Insider notes on Brian Kelly's hot seat at LSU: Bryce Underwood's flip, mounting losses, and a $60 million question
A much-anticipated season in Baton Rouge that started well has since quickly deteriorated, as the LSU Tigers are just two games above .500. And the news keeps getting worse, as a highly rated recruit chose to skip out on his commitment to the program. All along there have been rumblings of the forced departure of head coach Brian Kelly. So where do things stand, and has a final decision been made?
A promising 2023 season goes awry for LSU in 2024
It was a glorious campaign in 2023 as LSU won 10 games and played in a New Year’s Day bowl game, produced the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Jayden Daniels, then had three players selected in the first round of this year’s draft.
Yet despite losing so much talent to the NFL, some at critical positions, expectations were high in Baton Rouge this season as the Tigers were returning a good defense and an offense that offered potential.
The season started a bit shaky, as the Tigers lost to USC in the final seconds in Week 1 before going on a six-game winning streak. Amongst the victories were close wins against South Carolina and the highly rated Mississippi Rebels.
There was good and bad during that time, as the Tigers saw the development of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier but also lost star linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. for the season to a knee injury.
The team’s fortunes have changed recently, as LSU is in the midst of a three-game losing streak. A 15-point loss to Texas A&M where the Tigers disappeared in the second half was followed by a blowout defeat at the hands of Alabama. And just last week, it was an embarrassing loss to the struggling Florida Gators, a program treading water at 5-5.
Adding insult to injury was five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, who announced Thursday that he was flipping his college commitment from LSU to Michigan.
Insider notes on hot seat coach Brian Kelly's spiraling 2024 season
While all this has happened, questions have arisen about Kelly’s future. The losing streak was tough for Tigers fans to take, yet it was Underwood’s announcement that caused many of them to lose their minds.
There is a real belief from those close to the program that Kelly won’t be retained at the end of the season. Much will depend on how the team finishes out the season, as there are two games left with Vanderbilt and Oklahoma still on the schedule.
A loss to either team could mean doom for Kelly. A faction of decision-makers in Baton Rouge would prefer a younger coach, as Kelly turned 63 years old last month.
LSU's $60 Million dilemma: Letting Brian Kelly go isn't a cakewalk in 2024
Lane Kiffin seems to be the flavor of the day for Tigers fans, as he was just a few weeks ago for Gators fans, though most I’ve spoken with don’t believe that will happen.
The major hurdle to relieving Kelly of his head-coaching duties is the buyout, and it could derail any attempts to cut him loose.
In 2021, Kelly signed a 10-year contract worth $95 million. If the school chooses to fire him, the buyout is estimated to be $60.8 million, which means in all likelihood, Kelly will be back in 2025.
No final decision has been made but the feeling I’m getting from people involved with the program is that it may be too expensive to fire Brian Kelly.
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