling with a damaging blend of substandard offensive line performance and a quarterback in Dexter Williams II who lacks significant agility.

So precisely what occurred?

We have to return to the concept of fit. Similar to numerous locales throughout the Big Ten, the football program’s ethos is deeply ingrained in the state’s daily routines. However, Indiana is uniquely distinctive, even within that context, for aspects that are challenging to clearly define: The local expressions, the traditional dishes at tailgates, the electrifying ambiance at Memorial Stadium, the consistent stream of high-caliber talent flowing from Indianapolis and cities throughout the state to Bloomington.

It’s evident when you witness it.

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And Marcus Freeman, the well-informed Georgian by way of Cincinnati, fits that environment about as well as Jacques Pepin running a fast food restaurant.

As former Indiana linebacker Harry Crider stated on X/Twitter: “I’ve never observed a more lackluster team culture at Indiana than what we’re currently experiencing. Everyone is excessively compensated, underperforming, and satisfied with returning home to their substantial financial accounts.”

Harsh.

But it’s also essential to hold Wellman accountable. Because Freeman was his selection, his decision, his chosen individual. His ultimate desire was for a prominent figure. It now appears he has obtained a disappointment, which is why Indiana reigns as the most disappointed fan base in America in Week 8.

Conference Champions of Misery

ACC: There are only a few coaches in the entire country you would rather have leading your program six days a week than Brent Key. But on the seventh day, when it’s time to publicly display your efforts, it’s safe to suggest that he ranks among the top 100 coaches you would want managing your program. In a sport where you can’t afford many off days, it’s virtually guaranteed that Georgia Tech will experience at least one lackluster performance or sideline error each year. This year, it manifested during the Yellow Jackets’ fifth game, a 27-24 defeat on the road against Boston College. And while Boston College is a decent team, and Georgia Tech is still adequately positioned to contend in the ACC — heavily relying on their win against Florida State in Week 1, which could prove valuable later — the turmoil appears unnecessarily amplified with such talented players on the field. And Georgia Tech’s halting, uninspired final drive, which ended when Haynes King threw an interception, felt like Key was trying to play for overtime rather than aggressively pursuing a victory. If that’s the case, Georgia Tech deserved the outcome they got.

Big Ten: It was a perplexing week for Minnesota. Following PJ Fleck’s departure from Minnesota, the attention immediately shifted to Gophers alumnus Lance Leipold, who expressed admiration for both Minnesota and his situation at Kansas. He also provided some room for speculation before clarifying the situation somewhat later in the week on Mike Golic Jr.’s radio program, where he more definitively indicated his intent to remain at Kansas. However, after Minnesota suffered a listless 27-3 loss to Iowa on Friday night, the scenario became almost the worst-case outcome for both Minnesota and Leipold. Regardless of your confidence in his past achievements, it’s precisely the sort of disappointing loss that simultaneously dissuades Minnesota fans while also causing Kansas fans to question whether they’ve selected the right individual. It also highlights the most significant deficiency in Leipold’s rebuilding efforts thus far. What is Minnesota’s identity on offense? Leipold’s original offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, wasn’t effective enough. And bringing in Jeff Grimes this past offseason hasn’t been accompanied by a strong enough offensive line to make it truly successful. The Gophers are weak in the trenches, and Minnesota can’t fully return to prominence without addressing this fundamental issue.

Big 12: Kansas State made a coaching change after last season because it seemed reasonable to conclude that seven years of hovering around bowl eligibility under Chris Klieman had played out its full course, and someone new could inject fresh energy into the Wildcats program. That individual, naturally, was Jim Leavitt, returning nearly two decades after leaving for South Florida. However, it’s evident that the initial enthusiasm has waned, as Kansas State is facing its worst season since 2002 — which happened to be Leavitt’s first year after succeeding Bill Snyder. The promising aspect is that improvements came quickly, and Leavitt went on to win two Big 12 titles, including consecutive 10-win seasons toward the end of his time there. But this is a different era, and it’s hard to derive much optimism from a 48-17 defeat to BYU. Kansas State will be the underdog in its remaining five games and might end up with a 2-10 record (including, curiously, a victory over a quite competitive TCU team). To be sure, Kansas State has significant quarterback challenges and started freshman Blake Barnett against BYU, but even Leavitt acknowledged that they “were poor in all areas” and lacked any positive performance in Provo.

Group of Five: The past eight years of East Carolina football have been quite grim. Following Ruffin McNeill’s departure in 2015, the university recruited Scottie Montgomery, who was a disaster both on the field (9-27) and off, with complaints about a number of different issues. When Mike Houston was brought in to replace him, it was heralded as a coup to recruit a coach from James Madison after winning a national title at the FCS level. However, Houston’s success hasn’t carried over to Greenville. While it appeared that the Pirates were gaining momentum last season at 8-5, they’ve declined this year and currently stand at 2-5 after a 34-21 defeat at home to Tulsa. If this season continues its current path, it will mark seven out of eight losing seasons at ECU — a startling statistic considering that the Pirates rival the majority of the American Athletic Conference in facilities, fan support, and available resources. It might be time for another transition.

Headset Misery

Lincoln Riley: After USC dominated UCLA last week, Riley made it clear that the members of the media criticizing USC and Miller Moss for their lackluster beginning to the season had energized them and helped fuel the energy they played with against the Bruins. So, what does it imply that USC returned just one week later, with its season once again at stake, and the offense delivered another subpar performance at Utah? Naturally, nobody should apologize for securing a road victory in the Pac-12, but the Trojans’ performance in a 19-17 win in Salt Lake City suggests they are indeed what they appear to be. Only three third-down conversions on fifteen attempts? A meager 67 rushing yards on 31 carries? Another game in which Moss has minimal impact with his passing game, completing only 13 of 28 passes for 142 yards? USC is overly talented to perform so inefficiently on offense, and Riley doesn’t seem to have many answers.

