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 Friday, according to The Advocate in Baton Rouge.
The move, the first action by the university since Kelly sued the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 10, was discussed in a closed executive session.
According to The Advocate, LSU board member John Carmouche asked the board to authorize Rousse to “in consultation with the general counsel, review and, if appropriate, send Brian Kelly written notice of termination under his employment contract.” The request was adopted without objection.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, Kelly’s attorneys alleged that LSU officials informed the coach that they were seeking to fire him “with cause” to avoid paying his $54 million buyout. The lawsuit asks a Louisiana state judge for a declaratory judgment that Kelly was fired without cause and owes his full buyout.
The lawsuit also alleged that LSU claimed former athletic director Scott Woodward did not have the authority to fire Kelly.
“LSU never asserted that Coach Kelly was terminated for cause and, prior to November 10, 2025, never asserted that he engaged in conduct that would warrant such termination,” the lawsuit states. “To the contrary, LSU has repeatedly confirmed, publicly and to Coach Kelly, that the dismissal was due to team performance, and not for cause.”
The lawsuit says Kelly previously rejected package offers of $25 million and $30 million from LSU.
On October 29, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry criticized Woodward for agreeing to such a one-sided deal with Kelly.
“I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward will not select our next coach,” Landry said during a news conference at the state Capitol.
“We’re not going down a failed path. And I want to tell you something: It’s a trend. … Right now we have $53 million in liabilities. We’re not doing that again. And you know what? I think we’re going to get 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 courted by Florida, was scheduled to meet with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter on Friday about his future in Oxford, Mississippi.
