Brian Kelly explains LSU’s one-track focus heading into season opener vs. Clemson

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers need to start fast in 2025. 

Not only do they have a huge game against the Clemson Tigers to kick off the 2025 campaign, but Kelly is trying to get his program out from under the shadow of his 0-3 record in season openers as LSU head coach.

It’s twofold for Kelly and his team.

Beating Clemson would be a major statement to start the year that Kelly may finally get his Tigers into the College Football Playoff. Clemson was a CFP team last season, and they’ve got one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Cade Klubnik. 

Defeating Klubnik and Clemson on the road would signal to the college football world that LSU is once again ready to be a contender. A win would also set the Tigers up with some momentum — something that Kelly hasn’t had yet during his tenure in Baton Rouge.

“We’ve addressed this in January. We addressed it with the guys that we brought in. We addressed it in the way we trained our football team. We addressed it in spring ball, and then into our off season, and again, we’ve made it pretty known. You know what our goal is, and our goal is to go 1-0,” Kelly told reporters on Wednesday (h/t On3).

It’s going to be easier said than done, but Kelly revealed that LSU had changed its operation this summer. While the offseason used to be just general preparation, it has now been one long runway to this contest at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.

“If there’s anything that is slightly different from in years past, it’s that we are so much more intentional about getting to Aug. (30) in January, and that focus has remained the same for the last seven and a half months,” Kelly said.

Whether that pays off is anybody’s guess, and it could backfire on LSU if the Tigers come out too tight and stressed over the game.

Either way, something has to change for Kelly and LSU. It will be interesting to see by late August if this strategy is effective.