LSU Could Be Spending An Historical Amount Of Money On Its Football Program

LSU is currently sitting with a record of 7-4. The Tigers are in the middle of the SEC standings and have no shot at making the College Football Playoff. Yet, LSU is perhaps the most talked about team in college football right now. And it's all thanks to the school's coaching situation.

On October 26, LSU dismissed Brian Kelly from the program. The coach responded with a lawsuit to make sure he receives his full $54 million buyout. Amid tense conversations, the school formally made the move to fire Kelly with a formal notice of termination on November 21. The two sides are still figuring out what the final buyout will be.

While all of that is going on, LSU still needs to find its next head football coach. It's reportedly prepared an offer for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin worth over $90 million. That deal would make Kiffin the highest-paid coach in college football. Tack on another $25 million in name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, and $10 to $20 million in salaries for assistant coaches, and LSU would be committing about $180 to $190 million to its football team.

Brian Kelly (L) and Lane Kiffin chat before a game. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)

And that's only the amount the program would pay its coaches and players. There are other factors like stadium maintenance and upgrading practice facilities and weight rooms. LSU would likely owe Ole Miss some money as part of the buyout, as well. It's quite the hefty price tag to return to the glory days.

Then again, LSU has a fairly storied history as a college football program. The school has appeared in three national championships since 2007, winning two of them. The Tigers have also won at least 10 games 14 times since the turn of the century, making LSU one of the more consistently successful teams over that timeframe. The school and fans expect better than what they've gotten, and they're willing to pay to improve.

Kiffin hasn't accepted this deal yet, but most signs seem to point toward him leaving Ole Miss and taking the Tigers' offer. LSU is standing by with its checkbook open and ready.