The No. 3 LSU Tigers face the struggling Florida Gators in Week 3 on Saturday. Ahead of the Southeastern Conference showdown, LSU coach Brian Kelly is pushing back against the mounting criticism surrounding Florida's Billy Napier.
For Kelly, the hot seat chatter is "crazy." Kelly called Napier "a really good football coach" who understands his team's strengths and weaknesses.
"He's building a culture that is fit to his eye in terms of what he wants to do. He’s doing it his way, and that’s awesome," Kelly told reporters on Monday.
Kelly drew a parallel to his own experience, recalling how he replaced Ed Orgeron, a national championship-winning coach.
"It takes time to put in your philosophy and the way you like to do things," Kelly said. "Billy's come in after two or three other head coaches that changed the way the other coaches did it. And now he's starting to stabilize that program."
The Florida coach's job security has been questioned, especially following a stunning 18-16 Week 2 loss to South Florida that dropped the Gators out of the AP Top 25.
"People talk about whatever they want," Kelly added. "It's crazy. It takes you what it takes, and he'll get that thing where he wants it. I think he's got it right now. They beat us last year."
Kelly holds great respect for Florida and Napier. Despite Florida's current struggles, Kelly won't take the Week 3 matchup lightly. He vividly remembers last season's defeat to the Gators.
The upcoming matchup at Tiger Stadium marks both teams' SEC opener. LSU enters as the clear favorite. For Napier and Florida, a win over a high-ranked opponent would ease mounting pressure.