After the LSU Tigers fell to the USC Trojans in their opening game of college football season Bryan Kelly addressed his team’s play and had a controversial take on the quarterbacks matchup. Heisman winner and former NFL runningback Mark Ingram II spoke on the Tigers coach’s post game comments.
Ingram spent three seasons in Alabama Crimson Tide football program under the tutoring of Nick Saban. The star NFL runningback has seen firsthand what makes a college level coach. And as a legend for Lousiana’s New Orleans Saints, Ingram has a seat at the table of the state’s sports teams. So when Bryan Kelly’s statements after LSU‘s loss to USC went viral, Ingram came out swinging at Louisiana’s head coach.
That’s not throwing him under the bus, that’s throwing him under the 18 wheeler semi. Your player just went out there and played his tail off. You said it. Nine incompletions, 300 yards, two touchdowns… And you go out here and you throw your player, your starting quarterback, under the bus?,” Ingram said on The Triple Option. “You should be encouraging these guys. It is unacceptable and unheard of. And quite frankly, I know for a fact he probably wants that back.“
Was Kelly’s quote taken out of context?
“They’ve got some good athletes. I thought the quarterback played well tonight,” Kelly said Sunday night. “He outplayed our quarterback. He made the plays when he needed to.”
Mark Ingram II #22 of the New Orleans Saints reacts after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Caesars Superdome on October 09, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Due to the turmoil caused by his comments, Bryan Kelly had to address the statement he made after NCAA season debut. Kelly later clarified what he meant by his quote, and why it was not intended as a dig to his starting quarterback.
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“My comments after the game were, ‘How do you think Nussmeier player?’ I said, ‘He played pretty good, but the other kid played pretty good too and they won the game,’” Kelly said. “So this had nothing to do with Garrett Nussmeier not playing well, I think his numbers spoke for themselves.”
Nussmeier finished the night with 308 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception (on the last play of the game) as LSU fell to USC. The Tigers started the season 0-1 and will look to bounce back at ‘Death Valley’ when they host Nicholls Colonels on September 7th.
