Things moved pretty quickly this weekend after the LSU Tigers fell to 5-3 on the season following a 49-25 home loss to the Texas A&M Aggies.
Rumblings about fourth-year head coach Brian Kelly’s job security bled into Sunday. By that afternoon, there were reports of heated conversations and ultimatums. Those reports were quickly followed by confirmation that Kelly had indeed been fired.
Monday, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said that there was really no other option left for the school, despite Kelly’s near-$54-million buyout.
“It was, for a lot of reasons. But, mainly, he lost his locker room, he lost his fan base, and the school had no other option,” Finebaum said during his appearance on First Take. “It sounds like a lot of money, and it is a lot of money. But, in the world of college football, there is no next chance. We’ve seen that too many times. And, when James Franklin can go for $50 million and Kelly for $54 [million] it means that nobody is safe anymore, nobody in college football.
“What’s really interesting about this is that the man who hired Brian Kelly at LSU, Scott Woodward. He was now on the lam for those $54 million, also hired Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, and had to pay him $76 million. I doubt Scott Woodward’s heading to Wall Street anytime soon, people.”
The decision to fire Kelly was likely sealed when Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted his dismay over the direction of the football program. Barring further negotiations, the school will now owe Kelly over $53 million, the second-largest buyout ever behind Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher (both of which, Finebaum noted, were negotiated with current LSU AD Scott Woodward).
Kelly’s four-year stint with the school ends with a 34-14 overall record and 19-10 conference record.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.