LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday night, less than four years after he was hired away from Notre Dame and one day after a 49-25 home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M.
“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,” director of athletics Scott Woodward said in a statement.
“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.”
Associate head coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Tigers (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference). Woodward said that LSU will immediately begin a national search for a new head coach.
Kelly, who recorded a 34-14 record with the Tigers, was shown the door one day after his 20th-ranked Tigers turned an 18-14 halftime lead into a 24-point home loss to the Aggies.
The result was so dispiriting, fans in Tiger Stadium chanted “Fire Kelly” and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry weighed in on social media Saturday night: “I think @LSUSports and the LSU Board of Supervisors needs to rethink their actions to raise ticket prices for next year after tonight’s showing!”
According to CBS Sports, Landry also was involved in Sunday’s discussions that led to Kelly’s ousting. The team was scheduled to hear the news officially during a meeting at 8 p.m. CT. Kelly will be owed about $54 million in a contract buyout, according to reports.
LSU opened its season 4-0 to climb as high as No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, but the Tigers dropped three of their last four to fall out of the poll released Sunday. It’s the second year in a row LSU has tumbled out of the Top 25 during the latter half of the season.
Those nosedives are in sharp contrast to the successes of Kelly’s predecessors at LSU. Nick Saban went 13-1 and won the 2003 national championship in his fourth season, Les Miles went 12-2 and won the 2007 BCS Championship in his third season and Ed Orgeron went 15-0 to claim the 2019 BCS title in his third full season.
Kelly, on the other hand, led the Tigers wins in the 2022 Citrus Bowl, the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl and the 2024 Texas Bowl. They made one appearance in the SEC title game in 2022, his first season, and lost 50-30 to No. 1 Georgia.
“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,” Woodward said in the statement. “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.”
The 64-year-old Kelly, who became Notre Dame’s winningest coach before jumping to Baton Rouge, becomes the third high-profile coach to be fired in as many Sundays as Penn State dismissed James Franklin on Oct. 12 and Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19.
UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Arkansas, UAB and Colorado State also have ousted their head coaches since this season began.
–Field Level Media
