For Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers, it’s easier to find out what’s not working for them since there is hardly anything going their way. Before their do-or-die Saturday, Kelly’s must have been feeling restless over their injury list. Their starting defensive tackle, Bernard Gooden, was listed as “questionable” on the first SEC injury report on Wednesday, October 22. But looks like Kelly’s luck favored him for a change.

On October 24, a day before LSU’s face-off against the Texas A&M Aggies, Pete Nakos confirmed the good news. He wrote, “LSU defensive tackle Bernard Gooden is a go on Saturday night against Texas A&M and is off the SEC injury report.”

Gooden, a senior defensive end, bruised his collarbone two weeks ago against South Carolina. The 6-foot-1, 270-pound star and the South Florida star has been the heartbeat for Kelly’s defense. This season, he had racked up 13 total tackles, three for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks while playing five of six games until he slipped into the injury list. 

During the weekly SEC Coaches Teleconference, the head coach said, “Gooden practiced yesterday. He didn’t get involved in everything, but we wanted to bring him along slowly so he got some individual, got some team reps. The report this morning was he felt good.” Then came Friday’s injury report with its share of good and bad news. 

LSU standout linebacker and team captain Whit Weeks is out for Saturday’s game. He has been battling an ankle injury and missed the Vanderbilt game. It’s another gut punch for Kelly and co., who are clinging to hope for a statement win against the 3rd-ranked Aggies. Texas A&M’s high-powered offense, averaging 36.1 points per game, and the dual-threat playmaking of QB Marcel Reed spell big trouble for Blake Baker’s defense. Here came another heartbreak.

Kelly will be down a starter up front as Tyree Adams is now recovering from an ankle sprain he suffered during the Vanderbilt game. The timing couldn’t be worse for LSU. With protection issues already piling up, the Tigers now face the Aggies’ relentless pass rush minus their starting left tackle.

Maybe nothing could make up for the void, but Kelly now has another reason to feel good about. Their senior defensive end Jimari Butler had been upgraded to “Probable” as his ankle sprain heals. His name is not found on the latest injury report, so fingers crossed! Maybe this will serve as the motivational juice for Kelly to prove his doubters wrong.

Paul Finebaum turns up the volume on Brian Kelly’s critics 

Talking about the Brian Kelly charm in Baton Rouge? There aren’t many. LSU has not won a national championship since 2019, which, incredibly, is also the last time it won its season opener. Unfortunately, the opener wasn’t a major problem for Kelly before he stepped into Baton Rouge. He began his final season as Notre Dame’s coach by winning the 2021 opener at Florida State, of all teams. What revs up the heat for Kelly’s seat is the high standard set by his predecessors.

Before him, LSU was no stranger to championship glory. Ed Orgeron captured the crown in 2020, Les Miles in 2008, and Nick Saban, before his Alabama dynasty began, brought one home in 2004. Even though ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum never sugarcoated things for Kelly, this time he came up with an interesting take. 

On the ESPN CFB podcast, he said, “If the callers to our show yesterday had a vote, he would be coaching for his job, but they do not yet. This is not the most critical game of the year. Now, this game could knock him out of the playoffs. And remember, eight weeks ago, we were talking about the CFP or bust for Brian Kelly. This would be loss number three, but it’s also an opportunity to beat a top-three team at home in front of those very, very disgruntled fans.”

It’s better that he does not waste time thinking about the outcome. After all, a big challenge awaits him. Their main assignment for this weekend? To throttle Texas A&M from running the ball against them.

As Brian Kelly himself acknowledged, “It starts with we have to stop the run. But if you put in an 8-man box, you have one-on-one (on WRs) down the field. That’s why they’re No. 3 in the country and scored 40 pts in 2 of their last 3 games. #LSU.”

If Paul Finebaum’s message is not enough of a boost for Kelly to hit the pedal, the injury report is surely going to do its job.