LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly’s hot seat is on fire.
Despite having six years remaining on his contract, it’s difficult imagining Kelly having much of a future in Baton Rouge following a humiliating home loss to Associated Press No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (8-0, 5-0 in SEC) on Saturday.
With its playoff hopes on the line, LSU imploded, losing 49-25 in a game that was decided after a third quarter, which saw Texas A&M score 21 unanswered points.
Brian Kelly might not be able to come back from latest loss
A change at head coach doesn’t appear imminent, but as LSU’s season spirals down the drain, university decision-makers might be left without any other choice than to consider a massive buyout. Per CBS Sports, Kelly is owed $52.38 million if he’s fired at the end of the season.
While an exorbitant cost, No. 20 LSU (5-3, 2-3 in SEC) has raised expectations for itself over the years thanks to its three national titles this century. But since winning the College Football Playoff in 2019, the Tigers have been mostly stuck in mediocrity, excluding a run to the SEC championship game in Kelly’s first season.
Instead of building on that success, LSU has gotten worse each season under Kelly’s command, failing to reach the SEC title game in 2023, then going 9-4 a year ago. With remaining games at No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 in SEC) and No. 13 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 in SEC), the Tigers could be headed for a 7-5 record, their third five-loss season this decade.
LSU is at a pivotal juncture in Kelly’s run. Next year would be his fifth as head coach, but with the program failing to live up to expectations this season, it’s fair to wonder if Kelly can get it back on track. If not, it’s time for a fresh voice to lead the way.
The Tigers should certainly be further along than they are. It doesn’t help that the Aggies have already lapped them and are a much stronger team in just two seasons under Mike Elko, or that SEC rivals Arkansas and Florida have already begun searching for their next head coaches.
Kelly was hired to bring national titles to LSU, something each of his three predecessors (Nick Saban, Les Miles, Ed Orgeron) accomplished. But that hasn’t been the case. If anything, the Tigers are farther from that goal than at any other point in the Kelly era, which is quickly running out of steam. It’s all but certain he won’t last with the Tigers through 2031. He might not even make it past 2025.
