GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Fasten your seatbelts, LSU fans, it’s going to be a bumpy night … week … and month.
Actress Bette Davis said that – minus the LSU fans part – in the 1950 classic, “All About Eve.”
This is “All About LSU Football,” and what may be happening to head coach Brian Kelly and his staff in light of the Tigers’ watershed, 49-25 loss to Texas A&M Saturday night in Tiger Stadium that is the lowest of lows in the four seasons of Kelly.
LSU staff changes that Brian Kelly hinted of after embarrassing loss to A&M could come as early as today. Then later, the Generals, too? Column:https://t.co/uqoQAT95lf
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 26, 2025
LSU-connected sources have confirmed national media reports that LSU powers that be are in high level discussions about Kelly and his staff’s future amid a fourth straight season out of the College Football Playoff and sixth straight overall since the Tigers won the 2019 national championship under coach Ed Orgeron.
Sources: LSU is in discussions about Brian Kelly’s future, and that includes outreach to Kelly about his potential departure. The situation is in flux. Kelly is owed $54 million in buyout money. pic.twitter.com/koxfRjSXfu
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 26, 2025
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward will finally see the payments toward Orgeron’s $17 million buyout completed in December after he fired him during the 2021 season. If Woodward and/or LSU fire Kelly without cause this year, LSU will owe Kelly a $52.3 million buyout. And there is no evidence of poor conduct by Kelly on or off the field that would call for a firing with cause.
Woodward renegotiated Orgeron’s contract after his national championship, including the exorbitant buyout for a coach from nearby Larose in his dream job who never considered leaving LSU. Woodward hired Kelly away from Notre Dame after the 2021 season for $100 million over 10 years.
That contract and buyout for Kelly, who turned 64 Saturday, is a major part of the ongoing discussion.
One LSU source confirmed that LSU staff changes could be announced or leaked out on Sunday.
BRIAN KELLY TOUCHES ON HIS FUTURE
The most likely event to happen on Sunday night would be a demotion or firing of embattled, second-year LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan with him being replaced on an interim basis by co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Cortez Hankton or first-year run game coordinator Alex Atkins.
Sloan was Kelly’s quarterbacks coach at LSU from 2021-23 before being promoted to offensive coordinator when ultra-successful Mike Denbrock left LSU for Notre Dame. Sloan’s only previous offensive coordinator experience was in 2020 and ’21 at Louisiana Tech.
Hankton was Kelly’s wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at LSU in 2022 and ’23.
LSU’s run game has been the worst part about the Tigers this season as it is currently 122nd in the nation out of 134 upper level programs with 106 yards a game. But Atkins was Florida State’s offensive coordinator from 2022-24.
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