What happened to Brian Kelly’s fire and fury? Where's the LSU coach who made a Dasani water bottle fear for its safety Sunday as he pounded his fist on the table after the Tigers’ loss to Southern Cal?

By Tuesday, Kelly had returned to his buttoned-up ways. He applauded the Tigers’ effort in their 27-20 loss to USC.

Forget effort, because LSU committed 10 penalties and suffered from a lack of discipline. It blew a second-half lead and lost a game that will be an anchor on its College Football Playoff aspirations.

After the game, an irate Kelly called the result “unacceptable,” “ridiculous” and “crazy.” Absolutely, it was.

Don't back off now. Double down and make sure players understand the message.

Don’t just pound the table and get a little red in the face. Go purple in the face. Chew some hide, complete with Kirby Smart-approved vocabulary. If players taunt opponents and attract flags, point the offenders toward the bleachers at the next practice and tell them to start running.

Kelly cannot stand for more costly nonsense like LSU's multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against USC.

In a snapshot of LSU’s folly, receiver Kyren Lacy pretended to shoot an opposing player with an imaginary shotgun after he caught a touchdown pass.

That little stunt backed up LSU 15 yards on the kickoff. Explosive return man Zachariah Branch took the kickoff 46 yards to set up a USC field goal.

Kelly on Tuesday explained that Lacy is high-strung. Not how I’d describe Lacy's penalty. I’d call it boneheaded.

LSU’s offense then forgot Lacy existed after halftime, another boneheaded move, considering he's the team’s best wide receiver.

Kelly brought to LSU a reputation for producing disciplined, hard-nosed teams, but the Tigers didn't play a lick of defense last season, and their performance against USC evoked memories of the final years of the Les Miles era, when they were a penalty magnet.

Meanwhile, the Notre Dame Irish are laughing at LSU. They’re cackling at the entire SEC after beating Texas A&M. And they'll double over in a fit of unbridled euphoria if the Irish make the playoff under Marcus Freeman before the Tigers get there with Kelly.

Freeman and Kelly have an identical record since Kelly left South Bend because he thought LSU offered a better platform to win a national championship.

LSU’s schedule includes home games against three top-15 opponents: Alabama, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. The Tigers must win at least two of three to build a playoff résumé.

Having ample talent forms only part of the equation. LSU must develop discipline and a winner's killer instinct.

Instilling that mentality will require more fire and commitment than a single fist slam on a table. All Kelly achieved was making a water bottle jump.

Arch Manning an ace up Texas football's sleeve

Either Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning are talented enough to power Texas to the playoff. Both quarterbacks shined in Texas' Week 1 destruction of Colorado State.

The more relevant question: Which one gives Texas the best chance at a national championship? Steve Sarkisian must continue to evaluate that.

For now, I think that’s Ewers. He’ll be put to the test Saturday when the No. 3 Longhorns (1-0) play at No. 9 Michigan (1-0).

Nick Saban won his penultimate national championship by subbing Tua Tagovailoa for Jalen Hurts against Georgia. Dabo Swinney made the right call in 2018 by elevating Trevor Lawrence past Kelly Bryant.

Coaches don’t like changing quarterbacks, particularly when the starter is a proven veteran. Sometimes, though, championships require tough decisions. Manning remains the ultimate ace up a burnt-orange sleeve.

Email of the week

Ben writes: Player Development!! Dabo (Swinney) has what other coaches don't. Courage to stand on principles!!

My response: Swinney can clutch his pearls in one hand, a 9-3 record in the other and know he stood on principle. Or, he could do right by Clemson’s players who desire a national championship and assist their quest with a few high-impact transfers each offseason. Transferring isn’t an inherent character flaw.

Three and out

1. Lane Kiffin would be darn close to a slam-dunk hire for Florida if the Gators fire Billy Napier, their third-year coach who labors under the grim reaper's watchful eye. Kiffin's personality and offensive acumen would fit UF. His "Portal King" reputation would help overhaul a roster that needs upgraded. At Ole Miss, Kiffin inspired NIL giving. Two problems for Florida, though: Kiffin earns $9 million at Ole Miss, and he's got its NIL machine humming. Would Florida even tempt him? Two, if No. 5 Ole Miss (1-0) makes the playoff, no potential suitor would be able to steal Kiffin until after the December signing period. Florida fans who want Kiffin should root for him to finish 9-3, one win shy of the playoff.

2. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko defended his decision to stick with quarterback Conner Weigman against Notre Dame instead of trying a backup. Weigman completed 12 of 30 passes. “We’ve seen over 1,000 reps of these kids play. You guys, fans, everybody has seen 70,” Elko said. Yes, but the 70 reps we see decide games, and the Aggies’ offense looked miserable.

3. Notre Dame’s win, coupled with LSU’s loss to USC, sparked a rework of my playoff projections. Here’s my latest projected playoff field: Georgia (SEC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Miami (ACC), Oklahoma State (Big 12), Memphis (Group of Five) and at-large selections Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas, Oregon, Penn State, Notre Dame and Utah.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

The "Topp Rope" is his SEC football column published throughout the USA TODAY Network.

Subscribe to read all of his columns. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, and newsletter, SEC Unfiltered.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Stay mad, Brian Kelly, because Notre Dame is cackling at you and LSU