How LSU football's loss to Ole Miss proved Brian Kelly's SEC Media Days comments right

OXFORD, Miss. – LSU football coach Brian Kelly stood at the podium and was asked a program-defining question at SEC Media Days in July.

"How do you close the gap with what (Georgia) is doing and do you feel your program is doing that?"

This was Kelly's response: "... I know that based upon how we've recruited and how we'll continue to recruit, that we'll have a football roster that that will be able to compete against Georgia. Is that right now? No, it's not. But if we continue to do what we're doing, we're going to have a roster that can compete against Georgia. And then it's just a matter of getting it done on the playing field. So everybody then can assess (if) they've closed the gap."

Kelly's response raised some eyebrows.

LSU isn't ready yet to compete with Georgia for a national championship? Even with a fifth-year starting quarterback, four of five starters returning on the offensive line, a star wideout (Malik Nabers), one of the best defensive players in the country (Harold Perkins) and a healthy Maason Smith?

But apparently, Kelly was right. LSU (3-2, 2-1 SEC) isn't ready to compete for championships yet. At least that much was clear during Saturday night's 55-49 shootout road loss to Ole Miss (4-1, 1-1).

"Angry, disappointed, I can't give you all the adjectives," Kelly said after the defeat.

LSU's offense isn't far from becoming one of the best units in the country. It might be one already. However, its defense has a long way to go before it reaches competency, let alone be good enough to contend with the Georgia's of the world.

LSU allowed 706 yards to Ole Miss on Saturday, the most it has ever allowed in program history.

The Rebels averaged eight yards per play, rushing for 317 and throwing for 389 yards. Ole Miss scored on nine of its 12 drives and completed 9-of-16 third downs.

Atrocious tackling, miscommunications in the secondary that resulted in big plays, a minimal pass rush and unacceptably poor fits against the run. What caused LSU's defensive implosion was all of the above and more.

"We were in position. We didn't make the plays that we needed to make," Kelly said.

Saturday's performance comes after LSU surrendered 426 yards and 31 points to Arkansas the week before and allowed 45 points in Week 1 to Florida State.

Next week is the halfway point in the season. Translation: Odds are the Tigers' defense won't be dramatically better anytime soon.

So what has to change? For starters, look to the secondary.

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LSU's secondary was a perceived problem heading into this season. Kelly admitted it during SEC Media Days. The Tigers were almost solely relying on transfers, especially at cornerback, and were an injury or two away from having it be a potential disaster.

Through five weeks, that's exactly what's happened. Ohio State transfer JK Johnson suffered a left leg fracture in the preseason and will likely miss the rest of the year. Greg Brooks Jr. is out for the foreseeable future following his emergency brain surgery. Syracuse transfer Duce Chestnut didn't travel with the team to Oxford after starting in Week 1.

Those absences left LSU's secondary young and exposed to Ole Miss' dynamic passing attack. Outside of a few impressive pass breakups from Zy Alexander, nothing went right for the unit.

"Those guys were either one-on-one or in a position to make a play and Ole Miss was better," Kelly said.

It's front-seven also has to play better, a lot better. The Tigers have depth and five-star talents like Harold Perkins and Maason Smith, but still barely did anything to help its thin secondary, against the run or as pass rushers.

"I'm not really sure what obviously went wrong today," LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo said. "We'll have to go back and watch the film and evaluate what went wrong."

Despite all of this, LSU had two shots in the end zone inside the 30-yard line to win the game in the final seconds and held a two-score lead with less than six minutes left.

But the Tigers lost and their College Football Playoff hopes already dashed.

Clearly, they're not ready for Georgia or any of the other big boys yet.

"We need to be pissed off about what happened," Kelly said.

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Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football: Brian Kelly preseason comments true vs. Ole Miss