Brian Kelly Describes Gun Shooting Penalty As 'Pointed His Finger', Unsurprisingly Misses The Point
The LSU Tigers and head coach Brian Kelly are still reeling from a disappointing 27-20 loss to the USC Trojans this past Sunday. And Kelly seems to have found his preferred scapegoat for his team's performance: the referees.
Kelly, fresh off pounding a table in a postgame interview, spoke to the SEC Network recently and displayed either a bewildering ignorance, or profound ability to lie directly to the camera.
One of the pivotal turning points in the game came midway through the second quarter, when LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy in the end zone for a game-tying touchdown. Lacy beat USC safety Akili Arnold for the catch, then was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play. The pro-LSU crowd booed, but replays on the television broadcast showed Lacy making a gun shooting motion towards USC cornerback Greedy Vance Jr.
Lacy even repeated the motion on the LSU bench, showing his teammates what he'd done.
With the ensuing penalty enforced on the kickoff, USC returner/wide receiver Zachariah Branch took the ball deep into LSU territory, leading to three points and a 10-7 USC lead.
It was an obvious penalty; you just can't make a gun shooting motion at an opposing player and expect to avoid a penalty. But either Brian Kelly didn't see it, or he's unclear as to what a gun shooting motion looks like. Because when talking about the game on the SEC Network, he, uh, got the description of the incident completely wrong.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the LSU Tigers looks down the field in the second quarter of the Vegas Kickoff Classic against the USC Trojans at Allegiant Stadium on September 01, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans defeated the Tigers 27-20. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Brian Kelly Apparently Didn't Watch The Replays
Kelly first praised his team for "working so hard," then said he'd give an example. "Kyren Lacy, he gets a personal foul penalty, you know, he pointed his finger at a friend of his," Kelly said. "And Kyren's been working on emotional control, he talks about it all the time."
That's…not what happened. Lacy clearly made the gun shooting motion towards Vance. He then did it again on the sidelines, proudly describing what he did to the bench. Vacne even posted about it on X, and said nothing about them being "friends."
Even if they were friends, why would Lacy's first reaction be to pretend shoot at one of his buddies?
Maybe Kelly asked Lacy what happened, and Lacy said he just "pointed a finger" at someone he knows. But presumably Kelly would also at some point watch the game film, see a replay of the penalty and understand that it was the correct call.
Apparently not.
At least Lacy likely won't have to worry about losing his "emotional control" against Nicholls State on Saturday.