I believe Coach O was what most made the LSU job attractive for our last two hires

One for the wrong reasons, one (I think) for the right.

I believe Kelly, in his mind, truly thought, hey if that Neanderthal can win a NC there, I should be able to basically sleepwalk my way to one and ride off into the sunset as a championship coach. Of course, his mindset got him sleepwalking his way out of a job and probably to college football coaching eternal ignominy.

I think Lane, on the other hand, has a certain genuine respect for O’s abilities, while still understanding his limitations. He knows O is not a big X’s and O’s kinda coach, but saw what he was able to do catching lightning in a bottle in 2019 with the right chemistry and the right coordinators (and of course the players) and sees this as his opportunity not to just do the same, but put it all together in a more sustained fashion and actually cement himself as a dynasty creating coach. I think he also recognizes that it will require HIS OWN unique skill set and genuine effort to get there and not something that will simply fall upon him because O did it.

I think Lane has the right sort of hubris for this, while Kelly obviously had the wrong sort.