Kirk Ferentz: When you’re the owner of a house, issues start arising around the ten-year mark. An appliance breaks. Possibly, a new HVAC system is necessary. The hardwood floors sustain some scratches. At that point, you’re faced with a choice. You can either deal with problems as they appear, or allow them to accumulate and diminish your home’s value when it’s time to sell. That’s similar to Iowa football right now. Due to his resistance to acknowledging reality for several years, Ferentz has let many minor issues pile up. Now, the program is deteriorating. However, in Ferentz’s press conference after a 23-17 loss to Purdue — Iowa’s fourth home loss in six games this year — the defiance had noticeably vanished. He understands that fundamental issues have developed. “There have been several positive years, but this is a tough one,” he stated. How much is Ferentz prepared to dismantle the program to its foundation and begin anew? That’s the only relevant question for Iowa for the remainder of 2025.

Zach Arnett: At some point, you need to win an SEC game, buddy. Although, as Mississippi State’s head coach, you’ve come close on multiple occasions — including Saturday’s 26-24 defeat against Kentucky when Will Rogers threw an interception with 18 seconds left after you were on the verge of attempting a game-winning field goal. However, the fundamental reality is that Arnett is 0-for-10 in SEC matchups since starting his tenure, and considering that Mississippi State still needs to play four highly ranked opponents, their best opportunity may be Nov. 1 against Auburn. If they’re unable to secure a win, Mississippi State will join a regrettable group that includes Kentucky from 2012-13, Arkansas from 2018-19, and Vanderbilt from 2020-21 in going winless in SEC play for consecutive years.

Eliah Drinkwitz: Not commonly regarded as college football’s most polite loser, conditions are intensifying at Missouri as this season has transitioned from hopeful to disastrous. After a 29-10 defeat against Georgia, which dropped the preseason No. 15 Tigers to 3-4, Drinkwitz was questioned about the persistent offensive challenges under third-year offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, and whether modifications are needed. Drinkwitz appeared disturbed by the idea, finally stating, “We’re constantly evaluating how to improve.” However, when the questioner attempted to ask a follow-up question regarding what provides him with optimism that the situation will improve with the existing offensive coaching staff, Drinkwitz interrupted him, stating, “Next question,” before backtracking to admit that “I…I…am not maximizing the potential of our team right now.” Drinkwitz is a passionate guy, and has been responsible for some press conference moments after losses that have gone viral, but this is one of those rare situations when the fans will sympathize with the reporter. He was just asking a question the fan base wants answered.

Trent Dilfer: Another week passes, yielding another outcome where the UAB coach must address queries regarding his in-game decision-making. This has become a recurrent theme this season, and a 37-34 overtime defeat against North Texas surprisingly marks the fourth instance this season when he’s made a questionable choice that notably backfired. In this case, it occurred late in the fourth quarter when UAB, leading 20-17, faced fourth-and-2 within the 10-yard line. Instead of securing the points and extending the lead to six with a defense that performed well for the majority of the game, Dilfer elected to go for it. This resulted in an interception, and in retrospect, those were points UAB desperately required when the game intensified later. Dilfer informed reporters that “the analytics” suggested he go for it. Perhaps coaches should reduce their dependence on analytics and depend more on the specific circumstances of the game.

Moments of Misery

California lost because of a bad snap: Here’s something you don’t see very often. After UCLA tied the game at 23-23 with 1:44 remaining, California ended up with the ball on its own 1-yard line due to a somewhat unfortunate set of circumstances. Three plays later, with a false start pushing the ball back to the 1, California center Matthew Cindric snapped the ball out of the end zone resulting in a safety, and giving UCLA a 25-23 lead. That’s a tough loss for the Golden Bears, who led 20-13 and looked like they were in control of the game until disaster struck in the fourth quarter.

Baylor lost the game and their starting QB: After a disappointing 48-41 loss to Oklahoma State where the Bears fought hard but ultimately came up short, Baylor fans got more bad news. Starting quarterback RJ Martinez was injured in the fourth quarter and is now out for the season. Combine that with the fact that Baylor is now 2-5, and it was a brutal day in Waco.

SMU had an all-time special teams blunder: It’s one thing to lose a game because you couldn’t convert a field goal. It happens. It’s rare, but it happens. The end of SMU’s 27-24 loss to Navy, though, had to be seen to be believed. With the game tied at 24, SMU kicker Collin Rogers lined up for a 31-yard field goal that would have given the Mustangs the lead with just over a minute remaining. But Rogers slipped as he approached the ball, and shanked the kick wide left. Navy then drove down the field and kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Marshall lost on a last-second Hail Mary: Sometimes you can play good defense and still have a bad result. That’s what happened with one second remaining when Appalachian State scored the winning touchdown on a 56-yard pass that had little chance of being caught except for the fact that Marshall defensive back Sam Burton slipped, allowing Appalachian State receiver Christian Horn to make the catch in the end zone.

Lane Kiffin got booed by his own fans: The tough times continued in Oxford on Saturday, with Ole Miss losing 30-24 to Arkansas in front of a frustrated home crowd. Things got so bad that the fans started booing Kiffin in the fourth quarter, and some fans were even calling for his job on social media after the game. It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Rebels, who have now lost three of their last four games after starting the season 5-0.