Copyright The Boston Globe
Landry confirmed his involvement in discussions on Sunday that led to the firing of Kelly, who’d been hired by LSU after the 2021 football season and signed to a guaranteed contract paying him about $100 million during 10 years. LSU still owes Kelly more than $52 million through 2031, although that figure could be negotiated down or offset by money Kelly earned in a subsequent coaching job. “I hosted a meeting at the governor’s mansion to talk about the legalities, to talk about the cost, to talk about who pays for it,” he said. “It was a meeting to discuss the legalities of the contract.” “My role is about the fiscal effect of firing a coach under a terrible contract,” Landry said. “All I care about is what the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for.” Historically, LSU’s athletic department has been self-funding and does not tap in to public money. Before NCAA rule changes allowing college players to be paid, LSU’s athletic department would at times even make seven-figure contributions to the university’s academic operations. In the case of Kelly’s contract, unnamed private donors have pledged to cover the cost of the buyout. “If big billionaires want to spend all that kind of money, no problem,” Landry said. “But if I’ve got to go find $53 million . . . it’s not going to be a pleasant conversation.” Kelly, who was fired eight games into his fourth season, went 34-14 at LSU, ending with Saturday’s 49-25 loss to Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium. Running backs coach Frank Wilson has been tapped as Kelly’s interim replacement. Since Woodward has been LSU’s athletic director, the football program has bought out former coach Ed Orgeron for about $17 million in 2021, and now must pay Kelly’s buyout, which is among the largest in the history of college sports. Texas A&M’s $77 million buyout of former coach Jimbo Fisher, who was fired in 2023, is the largest. Woodward was Texas A&M’s athletic director when Fisher was hired to coach the Aggies in December 2017. But Woodward already had been at LSU for two years when A&M, in 2021, gave Fisher a contract extension that effectively doubled the cost of his buyout. Still, Landry assigned blame for Fisher’s buyout to Woodward. “This is a pattern,” Landry said, suggesting that Woodward “cost Texas A&M $77 million.” “Right now, we’ve got a $53 million liability,” he continued. “We are not doing that again.” Landry said LSU’s Board of Supervisors — whose members are appointed to staggered six-year terms by sitting governors — will form a search committee to find LSU’s next coach. “I’m not going to be picking the next coach, but I can promise you we’re going to pick a coach and we’re going to make sure that that coach is successful,” Landry said. “We’re going to make sure that he’s compensated properly.” But Landry also stressed that the contract will be heavy on performance-based incentives and low on guarantees, “because I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers . . . to foot the bill.” Landry has appointed nine of 18 Board of Supervisors members since taking office in January 2024 and will be able to appoint four more in 2026. The governor went on to demonize sports agents, particularly those representing the most sought-after college coaches. Kelly was represented by Trace Armstrong, Fisher by Jimmy Sexton. “This is ridiculous. Lawyers would be disbarred for the way these agents act,” Landry said. “It’s really time for the NCAA to put on some guardrails on college sports.”
