Sports

LSU Ignored Governor’s Demands To Guarantee Lane Kiffin Massive Buyout Much Higher Than Brian Kelly’s

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© SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK / © Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images


LSU was able to pry Lane Kiffin away from SEC rival Ole Miss amid a College Football Playoff run. It had to pony up in order to do so.

The Tigers will make their next head coach one of the highest paid leaders in college football. They will also be forced to open up the checkbook if the marriage fails.

Kiffin will reportedly sign a seven-year deal at his new school worth $91 million. The opportunity to make more is tied to national championship incentives.

The coach’s contract is worth $13 million annually. He will be paid close to that of Georgia’s Kirby Smart, the nation’s highest earner.

Along with that salary comes a massive buyout. If Kiffin is fired, he will be paid handsomely.

Lane Kiffin’s buyout is higher than Brian Kelly’s.

That likely wasn’t music to Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s ears. He was on record blasting the payout owed to LSU’s last coach. He also vowed not to let the school repeat history.

“I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill,” he said after Brian Kelly’s firing.

Kelly signed a 10-year deal worth $95 million to leave Notre Dame four years ago. LSU is on the hook for $54 million with the two sides currently locked in a financial battle.

While Kelly’s buyout total is one of the highest in college football history, he has a duty to mitigate. Essentially, he must actively search for another job. His next salary will be used to offset the buyout number.

That mitigation clause worked out great for Penn State, who fired James Franklin earlier this season. His buyout dropped nearly $40 million after being hired by Virginia Tech.

That duty will not be applied to Lane Kiffin. If he is fired, he is reportedly guaranteed 80% of his remaining contract.

Unlike with Kelly’s deal, Kiffin has no duty to mitigate damages, and LSU has no right to offset what it owes if he obtains new employment

–Sportico

At the moment, the total is $72.8 million. It obviously decreases the longer Kiffin stays employed.

Kelly was let go midway through his fourth season. Kiffin’s buyout would likely be somewhere between $31-41 million (if he hasn’t won a national championship) on that same timeline.

While the overall number might be lower in Kiffin’s case, the absence of a mitigation clause would likely make final payment higher. LSU is hoping it doesn’t get to that.

Buyouts have been an issue for the Tigers of late. For a very brief moment, they’ll have three head coaches on the payroll.

LSU ignored the governor’s wishes when signing Lane Kiffin. The Tigers hope that this coaching stint doesn’t end like the last.