By Hunt Palmer and Matt Moscona
After three-plus seasons and a second half meltdown against Texas A&M Saturday night, Brian Kelly has been fired by LSU, LouisianaSports.net has learned.
LSU Athletics has announced a leadership change with the football program.
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— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) October 27, 2025
Associate head coach Frank Wilson will serve as the interim head coach. Wilson was a head coach twice at the college level, first at UTSA and then later at McNeese State.
LSU stunned the college football world by luring Kelly, Notre Dame’s all-time winningest coach, away from South Bend in December of 2021. After a remarkable first season that included an upset of Alabama and a SEC Western Division title, Kelly’s program never progressed.
Kelly signed a 10-year, $95 million contract, and he is owed 90 percent of the remainder of the contract following his termination. Estimates put that number at approximately $54 million. The buyout can be paid monthly until 2031 when the deal expires. Should Kelly take another coaching job or get a job in media, the buyout would be reduced by the amount of his new salary.
Kelly leaves LSU with a 34-13 overall record including a 19-10 SEC mark. He went just 5-11 against ranked opponents. After back-to-back 6-2 league marks in 2022 and 2023, LSU is just 7-6 against conference foes over the last two seasons.
The acquisition of Jayden Daniels proved to be the crowning achievement of the shorter-than-expected Kelly era. Daniels piloted the 2022 team to the SEC Championship game and dazzled defenses in 2023 en route to the Heisman Trophy. That award came in spite of a defense that ranked statistically as the worst in LSU history, finishing 108th in total defense and 81st in scoring defense.
Following that debacle, Kelly cleaned house on the defensive side, firing coordinator Matt House as well as assistants Robert Steeples, Kerry Cooks, and Jimmy Lindsey. A new defensive staff was ushered in, and improvements have been made. Simultaneously, LSU has never recaptured the magic of the 2023 offense since the departure of Daniels, wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas as well as offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock who took the same role at Notre Dame.
With a veteran core returning in 2025, LSU aggressively attacked the transfer portal and brought in the nation’s top-ranked incoming class. That investment looked to be well spent after a season-opening win over Clemson on the road. Offensive shortcomings were overcome by stellar defense in wins over Florida and South Carolina, but ultimately the defense didn’t hold up against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M.
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward took the biggest of swings. He lured a future Hall of Fame coach who had taken a blue blood program to the national championship game and won at every stop along his coaching career. Less than four years into Kelly’s 10-year contract, it’s over.
LSU joins a hiring pool with Penn State, Florida and Arkansas that is sure to grow over the next month.
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