The LSU board of supervisors Friday authorized new school president Wade Rousse to send former coach Brian Kelly written notice that he has been fired, the first step in its response to a lawsuit Kelly filed against the board.
The topic was discussed during a private executive session that lasted around 27 minutes. Upon returning from the closed-door meeting, LSU board member John Carmouche asked the board to give Rousse permission “in consultation with general counsel to review and, if appropriate, send Brian Kelly written notice of termination under his employment agreement.”
The motion was passed without an objection. Carmouche is the chairman of the athletics committee and has been a key figure in the buyout negotiations with Kelly’s representatives. Carmouche, Rousse and board chairman Scott Ballard declined further comment.
Kelly filed a lawsuit Nov. 10 in the 19th Judicial District for East Baton Rouge Parish as the two sides reached an impasse in buyout negotiations.
His attorneys alleged LSU took the position that he had not been “formally terminated” and that the school sought to fire him for cause, which could take the school off the hook for his nearly $54 million buyout. The lawsuit asked for a declaratory judgment that Kelly has been fired without cause and is owed his full buyout.
The lawsuit also claimed LSU said then-athletic director Scott Woodward did not have the authority to fire Kelly at the time. Woodward and the school parted ways four days later after Gov. Jeff Landry criticized Woodward in a news conference and said he would not hire the next head coach.
“Under Article VII, Section 1(L)(3) of the Board of Supervisors Bylaws, any personnel action relating to varsity athletics coaches with a salary over $250,000 requires board approval,” LSU said in a statement Friday.
In the midst of his fourth season, Kelly was dismissed as LSU’s head coach Oct. 26, the day after a 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M. Woodward said in a statement at the time “ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.”
