Less than four years after being hired from Notre Dame, Brian Kelly has been fired from LSU, the school's athletic director Scott Woodward announced Sunday night.
“When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC championships and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, success at the level LSU required simply did not materialize.”
Associate head coach Frank Wilson, who also serves as the running backs coach, has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Kelly, who compiled a 34-14 record with the Tigers, was shown in the door a day after his 20th-ranked Tigers turned an 18-14 halftime lead into a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M at home. The result was so disheartening that fans at Tiger Stadium chanted “Fire Kelly.” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also weighed in on social media Saturday night, writing, “I think @LSUSports and the LSU Board of Supervisors should rethink their actions in raising ticket prices for next year after today's show!”
Landry was also involved in Sunday's discussions that led to Kelly's resignation, according to CBS Sports. Because LSU is part of the Louisiana State University System, Kelly is a state employee and part of his salary comes from state funds. However, most of his remuneration comes in the form of bonuses and incentives received from private sources such as donors and corporate sponsors.
Kelly owes about $54 million as part of his contract buyout. according to reports. He was in the fourth year of a 10-year contract worth about $100 million.
“We will continue to negotiate his separation and work toward a path that is best for both parties,” Woodward said.
LSU (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) opened the season 4-0 and rose to third in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, but the Tigers have lost three of their last four and fell out of the poll released Sunday. LSU fell out of the top 25 in the second half of the season for the second year in a row.
These sharp declines stand in stark 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 before winning the College Football Playoff National Championship. Kelly, on the other hand, has led the Tigers to the 2022 Citrus Bowl, 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl and 2024 Texas Bowl.
“I will not compromise our commitment to excellence, and we will not lower our standards,” said Woodward, an LSU graduate who was hired to his current post in 2019, the same year the Tigers won a national title under Orgeron.
While Kelly didn't help LSU reach the playoffs, he oversaw the transformation of quarterback Jaden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner in 2023.
Kelly, 64, who became Notre Dame's winningest coach before moving to Baton Rouge, becomes 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 a week later.
UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Arkansas, UAB and Colorado State have also fired their head coaches since the start of this season.
