LSU commits react to dismissal of Tigers' defensive staff
SAN ANTONIO - LSU coach Brian Kelly purged his defensive staff on Wednesday, firing four assistants, and while the three Tigers’ commits in the All-American Bowl were not pleased by the news, they understand it’s a business as well.
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Kelly announced that defensive coordinator Matt House, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples, safeties coach Kerry Cooks and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey are out in Baton Rouge.
“It is what it is but it’s a business move,” four-star Kolaj Cobbins said. “I’m sticking with LSU because I didn’t go to LSU for any coach. I could have seen it coming but I didn’t want it to happen. It’s not the coaches’ fault. The coaches can’t play for the players.
“Coach House, that was my guy. Me and coach Cooks had a bond, too. Louisiana is a different state than all these other states. It’s mad love over there. With me being from there, it gives them bonus points. I’m just ready for whoever they bring in, the next man on a mission.”
Four-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley, who emphatically stated Wednesday at the Under Armour All-America Game that he was going to sign with LSU in February, expects the Tigers to end up with upgraded staff once the dust settles.
"They're gonna get somebody better for defense," he said. "We're gonna bring back LSU like it used to be."
Four-star linebacker Davhon Keys was on his break between practice sessions Wednesday when a reporter told him that LSU had removed those assistant coaches.
The Aledo, Texas standout was definitely disappointed especially since no one let him know something was coming but Keys is ready to move on and focus on his future in Baton Rouge.
“I had a great relationship with all the coaches,” Keys said. “It’s unfortunate that they had to go but we have a great group of guys coming in and I don’t think the coaching change will affect us very much.
“We all play hard. We all play good football. It will be a new group of coaches teaching us the schemes. … Going into the process, I heard that a lot from the previous recruits that the coaches won’t always be there forever so you have to like the campus, you have to like the academics, you have to like the school for a school, not just for a person.”
Even still, it’s difficult.
Four-star cornerback Ju’Juan Johnson from Lafayette (La.) Lafayette Christian Academy was not expecting it, didn’t know about it but is still focused on what he can do to make the Tigers a national title team again.
“I built some great relationships with those coaches,” Johnson said. “Coach Steeples, coach Matt House, I built great relationships with those guys so seeing them get fired, seeing them having to move onto another school was heart-wrenching for sure.
“People always say, ‘Don’t commit to a coach, commit to a program,’ so once I saw they were going, I didn’t have any thoughts of de-committing, I just felt like they were family. I committed to the program, not the coaches, so I’m good where I’m at right now.”