Copyright Essentially Sports
If you thought Brian Kelly’s $95 million contract made him untouchable, think again. LSU may be ready to eat one of college football’s most expensive meals of a $54 million buyout just to be done with him. When Pete Nakos dropped a post saying, “Staff shakeup is expected at LSU, sources tell @Sheadixon and me,” the writing was officially on the wall. And after Saturday night’s 49-25 humiliation against No. 3 Texas A&M, who can blame them? By Sunday morning, tension filled the halls of the LSU football complex. Staffers walked in expecting turbulence and they got it. In a new X report by Pete Nakos on October 26, “Sources have told @On3sports that LSU position coaches have been sent home from the facility, with Brian Kelly’s future with the Tigers an unknown.” That single post set Baton Rouge ablaze signaling that the program might be preparing for something far bigger than a staff reshuffle. Officially, the team’s on a bye week, but the optics scream otherwise. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad This was supposed to be a dynasty in the making. When Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU in November 2021, AD Scott Woodward’s 10-year, $95 million deal for the HC was hailed as a coup. Ninety percent of that was guaranteed because what could possibly go wrong with a sure-thing coach in the SEC? Turns out, everything and then some. Now, LSU ranks No. 82 in scoring offense, No. 96 in total offense, and an abysmal No. 122 in passing offense. Those numbers might fly in the MAC, but not in Death Valley. Meanwhile, the defense has disintegrated over the past two weeks, surrendering chunk plays and confidence in equal measure. Leave it to Paul Finebaum to throw gasoline on a smoldering fire. On The Matt Barrie Show, the SEC analyst floated Lane Kiffin as the frontrunner if LSU pulls the trigger. “I’ll just make it simple,” Finebaum said. “LSU is a better job than Florida… Kiffin’s quirky, and would he fit LSU? Probably would. He maybe fits that mindset a little better. Florida is a collection of a lot of different interests and politics, where LSU, if you win, you’re going to be OK at LSU.” The man who once said he enjoys being hated might just thrive in Baton Rouge’s madness. But he’s not the only name in circulation. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
