LSU Unloads Coach Brian Kelly in Fourth Year of Decade-Long Deal Amid Disappointing Season
The Louisiana State University athletic department has made a significant shake-up by firing head coach Brian Kelly, effective immediately. According to Scott Woodward, the school's athletic director, Kelly's decision to leave after four seasons will cost LSU about $100 million, a staggering figure that highlights the team's struggles in recent years.
Kelly, who took over at LSU in 2021 and has led the Tigers to a 34-14 record since his arrival, failed to deliver on the promise of multiple SEC championships during his tenure. Instead, the program struggled to compete with top-tier teams, including Texas A&M, which handed them a crushing 49-25 loss over the weekend.
The move comes as no surprise, given LSU's disappointing season. The team has lost two straight games and is currently ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference. Kelly's inability to lead the Tigers to a playoff berth despite significant investment in recruiting and player development was seen as a major letdown for Woodward, who hired Kelly with the expectation of securing a national championship.
Despite some success on the field, including reaching the 2022 SEC title game and mentoring quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner, Kelly's tenure was marked by inconsistency. The school had previously offered Kelly a significant extension through the 2031 season, but negotiations have broken down over the terms of his departure.
Kelly, 64, will be replaced by associate head coach Frank Wilson, who will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season. Woodward has vowed to maintain LSU's high standards, stating that the program will not "lower our standards" or compromise its pursuit of excellence.
The move marks another significant change in LSU's football leadership since the departure of Ed Orgeron in 2021. The school's athletic department has been embroiled in controversy over player compensation and recruiting tactics, including a major buyout for former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher last year.
Kelly's departure raises questions about whether Woodward will be able to replicate his predecessor's success at the helm of LSU football. For now, it remains to be seen how the program will bounce back from this significant setback.
The Louisiana State University athletic department has made a significant shake-up by firing head coach Brian Kelly, effective immediately. According to Scott Woodward, the school's athletic director, Kelly's decision to leave after four seasons will cost LSU about $100 million, a staggering figure that highlights the team's struggles in recent years.
Kelly, who took over at LSU in 2021 and has led the Tigers to a 34-14 record since his arrival, failed to deliver on the promise of multiple SEC championships during his tenure. Instead, the program struggled to compete with top-tier teams, including Texas A&M, which handed them a crushing 49-25 loss over the weekend.
The move comes as no surprise, given LSU's disappointing season. The team has lost two straight games and is currently ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference. Kelly's inability to lead the Tigers to a playoff berth despite significant investment in recruiting and player development was seen as a major letdown for Woodward, who hired Kelly with the expectation of securing a national championship.
Despite some success on the field, including reaching the 2022 SEC title game and mentoring quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner, Kelly's tenure was marked by inconsistency. The school had previously offered Kelly a significant extension through the 2031 season, but negotiations have broken down over the terms of his departure.
Kelly, 64, will be replaced by associate head coach Frank Wilson, who will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season. Woodward has vowed to maintain LSU's high standards, stating that the program will not "lower our standards" or compromise its pursuit of excellence.
The move marks another significant change in LSU's football leadership since the departure of Ed Orgeron in 2021. The school's athletic department has been embroiled in controversy over player compensation and recruiting tactics, including a major buyout for former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher last year.
Kelly's departure raises questions about whether Woodward will be able to replicate his predecessor's success at the helm of LSU football. For now, it remains to be seen how the program will bounce back from this significant setback.
just because Kelly couldn't deliver that SEC championship. I mean, I get it, seasons come and go but still, that's a huge chunk of change. And to make matters worse, they're already saying they won't lower their standards? Like, what even is that? 
It's just gonna be more of the same old thing... I need to see some changes in the way they do recruiting and player development before I get on board with this new interim coach Frank Wilson. Maybe someone should just reformat the whole team's strategy sheet, you know, give it a fresh start? 
It's gonna be tough for them to bounce back from this, that's for sure...
coaches come and go 
francis wilson is gonna have a tough time fixing this but hey at least they're not paying jimbo fisher anymore 
. I hope Frank Wilson can turn things around, but it won't be easy. They gotta rebuild the program from the ground up. It's a shame, too - Kelly had his moments, like that 2022 SEC title game win 
. Still, consistency is key in college football, and they just didn't deliver.
. this change in leadership has me wondering if scott woodward is ready to take on the challenge of getting lsu back to where they need to be 
. and what about frank wilson? is he gonna be able to bring some stability to the team? only time will tell 
. and now they're gonna break up with him after 4 years because the product on the field just ain't there 
. what's next? firing the team's entire coaching staff? or maybe just giving 'em all a parting gift of $50 million each 
. Either way, Frank Wilson is stepping in now, so we'll just have to wait and see how he does 
. One thing's for sure though - it's gonna be a wild ride at Death Valley Stadium for the rest of the season 
. but at the same time... kelly's tenure was pretty inconsistent. like, one week he'd win big, next week they'd lose by like 30 points 
. so yeah, i'm all for frank wilson taking over as interim head coach 
. Wonder how Woodward's gonna fix things now 
. And btw, 64 yrs old? That's ancient in the coaching world 
.