transcribed by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
"I get a chance to coach #LSU players, the best in the country, that have the best resources, that have an administration aligned to that end...WHY Wouldn't I be here??"
"I want to coach you & develop you, because my WHY, the reason WHY I do this isn't to win games. That's going to be a byproduct of what we do. My WHY is I love developing football players, student athletes."
"I wanted to coach the very best players in the country that are afforded the best resources in the country, and play in the best conference in the country...that's an incredible challenge to a football coach."
"Our conversations convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that his winning days are just getting started. He's not here to taste success, he's here to sustain it. He's not here to simply fit into our culture, he's here to transform it." - #LSU AD Scott Woodward on Brian Kelly
"This has been a family journey for me, along the way, my wife Paqui, Gracie, Patrick, Kenzel, I wouldn't be here without you so thank you!"
"Excellence. That's what I'm about."
"It's an exciting day for me, an incredible opportunity for everybody associated with LSU. We will have high standards here and we will fulfill those standards."
WHY LSU WAS INTRIGUING / WHY HE TOOK THE MOVE:
"There was no plan in place as I entered the season, that I was looking for another opportunity. We had a great football team we were developing....but when you get an opportunity to talk to Scott Woodward and he presents a clear vision of a plan here and an opportunity, it's an exciting vision for me to look at....and as I got a chance to speak to more people about this opportunity, I felt it was something I had to take on. When I talked to the boss (his wife), she's on the front row there, she was a big part of that process, there was no turning back."
WHAT DREW YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF:
"It's never easy these decisions, it's my choice...I own it....it's 100% my decision. Those young men I love dearly and it made for a difficult decision. But when I was able to look at it, and this opportunity here, and I got to talk to Scott about the resources, the opportunity here to make a significant change....I believe that I can make a significant difference here. And you want to be able to make a difference. And I, alongside President Tate and the administration, can collaboratively make a difference."
TRANSITION:
"We know the things that need to be done here. We'll be thoughtful, we'll be intentional, and checking each one of those things off as we go. Investment in people is important, making sure we are doing that the right way. Lives are involved here as we transition."
BEING AT LSU:
"Listen, you're looked at in terms of CHAMPIONSHIPS here. I love that. I wanna be under the bright lights...I wanna be on the Brodway stage. That's what my passion is....that's part of the draw, no doubt about that."
ON RELATIONSHIPS:
"I'm going to love my players...and that's been the centerpiece of who I've been as a coach for 31 years..."
FULL LIVE INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE
DAN PATRICK INTERVIEW
transcribed by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
He said so many good things, but what strikes me is his no excuses approach and his self reliance and confidence. He doesn’t look like a guy that plays the blame game.