Brian Kelly roasted on social media after LSU’s heartbreaking loss to FSU. Check out why Brian kelly leave Notre Dame and his contract details
Brian Kelly : why leave Notre Dame | Contract | Family
Brian Keith Kelly (born October 25, 1961) is an American football coach who is currently the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU).
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1961 Everett, Massachusetts |
| Playing career | |
| 1979–1982 | Assumption (club) |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
Kelly previously served as the head football coach at Grand Valley State University (1991–2003), Central Michigan University (2004–2006), the University of Cincinnati (2006–2009), and the University of Notre Dame (2010–2021).
He led the Grand Valley State Lakers to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championships in 2002 and 2003.
Kelly’s 2012 Notre Dame team reached the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, while his 2018 and 2020 teams made appearances in the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Why leave Notre Dame
The reason was hinted at after news broke that Kelly was leaving Notre Dame, but the new Tigers coach left no doubt in an April interview with The Associated Press on the eve of his first spring practice at LSU.
“It’s been awesome because you’ve got incredible facilities, you’ve got players that want to be great,” he told the AP. “I want to be in an environment where I have the resources to win a national championship. And I came down here because I want to be in the American League East.
“I felt like I did everything that I could at Notre Dame and they felt like they did everything they could for me. I felt like we had both got to a point where this is what they could do, right? This is what I did. And we couldn’t get past that. OK? And so here we are.”
Indeed, Kelly described a growing rift between himself and Notre Dame leadership as it related to facilities. At LSU, he no longer has to argue for improving them.
“I felt like that what I was looking for was student-athlete-centered,” Kelly said. “And I was pushing for more for the student-athlete, and I wanted to see that piece. And we didn’t seem to be on the same path as to how that was going to get accomplished.”
Brian Kelly Contract
Brian Kelly will be the second-highest paid coach in college football thanks to the terms of his contract with LSU.
Per the term sheet obtained by USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz, Kelly’s deal with the Tigers will pay him just over $100 million over 10 years.
Kelly’s base salary is only $400,000, but he will also receive “supplemental compensation that begins at an annual rate of $8.6 million” and a $500,000 longevity payment that will be paid out every year on July 1 that he remains on the job.
Berkowitz provided additional details about Kelly’s supplemental compensation and additional incentives he can earn:
“Kelly’s supplemental pay has a series of scheduled increases—to $8.8 million in 2023, $9 million in 2025, $9.2 million in 2027, $9.4 million in 2029 and $9.6 million in 2031. But the deal has provisions that will allow him to increase those payments. It also offers the possibility of $1.325 million in annual bonuses, including $500,000 each time LSU is ‘bowl eligible.’ This is likely the largest bonus payment for becoming eligible for a bowl game that does not involve a contract extension.”
Kelly’s $9.5 million “basic total” for the 2022 season is tied with Michigan State’s Mel Tucker for the second-highest salary among all college football coaches.
Family
Kelly and his wife, Paqui, have three children. Paqui, after surviving breast cancer, went on to start the Kelly Cares Foundation.
Brian Kelly’s daughter, Grace Kelly, had a hilarious reaction to her dad changing jobs from Notre Dame to LSU. Grace is a senior at Notre Dame and will be without her dad for her last five months of school. She says that she’s ready to be booed every day while she’s walking to class.
LSU decided to make the Brian Kelly move after a tough season for them. They’re currently in last place of the SEC West at 3-5 in the conference and 6-6 overall. Bringing Brian Kelly in should help this team as he is a proven coach throughout his long coaching career.