BATON ROUGE — LSU football coach Brian Kelly addressed Wednesday comments recently made by former LSU football player Greg Brooks Jr. and his family made about him in a recent interview with Good Morning America .
In the segment that aired on national TV earlier this week, Brooks' father, Greg Sr., insinuated that Kelly was not there for his son during the ordeal.
"Specifically Brian Kelly, my son almost lost his life. Coach, where were you?" Brooks Sr. said during the taped interview. "Forget about football. Pick up the phone and say you love the kid, man."
Meeting the media on National Signing Day Wednesday, discussing myriad of topics ranging from staff changes to players LSU added via the transfer portal, Kelly said that it was "factually inaccurate" to say that he wasn't there for Brooks Jr. and not a part of his care and support.
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"There's many things I can't say because it is pending litigation but here's what I can tell you: it is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg's side through this ordeal on multiple occasions," Kelly said. "I had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day. We love Greg, we love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is and the battler that he is. We only wish him continued progress as he goes through an incredible difficult time.
"It was important for me to set the record clear as to my care and my love for Greg Jr. during this very difficult time. Any player that is a part of this program, I am going to involved in making sure they receive the best care, the best support and I'm part of that."
The Brooks opened a lawsuit against LSU, Baton-Rouge based hospital Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center for negligence back in August in East Baton Rouge Parish. Kelly was named in the filing along with former LSU safeties coach Kerry Cooks, former defensive coordinator Matt House and LSU head athletic trainer Owen Stanley and team doctors Vincent Shaw and Stephen Etheredge.
Brooks accused the football coaching staff of threatening his starting role on the defense if he chose not to practice while experiencing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and dizziness — which ultimately led to a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis that required emergency surgery.
The family claims it took 39 days from the first day he exhibited symptoms before LSU doctors made him an appointment with a neurologist.
During the GMA interview, Brooks Sr. claimed LSU did not notify him of Greg Jr's condition until he needed to undergo emergency brain surgery.
Brooks Jr. has been deemed cancer-free, but the family has stated publicly and in the lawsuit that he will "likely need care for the rest of his life for the injuries he sustained as a result of his provider's malpractice."
Kelly told reporters Wednesday that he takes umbrage with how he was portrayed during the interview.
"You can question me as a football coach, you can question me with things we do on the field but off the field, as a parent, a husband, as someone who is actively involved in every community that I've been involved with, this is where I draw the line for me. That comment struck a nerve with me," Kelly said.
"It hit my heart. I'm in this business for our players and it rattled me that somebody could possibly be so factually incorrect in stating that I was not a part of Greg Brooks Jr.'s care and support. The support was the entire university and entire community. I needed to make sure that record was clear."
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU coach Brian Kelly on Greg Brooks Jr.'s GMA interview: 'struck a nerve'
