It’s officially week 13, and the Tigers are in the midst of their preparation to face Texas A&M on Saturday. However, that’s not all, as it also happens to be Thanksgiving week, and coach Brian Kelly took the time to break down what an LSU football Thanksgiving might look like in 2023.
Coach Brian Kelly gives a glimpse into what the LSU football Thanksgiving might look like
One of the more underrated aspects of being a coach in college football is balancing a schedule amidst holidays. One of the more well-known ones is Thanksgiving heading into week 13, a.k.a. rivalry week.
However, this is nothing new for coach Brian Kelly, as he’s been in the business since the early 1990s. Because of this, he generally understands how to work around a chaotic holiday schedule.
At Monday’s press conference, he was asked about scheduling and what it might look like throughout this week.
“We’ll practice early in the morning. We’ll finish up around 11:30-11:45,” the Tiger head coach said about Thanksgiving day practice. “We had our big meal Sunday as a team, and then we’ll get them in and out of here pretty early – by noon time. And let them – for those that are close enough – to get home to be with families; for those that don’t, the coaches will take in the remaining players.”
And for anyone who might be joining him and his family this coming Thursday, what kind of food should they expect to see on his table?
“Cranberry sauce. I’m from New England; you’ve gotta have it. No doubt.”
Week 13 is still dedicated to this weekend’s game vs. Texas A&M
While the food will undoubtedly play a significant role in this week’s plan, he is still a football coach and has a big game this weekend.
However, an LSU football Thanksgiving dinner isn’t shifting much in terms of their game day schedule. In fact, the biggest challenge of the weekend appears to be the scheduled game time for LSU football vs. Texas A&M in week 13.
“It’s an early start, so you’re changing your routine up a little bit,” Kelly explained. “We’ll get to the hotel a little bit earlier on Friday to make sure that we finish up a little bit earlier Friday night cause we’ll have an early morning on Saturday.”
The game will kick off at 11:00 a.m. CST on Saturday, likely meaning the team has an early morning to look forward to this weekend. However, this isn’t the first time the team has faced an early game time in 2023, so coach Brian Kelly will have the team ready.
What’s coach Brian Kelly thankful for?
Often, for a coach, it’s not always the easiest thing to take a step back and just appreciate what’s happening around you. After all, LSU football is in the midst of a season in which they have already suffered three losses, meaning the pressure is on to finish strong.
Still, the Tigers have hopes of a second straight double-digit win season under second-year coach Brian Kelly, which, in itself, is a hard thing to do.
So, when the head coach was asked about what he’s most thankful for in 2023, it should come as no surprise that his mind immediately went to his team.
“I’m just thankful for the opportunity to be with my guys and develop them in all facets,” he said when asked what he’s thankful for. “It’s been fun watching this team grow.
“I mean, we’ve had our ups and downs. It’s not been easy, but just watching the guys grow and overcome some adversity in some tough times and watching them get better. It’s been fun, and I’m thankful for that.”
After starting the 2023 season 3-2 with losses against Florida State and Ole Miss, the team easily could have given in. However, they continued pushing to the finish line, now sitting with a record of 8-3.
If the Tigers manage to win out, including a win in a bowl game, coach Brian Kelly will have led his team to two straight 10-win seasons, leaving Tiger fans plenty to be thankful for heading into year three of this new era.
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