LSU's Brian Kelly Ousted as Coach Amid Loss to Texas A&M
The Louisiana State University football team has fired its head coach Brian Kelly after a disappointing loss to No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday night, leaving the program without direction and sparking questions about the future of the athletic department.
Kelly's four-year tenure at LSU was marked by high expectations following his hiring in 2021. However, the Tigers failed to achieve the promised level of success, finishing with a record of 5-3 and 2-3 in conference play. The loss to Texas A&M was Kelly's second straight defeat, and it capped off three consecutive losses for the team.
Athletic director Scott Woodward announced the decision on Sunday night, stating that "the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize" during Kelly's time at the helm. Woodward had high hopes when Kelly arrived four years ago, but ultimately felt that the program fell short of expectations.
Kelly's tenure was marked by several notable achievements, including a trip to the 2022 SEC title game and the development of quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner in 2023. However, he also struggled to achieve consistency, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Woodward's decision marks a significant shift for LSU, which had invested heavily in Kelly's hiring and vowed to make him the "outstanding leader, teacher and coach" who would lead the program to greatness. Instead, the Tigers' struggles have left Woodward facing an uncertain future, including the possibility of paying Kelly over $52 million if he refuses to leave.
Kelly's departure marks another blow to Woodward, who had previously navigated a similar situation with Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman earlier this year. The move also raises questions about the state of college football coaching salaries and the demands placed on top-tier programs like LSU.
In a statement, Kelly said that he would not compromise on excellence and vowed to find a new path that "fits our culture and community." However, his departure from LSU has left many wondering what could have been for the program during his time at the helm.
The Louisiana State University football team has fired its head coach Brian Kelly after a disappointing loss to No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday night, leaving the program without direction and sparking questions about the future of the athletic department.
Kelly's four-year tenure at LSU was marked by high expectations following his hiring in 2021. However, the Tigers failed to achieve the promised level of success, finishing with a record of 5-3 and 2-3 in conference play. The loss to Texas A&M was Kelly's second straight defeat, and it capped off three consecutive losses for the team.
Athletic director Scott Woodward announced the decision on Sunday night, stating that "the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize" during Kelly's time at the helm. Woodward had high hopes when Kelly arrived four years ago, but ultimately felt that the program fell short of expectations.
Kelly's tenure was marked by several notable achievements, including a trip to the 2022 SEC title game and the development of quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner in 2023. However, he also struggled to achieve consistency, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Woodward's decision marks a significant shift for LSU, which had invested heavily in Kelly's hiring and vowed to make him the "outstanding leader, teacher and coach" who would lead the program to greatness. Instead, the Tigers' struggles have left Woodward facing an uncertain future, including the possibility of paying Kelly over $52 million if he refuses to leave.
Kelly's departure marks another blow to Woodward, who had previously navigated a similar situation with Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman earlier this year. The move also raises questions about the state of college football coaching salaries and the demands placed on top-tier programs like LSU.
In a statement, Kelly said that he would not compromise on excellence and vowed to find a new path that "fits our culture and community." However, his departure from LSU has left many wondering what could have been for the program during his time at the helm.
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, and a "Where's my $52M?" question mark ?️]
interesting how much pressure is on college football coaches to perform 
... coaching changes happen in college football all the time. it's not like LSU didn't have some amazing moments under Kelly - that 2022 SEC title game was wild! 
... now we just gotta see what happens next for the Tigers. 
... i feel bad for brian kelly, he had some good years at lsu but consistency was a major issue 
. 52 million dollars is a lot of cash, i wonder if he'll take it or walk away 
. lsu needs someone who can bring that winning culture back, hopefully they find the right person 
.
anyway, kelly seems to be taking it in stride, but idk what he's gonna do next 
i'm so shocked!! i mean i knew brian kelly's team wasn't that great this season but i didn't think they'd fire him 
can't believe they're gonna pay that much for someone else. what about jayden danials though? did they even consider his future or was it all about the money? tbh i'm kinda sad this happened because i had high hopes for lsu too 
maybe they just needed someone else to shake things up at lsu 
and it's not like he didn't have some awesome wins under his belt - that SEC title game was lit 
. and now he's outta there with a hefty payout 
? anyway, hope kelly finds a new gig that suits him 
! And let's be real, losing three straight games is not exactly a string of wins 
. I need some time to think about this one