LSU Fires Brian Kelly, Parts Ways With AD

LSU abruptly fired head coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and parted ways with athletic director Scott Woodward after a late-season collapse capped by a 49–25 loss to Texas A&M; interim coach Frank Wilson will lead the team through the remainder of the season. Negotiations over Kelly’s nearly $54 million buyout and Governor Jeff Landry’s public declaration that Woodward should not hire Kelly’s replacement have intensified scrutiny and political pressure on the program. The university named a five-member search committee led by interim athletic director Verge Ausberry and gave it full authority to run the coach search, but the absence of a permanent athletic director and university president complicates the process. Early targets and public speculation include Lane Kiffin and Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, with recurring talk of Nick Saban and high-profile figures such as Shaquille O’Neal publicly weighing in. The size of the buyout and the politically charged environment have raised questions about taxpayer liability as LSU works to stabilize the program and complete a national coaching search.