If you’re trying to get your squad to the College Football Playoff and you’ve struck out three years in a row, what do you do next? Well, if you’re Brian Kelly, you bust out the checkbook and go shopping like your job depends on it. But this time, he didn’t hit the portal for a flashy player—he dipped into Ole Miss’ backroom and snagged one of Lane Kiffin’s behind-the-scenes masterminds.
Per CBS Sports, LSU is bringing in Kevin Bolden—yep, the same staff who’s been cooking up recruiting blueprints at Ole Miss—as their new Assistant General Manager. It’s a big-boy title in Brian Kelly’s grand roster renovation scheme. After dropping nearly $17 million in the transfer portal this offseason and after fumbling on QB Bryce Underwood, Coach Kelly is clearly flipping every rock he can find to avoid a fourth straight playoff miss. Bolden isn’t just any staffer though. The Mississippi native was a low-key architect behind Ole Miss winning 21 games in two seasons. That’s not luck, that’s resume ammo.
Bolden’s roots run deep in the SEC. From Florida to Arkansas to UCF, the man’s been climbing through the ranks with the hustle of someone who knows what sleeping on floors to chase a dream feels like. His stops at UCF under Gus Malzahn and with Dan Mullen at Florida made him an expert in personnel and recruiting strategy. Ole Miss knew what they had. Now, LSU just stole that trust, and reunited Bolden with Austin Thomas, LSU’s Senior Associate AD, who originally helped bring him to Oxford. Plot twist? That bromance might be one of the sneakiest chess moves in the conference.
At LSU, Bolden will be associate AD/assistant general manager, sources tell @CBSSports
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) July 8, 2025
Bolden even got bumped to tight ends coach at Ole Miss in January 2024, proving his work wasn’t going unnoticed. From JUCO hustles to national strategy boards, the dude’s got range. Bolden’s own playing career at Southern Miss—where he dropped 1,393 yards and 13 TDs—adds extra street cred with players. Recruits know when a coach speaks from the trenches. This LSU move isn’t just about recruiting stars—it’s about building a machine that runs itself. And Bolden’s a perfect part for that engine.
With LSU shaking up the off-field staff after multiple exits, Bolden’s hire feels like the start of a major culture shift in Baton Rouge. He’s not just a football brain—he’s a connector, a motivator, a dude players and coaches respect. If Brian Kelly is finally gonna break through the SEC glass ceiling, stacking the staff room with dudes like Bolden might just be his ticket.
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