Sources confirm Brian Kelly firing at LSU ‘feels imminent’ following disaster second half collapse vs Texas A&M Aggies
Brian Kelly on his way out with LSU according to multiple sources
After suffering an embarrassing 49-25 loss at home against Texas A&M on Saturday night, the LSU Tigers are trending towards firing head coach Brian Kelly. The stunning news is all but official as of Sunday afternoon, as LSU coaches are receiving texts concerning the situation.
Media members had been hinting in this direction all day, with multiple sources confirming to A to Z Sports that the move is expected. Frank Wilson will be at the front of the line to be the interim head coach.
The 64-year-old head coach has a buyout of about $53 million, but a source says that a reduced buyout has been discussed. The Tigers, sitting at 5-3 on the season, have all but been eliminated from the College Football Playoff race. Kelly posted a disappointing 34–14 record while at LSU.
Kelly’s firing would immediately put LSU at the top of the available job market. Lane Kiffin – who is already expected by many to consider the Florida head coach vacancy – might find himself at the top of discussions here. LSU now joins both Penn State and Florida as yet another top-notch job opening.
Brian Kelly on the way out as LSU Tigers head coach
The previous Notre Dame and Cincinnati head coach was a strange fit from the beginning at LSU. Kelly had good success initially, producing NFL-caliber talent and operating as an offense-minded head coach, but the Tigers never found consistency with toughness and defensive performance. Things were supposed to change in 2025 after Kelly lured quarterback Garrett Nussmeier back into the fold over going to the NFL Draft.
Instead, the Tigers failed to produce an offensive line that could protect him and sustain a quality run game. A hot start from their defense gave some false hope that this Tigers team could overcome their other limitations. As seen on Saturday night against Texas A&M, this was not a team with the fortitude and impact ability in the trenches to go as far as they had hoped.
Ryan Roberts of A to Z Sports Notre Dame, had this to say about Kelly’s tenure:
“Brian Kelly opted to leave Notre Dame for “greener pastures” following the 2021 college football season. According to the ole’ ball coach, he wanted to head to a program with a higher championship potential and fewer restrictions, and having seen the likes of Ed Orgeron and Les Miles win championships, I’m sure the thought was that success could be a little more easily attainable.
“In less than four seasons, that proved to be untrue during his LSU tenure. The major issues with Kelly continued, including the inability to get his team prepared for big games. The Tiger donors gave Kelly the backing to go for it all in 2025, and his team has fallen on their face, losing all three games against top 25 teams.
“Most can admit that Kelly is a good coach, but this latest stop in Baton Rouge also showed that he isn’t good enough.”
LSU will surely be a highly desirable job for the top candidates around college football, and potentially NFL candidates as well. We will continue to update you with the latest breaking news about the LSU Tigers and college football as we learn more.
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LSU’s bipolar performance against Texas A&M perfectly exemplified the many faces of Brian Kelly, but solidified one harsh reality
The many faces of Brian Kelly showed themselves during the LSU loss to the Texas A&M Aggies.
