In a authorized submitting in opposition to LSU’s Board of Supervisors, Brian Kelly’s attorneys say LSU has taken the place that it has not “formally terminated” Kelly because the Tigers’ soccer coach.
The varsity, based on the petition for declaratory judgement, is now in search of to fireplace Kelly “for trigger” and probably keep away from paying a full buyout of almost $54 million. The submitting claims that LSU knowledgeable Kelly’s representatives of this place on Monday.
In accordance with a duplicate of the swimsuit obtained by ESPN, “LSU’s representatives had a name with Coach Kelly’s representatives, the place LSU took the place that Coach Kelly had not been formally terminated and knowledgeable Coach Kelly’s representatives, for the very first time, that LSU believed grounds for termination for trigger existed.”
The 48-page lawsuit was filed within the nineteenth Judicial District for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (Louisiana) simply hours after this name.
In accordance with the submitting, Kelly’s legal professionals are in search of “a declaratory judgment confirming that LSU’s termination of Coach Kelly is with out trigger and that Coach Kelly is entitled to obtain the complete liquidated damages supplied for in (his contract).”
If LSU did have “trigger,” then the varsity would not owe the complete quantity of the buyout.
Kelly, 64, was initially relieved of his duties on Oct. 26, someday after LSU’s 49-25 loss to Texas A&M dropped the Tigers to 5-3. On the time, his dismissal was stated to be performance-related, with then-athletic director Scott Woodward saying in a press release, “We had excessive hopes that he would lead us to a number of SEC and nationwide championships throughout his time in Baton Rouge. Finally, the success on the degree that LSU calls for merely didn’t materialize.”
The swimsuit doesn’t specify who from LSU spoke to Kelly’s representatives on Monday, or what conduct would possibly represent a “for trigger” dismissal.
The swimsuit does allege that LSU instructed Kelly’s representatives on Monday that Woodward didn’t have “the authority to terminate Coach Kelly and/or make settlement gives to him” again in October and thus Kelly was by no means formally terminated.
The submitting pushes again on three factors that LSU introduced up on the decision:
“Coach Kelly’s representatives knowledgeable LSU that Coach Kelly disagreed with every of LSU’s new positions, together with (i) the concept that he someway had not been terminated, (ii) that the then-Athletics Director Woodward was not appearing with authority (in a gathering attended by a number of LSU athletics officers, together with the present Athletics Director Ausberry), and (iii) that there have been any grounds for termination with trigger (or that LSU might manufacture any such grounds after his termination), thus necessitating this motion.”
Woodward departed below stress 4 days after firing Kelly. That adopted an Oct. 29 information convention throughout which Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry publicly criticized Woodward and stated Woodward wouldn’t be concerned in hiring the subsequent soccer coach.
“Proper now, we have a $53 million legal responsibility. We aren’t doing that once more,” Landry instructed reporters on the time — feedback which are referenced within the lawsuit.
Kelly’s contract with LSU features a “for-cause” termination clause that permits for his firing because of “materials and substantial [NCAA] rule violations,” being convicted of a felony or “any crime involving playing, medicine, or alcohol,” “partaking in critical misconduct which both shows a continuing, critical disrespect … for the mission of LSU,” or “constitutes ethical turpitude.”
“LSU has by no means claimed that Coach Kelly was terminated for trigger and, previous to November 10, 2025, by no means asserted that he engaged in any conduct that might warrant such a termination,” the lawsuit reads. “On the contrary, LSU repeatedly confirmed, each publicly and to Coach Kelly, that the termination was because of the Group’s efficiency, not for trigger.”
The lawsuit goes to nice size to element the method of “for trigger” and the way LSU would have needed to inform Kelly of that inside a seven-day interval. Kelly would then have seven days to reply. The swimsuit says that by no means occurred.
It additionally particulars that LSU tried to settle with Kelly a number of instances, together with an e-mail that particulars gives from LSU to settle with Kelly for $25 million after which later $30 million. The e-mail, which is a part of the submitting, says the $30 million greenback supply would have are available two installments, and included the elimination of mitigation and offset provisions. Kelly didn’t conform to both.
Kelly got here to LSU from Notre Dame in 2022 and went 34-14 total.
When reached by ESPN, a spokesperson for LSU stated the varsity didn’t have any remark right now.