Maryland’s season has unraveled badly enough to end Mike Locksley’s run, leaving the Terrapins looking for someone who can steady the program. Brian Kelly’s name is now circulating as a possible successor, but the former LSU coach is hardly a universally welcomed choice.
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According to On3’s Pete Nakos, several candidates are in the mix to replace Maryland’s head coach, including former LSU and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. However, as The Athletic’s Chris Vannini points out, Kelly could be a cheaper option for the Terrapins. He is owed a $54 million buyout from LSU, but he must land another coaching job to offset those payments.
When Penn State fired James Franklin last season, he was owed a total buyout of around $49 million. However, just like Kelly, the former Nittany Lions head coach also had an “offset” and “duty to mitigate” clause in his contract.
When Franklin accepted a 5-year, $41.75 million contract at Virginia Tech, Penn State was no longer required to pay him the full amount. Instead, he negotiated a lump-sum buyout of $9 million. That allowed the Hokies to structure his contract so they would pay Franklin just $15 million for the first three years. That lower salary, in turn, freed up money for assistant coaches and staff.
The Terrapins could get a similar favorable situation if they go with Brian Kelly. However, for a fan base that was advocating to fire Locksley since last season, Kelly doesn’t seem like that exciting of a draw.
“If your goal is to be 8-5 every year and have everyone at your school treated like absolute dog s–t, I think Kelly would be a great hire,” a fan commented on the On3 post.
The backlash is palpable, but Brian Kelly’s record tells a more complicated story. He led two of the biggest programs, Notre Dame and LSU, and despite his bitter breakup with the Tigers last year, his numbers give him a case to make.
Kelly posted a 113–40 record at Notre Dame and went 34–14 at LSU. Still, they don’t tell the whole story of a coach’s worth.
Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame was controversial, but the program changed significantly between his arrival and departure. Taking over during the final years of the Charlie Weis era, Kelly rebuilt the Fighting Irish, reached the national championship game by his third season and led them to two College Football Playoff appearances.
Neither playoff run ended with a national title. Still, Notre Dame was a different program when Kelly arrived, lacking key facilities such as an indoor training center, a dedicated athletes’ dining facility, and a modern video board. Its national relevance had also faded, leaving Kelly with the task of restoring its prominence.
However, there’s a catch. According to a 2022 report by Bryan Driskell of Sports Illustrated, Brian Kelly may not have been the mastermind behind Notre Dame’s transformation. Instead, much of the credit belonged to the coaches working under him.
“It’s assistant coaches like Harry Hiestand, Clark Lea, Mike Elko, Marcus Freeman, Chip Long, Tommy Rees, Mike Elston, and, of course, strength coach Matt Balis who did the heavy lifting while Kelly traveled all around the country,” wrote Driskell.
While Brian Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame was largely successful and helped shape his legacy, the controversies surrounding his time in South Bend often overshadowed those achievements. The most damaging blow came in November 2016, when the NCAA ordered Notre Dame to vacate 21 victories from the 2012 and 2013 seasons following an academic misconduct investigation.
One fan added fuel to the backlash with a rather pointed argument, writing, “Brian Kelly would be a horrible hire. Couldn’t win at ND with unlimited resources.”
One fan questioned whether hiring the former LSU coach would be worth the hefty price tag, arguing, “Seems like an expensive way to keep losing.” Another had little patience for the Kelly chatter, demanding a fresh start with a younger candidate: “This obsession with Brian Kelly is pathetic; hire someone young and talented.”
Kelly faces considerable opposition, from lingering concerns over his Notre Dame tenure to questions about his relationship with players at LSU. That baggage has left Maryland fans skeptical about the prospect of bringing him aboard.