LSU fired its former head coach, Brian Kelly, over two weeks in the past. Kelly had by no means been in a position to get the Tigers again to the nationwide championship. After a sluggish begin this season, this system had seen sufficient.
Kelly signed a ten-year, $95 million contract extension with the college in November 2021. His contract included a buyout clause the place he’d obtain 90% of his remaining wage all through the contract. On this case, which means he is attributable to get a complete of practically $54 million, paid out in equal installments via 2031.
In an effort to save cash in the long term, LSU supplied Kelly different choices. He’d get $25 million upfront as an alternative of the $54 million unfold out over a number of years. Kelly turned that down. LSU upped its supply to $30 million. Once more, Kelly stated no. And now, he is suing the college, saying it fired him with out trigger.
Gus Stark/LSU/College Photographs through Getty Photographs
Per the lawsuit, Kelly claims the college stated it by no means formally terminated him. LSU allegedly stated former athletic director Scott Woodward by no means had “the authority to terminate Coach Kelly and/or make settlement presents to him.” Woodward was fired just a few days after Kelly.
It looks like this contract won’t get resolved anytime quickly, and it continues a prolonged public battle for LSU. The pinnacle teaching place was some of the wanted in faculty soccer, although potential candidates might imagine twice after seeing how that is all enjoying out.
Kelly was 34-14 throughout his LSU tenure. He did not have a horrible report, although he struggled in additional important video games and by no means led the Tigers to the Faculty Soccer Playoff. His firing got here after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. LSU was profitable that recreation by 4 at halftime, so Kelly’s LSU tenure went out with a whimper.
Kelly’s contract additionally had language round mitigating a few of his LSU buyout with future earnings at one other head teaching cease. If he can get the college to conform to proceed paying him whereas making a living from a second faculty, that’ll be a cherry on the highest. Within the meantime, the litigation complications will proceed—however there’s probably a really profitable reward on the opposite aspect of it.
