When LSU fired former HC Brian Kelly, he insisted he was fired without cause. In coaching contract language, it means the school owes him the whole $54 million. LSU fires back, saying former AD Scott Woodward didn’t actually have the Board of Supervisors’ permission to fire him. And just when you think that’s messy enough, the Board finally steps in.

Only last Friday, LSU President Wade Rousse got the Board’s blessing to send the official termination notice. That’s when Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger dropped the big news on X.

“Brian Kelly has received a formal termination letter from LSU dismissing him “without cause,” per the letter obtained by @YahooSports,” he wrote on X on November 26. “The school says it will pay the required buyout – $54M over 6 years – as long as Kelly meets his obligation to find another job.”

Brian Kelly’s exit wasn’t supposed to be a soap opera. LSU thought it was cutting ties with a fading era after a 49-25 flop against Texas A&M. Instead, his departure has turned into a full-blown contract boxing match, complete with lawyers, technicalities, and a $54 million uppercut hanging in the air. And this fight is nowhere near the final bell. 

The termination letter lays out Brian Kelly’s homework. He must make “good-faith, reasonable and sustained efforts” to land another coaching job similar to James Franklin’s lightning-fast rebound to Virginia Tech. He also has to document his job search like a diligent college sophomore, including interviews, offers, callbacks, the whole thing. 

On Monday, ESPN reported that Brian Kelly’s attorneys fired off a response accusing LSU of sabotaging his job hunt entirely. Their claim is that LSU’s hesitation to confirm the “without cause” firing, plus hints of alleged misconduct, scared off potential employers. If the coach can’t secure a new gig, the Tigers’ buyout obligation becomes a slow-dripping six-year faucet. 

Before the chaos, Brian Kelly wasn’t exactly a disaster at LSU. He finished 34-14 overall and 19-10 in SEC play, even reaching the SEC Championship in Year 1. But LSU announced his departure right after the Texas A&M loss. His buyout is the second-largest in college football history, behind only Jimbo Fisher’s $76.8 million. And with the Tigers finally pulling the trigger, the coach’s future now collides with a wild coaching market.

What’s next for Brian Kelly?

There are now nine Power Conference openings across the country – Stanford, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Penn State, Florida, LSU, Auburn, and Cal. Virginia Tech kicked things off early by hiring James Franklin on Nov. 19. Add Oregon State and UAB to the mix, and the carousel is spinning like a December portal window. And more openings are coming, which brings us to the two programs where Brian Kelly actually makes sense.

According to analyst David Pollack, Arkansas and Penn State need a proven winner, and Brian Kelly fits that bill. 

“Brian Kelly has proven the heck out of himself,” he said. “Brian Kelly is a great football coach, and you can’t convince me otherwise. You can debate me if you want, but you’re gonna lose.” 

Pollack doubled down, saying he’d take Brian Kelly at Arkansas but sees an even better cultural fit at Penn State. Yet even with endorsements, he still hasn’t found a landing spot, and time isn’t exactly on his side.

Arkansas is vetting interim HC Bobby Petrino after Sam Pittman’s exit. Penn State is scrambling to replace James Franklin. LSU, meanwhile, is already chasing fireworks names like Lane Kiffin. And with Frank Wilson steering the Tigers as interim HC, Brian Kelly remains a high-profile free agent with $54 million waiting on whether someone picks up the phone.