Lower than 4 years after being employed by Notre Dame, Brian Kelly has been fired by LSU, the varsity’s athletic director Scott Woodward introduced Sunday evening.
“When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU 4 years in the past, we had excessive hopes that he would lead us to a number of SEC and nationwide championships throughout his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward mentioned. “Finally, success on the degree required by LSU merely didn’t materialize.”
Affiliate head coach Frank Wilson, who additionally serves as operating backs coach, has been named interim head coach by the tip of the 2025 season.
Kelly, who compiled a 34-14 file with the Tigers, was ejected a day after his Twentieth-ranked Tigers turned an 18-14 halftime lead right into a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M at house. The outcome was so disheartening that followers at Tiger Stadium chanted “Fireplace Kelly.” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry additionally weighed in on social media Saturday evening, writing, “I feel @LSUSports and the LSU Board of Supervisors must rethink their actions to lift ticket costs for subsequent yr after tonight’s exhibiting!”
In line with CBS Sports activities, Landry was additionally concerned in Sunday’s arguments that led to Kelly’s firing. As a result of LSU is a part of the Louisiana State College System, Kelly is a public servant and a part of his wage comes from public funds. Nonetheless, the vast majority of their remuneration comes from bonuses and incentives, derived from personal sources equivalent to donors and company sponsors.
Kelly will obtain about $54 million in a purchase order settlement, according to reports. He was within the fourth yr of a 10-year contract price about $100 million.
“We are going to proceed to barter their separation and work towards a path ahead that’s greatest for each events,” Woodward mentioned.
LSU (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Convention) opened its season 4-0 to climb to 3rd place within the Related Press Prime 25 ballot, however the Tigers have misplaced three of their final 4 to fall out of the ballot launched Sunday. It is the second yr in a row that LSU has dropped out of the Prime 25 throughout the second half of the season.
These declines stand in stark distinction to the successes of Kelly’s predecessors at LSU.
Nick Saban went 13-1 and received the 2003 nationwide championship in his fourth season, Les Miles went 12-2 and received the 2007 BCS Championship in his third season and Ed Orgeron went 15-0 earlier than successful the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship. Kelly, then again, has led the Tigers to the 2022 Citrus Bowl, the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl and the 2024 Texas Bowl.
“I cannot compromise our pursuit of excellence and we is not going to decrease our requirements,” mentioned Woodward, an LSU graduate who was employed for his present function in 2019, the identical yr the Tigers received the nationwide title below Orgeron.
Whereas Kelly did not coach LSU to a playoff berth, he oversaw the event of quarterback Jayden Daniels right into a 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.
The 64-year-old Kelly, who turned Notre Dame’s winningest coach earlier than leaping to Baton Rouge, turns into the third high-profile coach to be fired in as many Sundays, after Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 and Florida fired Billy Napier every week later.
UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Arkansas, UAB and Colorado State have additionally fired their coaches for the reason that begin of this season.
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