The LSU board of supervisors authorized new university president Wade Rousse to send former Tigers football coach Brian Kelly a formal notice of termination during a meeting on Friday, according to The Advocate in Baton Rouge.
The move, which is the university’s first action since Kelly sued the board of supervisors on Nov. 10, was discussed during a closed-door executive session.
According to The Advocate, LSU board member John Carmouche asked the board to authorize Rousse to “in consultation with general counsel to review and, if appropriate, send Brian Kelly written notice of termination under his employment agreement.” The request was passed without objection.
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In the lawsuit, which was filed in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, Kelly’s attorneys alleged that LSU officials notified the coach that it was seeking to fire him “with cause” to avoid paying his $54 million buyout. The lawsuit asks a Louisiana state judge for a declaratory judgement that Kelly was terminated without cause and is owed his full buyout.
The lawsuit also alleged that LSU claims that former athletic director Scott Woodward didn’t have the authority to fire Kelly.
“LSU has never claimed that Coach Kelly was terminated for cause, and prior to November 10, 2025, never asserted that he engaged in any conduct that would warrant such a termination,” the lawsuit said. “To the contrary, LSU repeatedly confirmed, both publicly and to Coach Kelly, that the termination was due to the team’s performance, not for cause.”
The lawsuit said Kelly had previously rejected lump-sum offers of $25 million and $30 million from LSU.
On Oct. 29, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry criticized Woodward for agreeing to such a one-sided deal with Kelly.
“I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting our next coach,” Landry said during a news conference at the state capitol.
“We are not going down a failed path. And I want to tell you something: This is a pattern. … Right now, we’ve got a $53 million liability. We are not doing that again. And you know what? I believe that we’re going to find a great coach.”
Woodward resigned the next day. Longtime LSU administrator Verge Ausberry was promoted to replace him.
The Tigers have focused on Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin in their search for Kelly’s replacement. Kiffin, who is also being wooed by Florida, was scheduled to meet with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter about his future in Oxford, Mississippi, on Friday.
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