Fired LSU Coach Brian Kelly And His Attorneys Now Fighting LSU On Another Front

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

Apparently, fired LSU football coach Brian Kelly still has a lot of fight left in him.

Kelly, 64, and his attorneys stated in a Nov. 18 letter to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry and the LSU Board of Supervisors that LSU has “made it nearly impossible” for Kelly to get another coaching job because of LSU’s contention that Kelly has not been formally terminated, according to an ESPN story on Tuesday.

ESPN received the letter from a public records request.

Then-LSU athletic director Scott Woodward fired Kelly on Oct. 26 – the day after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M that dropped the Tigers out of College Football Playoff contention for the fourth time in Kelly’s four seasons at LSU.

In an LSU athletic department release on Oct. 26, Woodward’s quotes basically spelled out a “without cause” firing, which would mean Kelly would get his full $54 million buyout or close to it after being fired with six years remaining on a 10-year, $100 million contract.

“When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.”

Woodward added another statement, though, which sounded like a firing with some cause, which would mean Kelly wouldn’t get all of his buyout.

“We will continue to negotiate his separation and will work toward a path that is better for both parties,” Woodward said.

Special Meeting About LSU’s Buyout Dispute With Fired Coach Brian Kelly Called For Friday

Kelly and his attorneys have been fighting LSU for the full $54 million buyout ever since.

LSU officials have been trying to negotiate Kelly down because they believe he broke the morality clause of his contract. And they have said that Woodward wasn’t authorized to fire Kelly. LSU fired Woodward on Oct. 30 and replaced him with deputy athletic director Ausberry. Meanwhile, LSU is now trying to fire Kelly with cause.

Last Friday, LSU’s Board authorized new LSU president Wade Rousse to terminate Kelly in writing, possibly with cause.

“We just gave authority to the (LSU) president to terminate him (Brian Kelly),” LSU Board member John Carmouche Friday. “The president will make that decision (if Kelly was fired with or without cause).” … Only LSU would try to fire a coach twice while trying to hire a new one. https://t.co/JkUpiLxIVy

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 22, 2025

“As you know, there is absolutely no basis to LSU’s contrived positions that Coach Kelly was not terminated or that cause existed for such termination,” the letter of Nov. 18 by Kelly’s representation to LSU states. “LSU’s conduct, including its failure to confirm that coach Kelly was terminated without cause and its unsupported allegations of misconduct on the part of coach Kelly, has made it nearly impossible for coach Kelly to secure other football-related employment. LSU’s conduct continues to harm coach Kelly, particularly during this critical hiring period.”

Ausberry did not comment when asked about Kelly’s and his attorneys’ contentions in the letter when contacted by Tiger Rag on Tuesday.

Ausberry has been leading the search to replace Kelly at LSU since Oct. 26. And he did comment when asked if he has heard Kelly’s name as a candidate for any of the other head coaching vacancies around the country as he has been talking to various coaches and former coaches a lot – like ESPN’s Nick Saban – about the various openings.

“I have not,” Ausberry said.

Before the fights between Kelly and LSU surfaced about his contract buyout and LSU allegedly hurting Kelly’s chances at other jobs, Kelly was not mentioned as a serious candidate at any of the current openings anyway.

And there are a lot of head coaching openings, including at Florida, Penn State, Auburn, UCLA, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, California, Oregon State, Colorado State and UAB.

The only job in which Kelly’s name was or has been connected to at all was Penn State, but that was on Oct. 13 before he got fired at LSU.