By Bruce Feldman and Ralph D. Russo
Oct. 26, 2025Updated 10:45 pm EDT
The Athletic has live coverage of the reaction to LSU firing Brian Kelly.
LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday night, less than 24 hours after the Tigers were embarrassed by Texas A&M in a 49-25 home loss.
The announcement came hours after Kelly and athletic director Scott Woodward met and disagreed over possible coaching staff changes, multiple program sources told The Athletic.
On the heels of LSU’s third loss in four games, the sources said Woodward wanted Kelly to make staff changes, including firing offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, to try to fix an offense that ranks last in the SEC in rushing yards per game. However, when Kelly and Woodward met Sunday afternoon, things got very tense. After Woodward told the head coach to fire his play caller, Kelly fired back that he wanted to make other staff moves Woodward wasn’t comfortable with. The situation then escalated, with the head coach pushing back hard against his boss.
Threats about negotiating a settlement of Kelly’s $53 million buyout came up, but whether the LSU Board of Supervisors would give Woodward the authority to do that was another matter that needed to be sorted out. Kelly’s contract would give LSU some relief if he gets another coaching job and does not include a huge lump-sum payout.
LSU’s news release Sunday night said “terms of the separation are still being negotiated.”
“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,” Woodward said in the release. “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 Frank Wilson has been named the interim head coach. A team meeting had been called for 8 p.m. CT Sunday, multiple program sources told The Athletic. Tigers players are scheduled to be off Monday, as LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC) begins an idle week before playing at No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 8.
Kelly had left the football facility earlier Sunday, as did pretty much everyone else on the LSU staff, as they awaited some resolution. Kelly’s agent, Trace Armstrong, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The school has been operating under the interim president Lee, the College of Agriculture dean, since May, when previous president William Tate left to take the same role at Rutgers. Conversations took place Sunday among Tigers leadership and power brokers that included the state’s governor, Jeff Landry, to assess an immediate path forward with the LSU football program and Kelly’s future in Baton Rouge. Landry met with the LSU Board of Supervisors on Sunday evening to address the matter.
LSU’s move increased the number of Power 4 head-coaching vacancies to eight. LSU would immediately become one of the most desirable, along with Florida and Penn State. With plenty more jobs expected to come up, Kelly — like former Penn State coach James Franklin — could be an attractive candidate.
Oct. 26, 2025Updated 10:45 pm EDT
The Athletic has live coverage of the reaction to LSU firing Brian Kelly.
LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday night, less than 24 hours after the Tigers were embarrassed by Texas A&M in a 49-25 home loss.
The announcement came hours after Kelly and athletic director Scott Woodward met and disagreed over possible coaching staff changes, multiple program sources told The Athletic.
On the heels of LSU’s third loss in four games, the sources said Woodward wanted Kelly to make staff changes, including firing offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, to try to fix an offense that ranks last in the SEC in rushing yards per game. However, when Kelly and Woodward met Sunday afternoon, things got very tense. After Woodward told the head coach to fire his play caller, Kelly fired back that he wanted to make other staff moves Woodward wasn’t comfortable with. The situation then escalated, with the head coach pushing back hard against his boss.
Threats about negotiating a settlement of Kelly’s $53 million buyout came up, but whether the LSU Board of Supervisors would give Woodward the authority to do that was another matter that needed to be sorted out. Kelly’s contract would give LSU some relief if he gets another coaching job and does not include a huge lump-sum payout.
LSU’s news release Sunday night said “terms of the separation are still being negotiated.”
“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,” Woodward said in the release. “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 Frank Wilson has been named the interim head coach. A team meeting had been called for 8 p.m. CT Sunday, multiple program sources told The Athletic. Tigers players are scheduled to be off Monday, as LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC) begins an idle week before playing at No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 8.
Kelly had left the football facility earlier Sunday, as did pretty much everyone else on the LSU staff, as they awaited some resolution. Kelly’s agent, Trace Armstrong, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The school has been operating under the interim president Lee, the College of Agriculture dean, since May, when previous president William Tate left to take the same role at Rutgers. Conversations took place Sunday among Tigers leadership and power brokers that included the state’s governor, Jeff Landry, to assess an immediate path forward with the LSU football program and Kelly’s future in Baton Rouge. Landry met with the LSU Board of Supervisors on Sunday evening to address the matter.
LSU’s move increased the number of Power 4 head-coaching vacancies to eight. LSU would immediately become one of the most desirable, along with Florida and Penn State. With plenty more jobs expected to come up, Kelly — like former Penn State coach James Franklin — could be an attractive candidate.
