After less than four seasons at the helm, Brian Kelly is out at LSU. News of his firing was first reported Sunday night, just a day after the Tigers were walloped by Texas A&M. The loss dropped the coach's overall record in Baton Rouge to 34-14.
Associate head coach Frank Wilson will, for now, take over in Kelly's stead. Here's everything we know about him so far.
Who is Frank Wilson, the Tigers' interim head coach?
Wilson, a New Orleans native, is a well-known presence around the LSU facilities. In 2010, he was hired as the Tigers' running back coach and recruiting coordinator under Les Miles, when he played a part in bringing stars like Leonard Fournette, Tyrann Mathieu, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry to Baton Rouge. He was named Rivals's National Recruiter of the Year Award in 2011, NFL.com's Top Recruiter in College Football in 2014 and Scout.com's SEC Recruiter of the Year in 2015.
In 2016, he left for the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he served as head coach for four seasons. He then spent two campaigns leading McNeese State before returning to LSU as running backs coach and associate head coach in 2022; he was one of Kelly's first hires.
Prior to his first stint with the Tigers, Wilson held collegiate coaching positions at Tennessee (wide receivers), Southern Miss (running backs/recruiting coordinator), Ole Miss (running backs/special teams) and Nicholls (student assistant), from which he graduated and played as a running back from 1993-95.
As a head coach, Wilson has an overall record of 26-40 and made an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl in his first season at UTSA. He has also coached or recruited 40 athletes who have gone to play in the NFL, per his LSU bio.
In 2022, Wilson was accused of sexual harassment in a larger lawsuit filed by former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis, who alleged that the school retaliated against her after she reported claims that then-head coach Les Miles had sexually harassed student athletic workers. Though Wilson was not a defendant, Lewis claimed in her suit that the coach had previously exposed himself to her and asked her to touch his genitalia. Court filings also alleged that the coach attempted to kiss a different female employee without her consent. Lewis was fired months after she filed the lawsuit as part of the staff change that followed Brian Kelly's hiring.
A jury dismissed the case in January 2024. During the trial, Wilson called the allegations against him "egregious and not true," and said that "at no point have I ever been accused of the things I'm being accused of now."
He will make his debut at the helm on Saturday, when the Tigers travel to face the No. 4 Crimson Tide.
LSU's statement on Brian Kelly firing
Here is the full text of LSU's statement regarding Kelly's firing and Wilson's appointment:
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU Athletics has made the decision to separate with football head coach Brian Kelly effective immediately, Director of Athletics Scott Woodward announced Sunday.
Terms of the separation are still being negotiated.
“When Coach Kelly arrived at LSU four years ago, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game. I am grateful for the ongoing consultations and support of the LSU Board of Supervisors and Interim President Matt Lee in this decision. We wish Coach Kelly and his family the very best in their future endeavors. We will continue to negotiate his separation and will work toward a path that is better for both parties.”
The Tigers fell to 5-3 this season and 2-3 in SEC play following a home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday night.
LSU was 34-14 across four seasons with Kelly at the helm, including a 19-10 mark against SEC competition, and won three straight bowl games. The Tigers made their lone SEC Championship game appearance under Kelly in his first season in 2022. In 2023, they were led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick.
Kelly is the winningest active coach in NCAA Football with 323 career victories. He amassed a 23-3 record in Tiger Stadium, including a 20-2 mark in night games in Death Valley.
Associate head coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season.
“As a proud alum, and as the current caretaker of our athletics programs, I will not compromise in our pursuit of excellence and we will not lower our standards,” Woodward said. “I continue to believe that LSU is the best football program in America and that our head coach position is among the best considering our investment, our ability to attract and retain talent, our unbelievable fans, and our institutional and statewide commitment to – and love for – LSU Football. We will immediately begin a national search for a new head football coach, and I am confident in our ability to bring to Baton Rouge an outstanding leader, teacher and coach, who fits our culture and community and who embraces the excellence that we demand.
“While there will certainly be speculation and reports on candidates and the process, together we will celebrate and welcome a new coach at the appropriate time. I urge all in the LSU community to continue to support our student-athletes and coaches as they compete the rest of the season.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What We Know About Frank Wilson, LSU's Interim Coach After Brian Kelly Firing.
