Brian Kelly Joins Memphis Coaching Staff as Unpaid Consultant

The Memphis Tigers have a new coaching staff member in town, one that brings with him a long history of experience, exposure to some blue-chip programs and the friendliest price tag any program could ask for: free.

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish and LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly is returning to the coaching ranks (kind of) to serve as an unpaid consultant to Memphis head football coach Charles Huff. The newly appointed Huff is heading into his first season as the Tigers' head coach and will now have the support of an embattled leader with a lengthy resume in his corner. 

For more on the Tigers' potential recruiting additions that could bring promising on-field impact, Memphis Roundtable writer Bryant Dacus has a look at some upcoming visits.

Kelly will serve at an advisory capacity after LSU parted ways with him in favor of former Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. In what was the highest-profile coaching change in college football and beyond this past season, Kelly looked to be on the outside looking in at coaching opportunities. 

The unpaid tag is important both from the Memphis and LSU perspectives. It's a great situation for Memphis to have an experienced coach to advise their new head coach. 

Meanwhile, the LSU Tigers may have been hoping for another team to hire Kelly in a paid capacity in order to help offset some of their $54 million buyout. However, with Kelly accepting an unpaid position, they'll get no such relief.

Though Kelly brings a big name and influence, Huff has been on a respectable run of his own. As the head coach of Marshall, he led the team to its first-ever Sun Belt championship in 2024 and then, last year, led Southern Mississippi to its first bowl-eligible season since 2022.

Kelly's addition shouldn't reduce the already promising track record Huff is beginning to build, but instead should be seen as a potential stepping stone and attempt to reach an unlikely return to coaching for Kelly, who failed to meet expectations at LSU and will now spend more than a full year out of a head coaching job.