Did Brian Kelly coach at Grand Valley State? Exploring LSU coach's professional career

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly is one of the most prominent coaches in college football due to his experience and pedigree. He is best known for his stints as coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the LSU Tigers, but where did his coaching career start?

Kelly started his coaching career as the linebackers coach for his alma mater, the Assumption Greyhounds, in 1983. He served in that position and then as a defensive coordinator until 1986.

He became the defensive backs coach and a graduate assistant for the Grand Valley State Lakers in 1987 and was later promoted to the defensive and recruitment coordinator's job in 1989.

In 1991, Kelly got his first head coaching job in charge of the Lakers, a position that he held until 2003. In 2002 and 2003, he led the Lakers to consecutive Division II national championship titles with an incredible 41-3 record.

Kelly finished his tenure as coach of Grand Valley State with a 118-35-2 record, which included an AFCA Division II Coach of the Year Award and five conference championship titles.

He then went on to take the Central Michigan Chippewas job in 2004, followed by stints in charge of the Cincinnati Bearcats, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and, finally, the LSU Tigers.

Ahead of the Tigers ReliaQuest Bowl clash against the Wisconsin Badgers, Coach Kelly spoke about his coaching days at the Division II Grand State Valley and in charge of Cincinnati.

“You have to deal with less in some instances and it makes you a better coach,” Kelly said. “You have to know all of the jobs. It makes you better prepared when you have more resources. So, when you work at a place like Cincinnati that may not have some of the things you have (elsewhere), you have to make up for that. You have to be more creative. You can’t say: ‘We don’t have it.’"

Brian Kelly's son joins LSU from Grand Valley State

The Tigers coach's son Kenzel Kelly, who is a linebacker, joined his father's team from Grand Valley State in 2023. He played for the Lakers for four years. He redshirted the 2020 season and played in five games for the team last season, registering five tackles, with one being for loss.

The 2024 season will be the linebacker's last year of eligibility, and he will get to spend it on his father's team by playing for the team where his father was a head coach for the first time.