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LSU made the decision to fire head coach Brian Kelly following a loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night that left the situation too broken to be repaired, multiple sources told OutKick. On Sunday morning, Brian Kelly met with athletic director Scott Woodward to discuss which assistant coaches to fire, which turned into a tense situation that was the tipping point for all sides. Following that meeting, Governor Jeff Landry was called in to intervene. Yes, since LSU is currently interviewing candidates for the permanent presidential job, Landry was leading up meetings on Sunday with the Board of Supervisors. It's fitting that Landry is the one making decisions regarding a college football head coach, especially in the Bayou of Louisiana. The buyout for Kelly is $54 million, which the contract does have mitigating language, meaning the now former head coach will have to search for a new job while collecting a paycheck from LSU. As of late Sunday night, there has not been an agreement to the buyout, which is still being discussed for a potential lump sum payment, given that Kelly wants to continue coaching. We're not talking chump change here. This could end up costing LSU nearly $100 million, when you factor in the buyout, along with hiring a new head coach. But, Kelly's contract is not owed in a lump sum, like Kentucky's Mark Stoops. The athletic department, or boosters, would owe the former head coach $800,000 per month, if it's not negotiated down. LSU Officials Discussing Buyout Options For Brian Kelly, As Situation Worsens On The Bayou How We Arrived With Brian Kelly Being Fired. It Got Messy, Quick There was a concern that Kelly had lost the fan base heading into Saturday's game against Texas A&M, with hopes of an upset pulling a majority back in. But, following the 49-25 loss, along with the ‘Fire Brian Kelly’ chants that were heard all over national television, the move to oust Kelly picked up momentum. When Brian Kelly arrived at the LSU facility on Sunday morning, he was going through a list of assistant coaches that could potentially be fired. That led to the meeting between AD Scott Woodward, where both sides presented a case as to who should be let go. It was at that moment that the relationship took a turn for the worse. Kelly immediately left the facility after that meeting, which is when Scott Woodward informed assistant coaches that they should go home for the day. Discussions with the Governor shifted towards the buyout, and whether it were going to be a problem too expensive to overcome. But, multiple sources told OutKick that LSU boosters made sure to let Governor Landry know that they could help if needed. This was all athletic officials needed to know, as they continued to meet on Sunday afternoon, into the evening. On Sunday night, Landry met with the Board of Supervisors one last time to discuss how to navigate in the short term. One source told OutKick that it was something that needed to be done, and trying to sell the future to LSU fans would be an overwhelming problem. Following one final meeting, Brian Kelly was informed through his agent that they would be firing the head coach. "When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge," AD Scott Woodward said. "Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game. "I am grateful for the ongoing consultations and support of the LSU Board of Supervisors and Interim President Matt Lee in this decision. We wish Coach Kelly and his family the very best in their future endeavors. We will continue to negotiate his separation and will work toward a path that is better for both parties." On Sunday night, LSU held a team meeting, where Brian Kelly was allowed to speak with his players, where he told them, "Love Y'all" after an emotional few minutes. LSU Has Now Joined The College Football Fray. Next Up? It's been less than four years since Kelly was hired away from Notre Dame, in a move that shocked the college football world. Now, the Tigers will once again search for a new head coach, joining the likes of Florida and Penn State who could now go after the same candidates. For LSU, they are now second in college football history when it comes to the largest buyouts, only behind Texas A&M, after paying Jimbo Fisher $76.8 million. Lane Kiffin Just Received More Leverage. A Name To Watch One of those intriguing names is Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. As we currently sit, there are two openings in the SEC that are now going to battle for the same coach, with Florida making it clear they are interested in Kiffin. As we've reported over the past few weeks, if LSU were to open, this could potentially be a more attractive job for Kiffin if he were to leave Ole Miss. In reality, Lane Kiffin now has two jobs to think about, with agent Jimmy Sexton fielding plenty of calls over the past 24 hours? "As a proud alum, and as the current caretaker of our athletics programs, I will not compromise in our pursuit of excellence, and we will not lower our standards," AD Scott Woodward said. "I continue to believe that LSU is the best football program in America and that our head coach position is among the best considering our investment, our ability to attract and retain talent, our unbelievable fans, and our institutional and statewide commitment to – and love for – LSU Football. "We will immediately begin a national search for a new head football coach, and I am confident in our ability to bring to Baton Rouge an outstanding leader, teacher and coach, who fits our culture and community and who embraces the excellence that we demand." What About Marcus Freeman Or Clark Lea? Who else would be an intriguing name for the Tigers? That would be Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, who seems pretty happy with his current job, though he will field multiple calls during this coaching search in Baton Rouge, and from Gainesville. Would Freeman be interested? He will certainly be asked, multiple times. After Vanderbilt defeated Missouri on Saturday, Commodores head coach Clark Lea walked towards agent Jimmy Sexton for a hug. What is seemingly a small moment at the time, could turn into something bigger in the near future. What Lea has done at Vanderbilt over the past few seasons has been one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football. Now, thanks to his team continuing to win those high-stakes matchups, Clark Lea should be one of the hottest names in the sport. Right now, there is an argument to be had over which opening is more attractive. There is also a problem when it comes to ‘home run hires' in college football, though multiple sources tell OutKick that this could lead to a scenario like the one we saw when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC in 2021. Brian Kelly will finish his time at LSU with a 34-14 record, with zero college football playoff appearances. Frank Wilson has been named interim head coach.
