LSU Board of Supervisors to discuss Brian Kelly lawsuit

The LSU Board of Supervisors will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss Brian Kelly’s lawsuit seeking his full buyout, according to the agenda. Most of the meeting is expected to be spent behind closed doors.

Earlier this month, former LSU head coach Brian Kelly filed a lawsuit against the board, arguing that LSU did not “formally terminate” him as head coach. Filed in the 19th Judicial District for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the 48-page complaint outlines that LSU is working to fire Kelly “for cause” and avoid paying his $54 million buyout.

According to the suit, LSU held a call with Kelly, stating it believed it had the grounds for firing “for cause.” LSU fired Kelly on Oct. 26, the day after an embarrassing 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M. In LSU’s announcement that it had fired Kelly, athletic director Scott Woodward cited that the move was made for the Tigers’ on-field performance. Woodward has since been fired.

“LSU’s representatives had a call with Coach Kelly’s representatives, where LSU took the position that Coach Kelly had not been formally terminated and informed Coach Kelly’s representatives, for the very first time, that LSU believed grounds for termination for cause existed,” the complaint states.

According to the filing, LSU worked to settle with Kelly multiple times since he was fired. That included offers of $25 million and $30 million. The $30 million payment would have been made in two installments and eliminated the duty to mitigate clause.

The lawsuit also included communications from Kelly’s legal representatives to LSU representatives alleging that Kelly was told someone from Gov. Jeff Landry’s office would be reaching out to Kelly to discuss the terms of his buyout. Landry made headlines for his comments in a press conference that Woodward would not be involved in the hiring of LSU’s next head coach, while calling the buyout a “$53 million liability.”