Nobody is questioning that money talks these days in college football.
There is also no denying that LSU fourth-year coach Brian Kelly doesn’t mind talking money.
Less than a week after revealing on his radio show that this year’s Tigers roster has been assembled for about $18 million, Kelly said on Wednesday’s first Southeastern Conference teleconference of the season that Bryce Underwood’s commitment flip played a role in that. The five-star quarterback from Belleville, Michigan, made a nonbinding pledge to LSU in January 2024 before switching to the home-state Wolverines last November after receiving a reported name, image and likeness deal of $10.5 million.
“In this model, you have to be able to adapt to current circumstances, and certainly that was a big one that we had to address and adapt to,” Kelly said. “At the end of the day, it was our fan base that stepped up and said, ‘We need to be part of this.’ With the gift I made being followed up by 1,000 to 1,500 individual gifts to support our roster, that said that everybody had their ear to the ground.
“That said that everybody had to be ready to adjust or just be much more in tune to what’s going on in college football now.”