'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers suffered another major setback on the 2025 recruiting trail as five-star cornerback Kade Phillips flipped to the Texas Longhorns on Tuesday, just one day before the early signing period.
Phillips' decision continues a troubling trend for LSU, coming two weeks after Bryce Underwood decommitted and joined the Michigan Wolverines. This string of high-profile losses is sparking questions about Kelly's leadership, with numerous reactions surfacing on X, particularly in response to Phillips' flip.
Trending
A fan predicted Kelly wouldn't stay much longer on the job.
“Yeah Brian Kelly getting fired next season.”
More fans were ready to lay the blame at Kelly's feet. A fan wrote,
“No one wants to play for Brian Kelly… Shocker.”
Yet some think the culprit is not the coach but the NIL-driven recruiting that is now commonplace. A fan wrote,
“NIL is ruining the sport.”
To others, Phillips is simply making a mistake with the move.
“Not a smart decision young man,” a fan wrote.
Kade Phillips' metamorphosis from Texas to Brian Kelly's LSU back to the Longhorns
Kade Phillips, a five-star cornerback from Hightower High School in Missouri City, Texas, became Texas’ fifth five-star commit with his flip from LSU. The teenager received offers from several college powerhouses, such as Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State and Utah.
His official visit to the Longhorns was on Jun. 21, after an earlier visit to Baton Rouge. However, the Longhorns secured his commitment in July before he flipped to Brian Kelly's side in August. Notwithstanding, he remained a target for Texas.
LSU’s inability to retain its top commits is a cause of concern for the Tigers, who are ninth in the SEC. Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped to Michigan weeks ago and Phillips following suit may be confirmation of many Tigers fans’ fears. The role of NIL in recruiting talents out of high school cannot be understated.
It was reported that the Wolverines tabled an NIL arrangement with a value to the tune of $10 million in recruiting Underwood. Similarly, there are suggestions that NIL might be one of the inducing factors for Phillips’ eventual decision.
