Brian Kelly’s firing from LSU is turning into a real mess, and it’s only getting more complicated by the day. The program still owes him a massive $54 million buyout, but now the school is trying to shrink that payout as the negotiations have dragged on under heavy scrutiny. To make things worse, the HC’s stint in Baton Rouge ended on a pretty ugly note, as former players and staff are exposing the 64-year-old.

Kelly’s arrogance rubbed important people the wrong way. On top of that, his failure to fully embrace LSU’s culture and fix glaring roster holes left many frustrated. “Guys didn’t feel like he meant what he said. Everyone could feel that in the building,” the former player said. “It was just the style of coaching. If you don’t truly know someone, you just see it all as a facade.” The Athletic spoke with 10 people, anonymously, who have been part of LSU football in recent years and/or have worked for Kelly.

The ACC Coach of the Year’s time at LSU felt like a textbook example of a “CEO coach” who never really connected with his players. He didn’t even know some of their first names. This detail pretty much says it all about the disconnect and the lack of trust within the program.

“He really stripped the culture of what this place is. You know this place is not regular, man,” the LSU staffer said. Another former player who decided to transfer, his position coaches told him that Brian Kelly would meet with him one-on-one. But the then HC never showed up, which described the issue within. That’s why the former player was not surprised to see Kelly fired. “There’s no tolerance, no patience from the fan base for anything that’s not excellence, and he didn’t bring that.” ESPN’s Booger McFarland, a former LSU star, nailed it when he said Kelly was the exact opposite of Ed “Coach O” Orgeron.

“He never really had a relationship with the players,” Booger said about Kelly. “He was a CEO – a top-down coach – he never got in the trenches with the guys…But I think we’ll find a players’ coach that’ll be better and will be a better fit down in Louisiana.” McFarland’s point about coaching in the South rings true: it’s about fit.” CBS Sports writer John Talty described a disconnect between Kelly and the team.

Charles Turner, LSU’s starting center during Kelly’s first two seasons in Baton Rouge, told The Athletic last year that he hardly had any personal interactions with the 64-year-old. Kelly, on his part, just faces more and more backlash from students and parents. Like, there is Mansoor Delane’s father, who doubled down on Brian Kelly’s time at LSU.

“If you go back and watch the tape, it didn’t seem like the offense was locking in and getting ready to go change the tide of the game,” Jafau Delane said. “And then when they would go on, if it wasn’t a TV timeout, it was a very lackadaisical approach.” If that wasn’t enough, LSU defensive back Matthew Langlois even accused the HC of forcing him into medical retirement.

LSU football is now in the hands of the lawmakers

Brian Kelly entered Baton Rouge with a hefty $95M contract. And then after three and a half years of his controversial service, he leaves Death Valley with another staggering $54M, and heaps of criticisms. Now that’s something no organization would accept. That’s why right after LSU fired Brian Kelly, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry didn’t just express frustration about the coaching decision. Instead, he brutally criticized LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward.

“No, I can tell you right now Scott Woodward is not selecting our next coach,” Landry said to the reporters. The LSU Board of Supervisors will form a selection committee, but that would be without Woodward’s participation if Landry has his way. “Everyone is in agreement in Louisiana,” Landry said. “The next coach we hire is going to have a patently different contract.” The governor’s anger centers around the massive financial mess left by Kelly’s contract.

Woodward legit greenlit a monstrous 10-year contract for Kelly. That included incentives that led to LSU being on the hook. Now this wasn’t a one-time thing. Woodward came to LSU from Texas A&M, where a similarly disastrous contract with coach Jimbo Fisher left that school with a $76 million buyout bill after Fisher’s firing. Landry bluntly said, “This is a pattern,” warning Louisiana won’t fall into the same trap again. Landry also criticized the heavy financial burden on taxpayers, especially as ticket prices increased amid LSU’s losing season.