LSU Sends Brian Kelly Official Firing Notice as Buyout Fight Grows

The tense battle between Brian Kelly and LSU just got more serious. After weeks of back-and-forth, LSU has now sent Kelly an official letter saying he is fired. This is the latest step in their fight over his massive $54 million buyout.

According to ESPN, LSU’s board of supervisors approved new university president Wade Rousse to send the notice during a meeting on Friday. This is the first big move LSU has made since Brian Kelly filed his lawsuit on November 10. In that lawsuit, Kelly said LSU fired him in an unfair way and tried to avoid paying the full buyout he is owed.

Brian Kelly’s 48-page lawsuit says LSU tried to label his firing as “for cause,” which would allow the school to skip paying the full $54 million. At first, LSU argued that Kelly was never “officially” fired. Then they suggested that former athletic director Scott Woodward did not have the power to fire him at all, even though Woodward had been meeting with LSU leaders, the Board of Supervisors, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.

Woodward later stepped down on October 30 after the governor publicly criticized him over the size of Kelly’s buyout. Woodward said he would not be involved in picking LSU’s next football coach.

With their arguments getting more confusing, LSU finally took the step of sending Kelly the official termination notice. The board said that any decision about a coach making over $250,000 must be approved by the board, and this action had “no objections.”

There’s also another twist. LSU reportedly tried to settle the buyout by offering Kelly between $25 million and $30 million in two payments. Brian Kelly turned it down. His lawsuit says LSU never claimed he was fired “for cause” until they tried to get out of paying the full amount.

“LSU has never claimed that Coach Brian Kelly was terminated for cause,” the lawsuit says. It also notes that LSU always told him the firing was because of team performance — not because of misconduct.

LSU Begins Search for a New Head Coach

As the legal battle continues, LSU is also trying to lock in its next head coach. According to Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellenger, LSU has made a huge $90 million offer to Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin has built a strong program at Ole Miss. Since taking over in 2020, he has taken the Rebels to a bowl game every year. This season, Ole Miss is ranked No. 6 and is still in the race for the College Football Playoff. Kiffin currently earns about $9 million per year, but LSU seems ready to offer much more — and may even add another $25 million per season for roster building.

Kiffin visited Baton Rouge on Friday along with his family, adding fuel to rumors that LSU is close to making a deal.

For now, LSU is dealing with two major storylines at the same time: Brian Kelly’s lawsuit and the hunt for a new head coach. Both situations are still unfolding.

Also Read: Notre Dame Balances Playoff Push and Greathouse’s Redshirt