Posted on 12/01/2025 2:00:32 PM PST by nickcarraway
Lane Kiffin's contract with LSU includes the unique clause that he will receive a payment equal to the amount he would have earned for coaching Ole Miss in the upcoming College Football Playoff, according to a term sheet obtained by ESPN on Monday.
Kiffin, who agreed to a seven-year contract with LSU on Sunday that will pay him $13 million annually, will receive the same CFP bonus from LSU that he would have if he had remained with Ole Miss through this postseason. That begins at $150,000 for the Rebels' participation in a first-round CFP game, increases to $250,000 for participation in a quarterfinal and tops out at $1 million if Ole Miss wins the national championship.
Kiffin had hoped to coach the Rebels (11-1) through their first CFP appearance, but Ole Miss opted for a clean break and promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach Sunday.
Kiffin will be owed the CFP bonus payments from LSU within 30 days after the Rebels' season ends, according to the term sheet, which Kiffin and LSU officials signed Saturday.
Another notable clause calls for Kiffin to become the nation's highest-paid coach if LSU wins a national championship during his term as coach. The escalator would occur only once during Kiffin's term with LSU, on the date the team wins a national title.
LSU last week agreed to pay former coach Brian Kelly his full $54 million buyout after firing him Oct. 26. The school also is set to make its final payment this month to former coach Ed Orgeron, who led the Tigers to a national title in 2019 and was fired in 2021.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry publicly criticized Kelly's contract and its structure following the coach's firing, as well as athletic director Scott Woodward, who soon resigned from his position.
If Kiffin is fired without cause during his seven-year term with LSU, he would be owed 80% of his remaining salary -- an amount not subject to offset or mitigation, according to the term sheet. If Kiffin leaves LSU for another head coaching job, his buyout would begin at $7 million and drop to $6 million in January 2027.
LSU will pay Kiffin bonuses of $1 million for winning the SEC title game, and a CFP structure that begins at $750,000 for a first-round appearance and increases to $3 million for a national title victory. The school also will cover the difference -- up to $500,000 -- between the purchase price of his home in Mississippi ($2.89 million) and a new primary home in the Baton Rouge area.
LSU is welcome to Kiffin. I don’t know how long the honeymoon will last but I predict an ugly and expensive divorce down the road.
LSU will regret it.
Why would a recruit want to belive his Schtick when he backs? And right before getting into the playoffs?
What a selfish jerk.
Bails...geez
Good grief!
Another WTF moment...
How much will the school make if they have double digit wins every year?
Do you know the full story? College football has a schedule that make any coach who wants to leave a villain. College football has a calendar that puts coaches in this position. Early signing day for schools is December 3rd - 5th, and the playoffs start December 18th, then the transfer portal starts Jan. 2nd.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football. If you aren't already working on it by December 2nd at the latest, you are dead in the water. Plus, it would be a conflict of interest if the coaching is still coaching for the old school, recruiting for the new?
Kiffin never should have gone there.
He should have stayed. Tells me he thinks nothing of the kids.
Why would a recruit want to go to his program if he leaves in 2 or 3 years?
College football is becoming silly. NIL, portal, constant coaching changes, etc.
I agree. None of these dates should be before the national championship.
This current calendar is also why coaches are being fired mid-season.
“Look at this place! It’s made of money!”
LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation
Kiffin looking for yet another team to betray.
Reminds me of the fable of the frog and the scorpion.
Oner would think that at some point the system will break - or the alumni get fed up - with these astronomical salaries and even more astronomical buyout packages. But obviously that point has not been reached yet.
Kiffin, off the top of my head.... Tennessee, USC, the Raiders and Ole Miss. Granted he was fired from a couple positions but I would think once a coach gets in the right spot where he can win and establish regularly competitive teams - Saban at Bama, Smart at Georgia e.g. - there he would stay. Kiffin was well on the way to doing that at Ole Miss. OTOH, maybe the whole NIL system has ended that.
Which teams did he betray. Tennessee, yes. What others?
I am so happy he’s not our problem. He’s a d-bag.
*** My personal opinion.....kiffin is an opportunistic jerk.***
Kiffin has been this way for most of his coaching career. He’s a low class, number one a-hole.
.....kiffin is a winning opportunistic jerk.
“OTOH, maybe the whole NIL system has ended that.”
The NIL and portal makes free agency look like a stable system.
How many SEC Titles has he won?
Agree. Bullet dodged. Gameday interviews of Lane are weird too. He’s a whiner and I hate that.
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