"Zoom in: The 2025 season has been a bloodbath. So far, at least 13 coaches have been axed, and four of them - LSU's Brian Kelly, Auburn's Hugh Freeze, Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and Florida's Billy Napier - netted buyouts worth at least $15 million. LSU fired Kelly last month and now owes him roughly $54 million, which the school said they would pay after Kelly rejected two settlement offers from the school and sued for the full amount."
"Between the lines: Penn State's firing of James Franklin in October generated a $49 million buyout that was negotiated down to $9 million after Franklin took over as Virginia Tech's head coach. What to watch: The historic coaching carousel isn't over yet. Firings will heat up as the regular season ends after this weekend. Questions are also piling up about who will take high-profile jobs like LSU or Penn State."
Colleges are obligated to pay at least $145 million in buyouts for fired head coaches and assistants so far this season. The 2025 season saw at least 13 coaches fired, with four — LSU's Brian Kelly, Auburn's Hugh Freeze, Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and Florida's Billy Napier — receiving buyouts of at least $15 million. LSU owes Kelly roughly $54 million after he rejected settlement offers and sued for the full amount. The second-largest buyout trails Jimbo Fisher's $77 million. Penn State's James Franklin generated a $49 million buyout negotiated down to $9 million after he took the Virginia Tech job. Firings and high-profile hires remain in flux.
Read at Axios
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