LSU’s five-month coaching overhaul has cost an absurd $200 million

One way or another, it pays to be an LSU coach. With Thursday’s re-hire of Will Wade , the school is at a whopping $200 million spent on coaches for its marquee teams since October. The overhaul began with the firing of Tigers football coach Brian Kelly, whose debacle of a three-year tenure ended with a $54 million buyout — and that doesn’t include the court fees from the lawsuit he filed over his termination. Kelly’s replacement, Lane Kiffin, came over from Ole Miss following a $3 million buyout, agreeing to a seven-year, $91 million deal that reportedly comes with additional incentives. There’s $148 million right there, before getting into the projected $40 million for the roster . It wasn’t a high enough total to scare Tigers administrators off from making changes to the basketball team, either. They opted to move on from coach Matt McMahon and his 60-70 record, leaving him due an $8 million buyout as part of the seven-year deal he signed four years ago when he took over following Wade’s scandal-filled departure. Per ESPN, McMahon’s staff is due at least $1 million , as well. Bringing Wade back from NC State — he was fired by LSU in 2019 after an NCAA probe left the program hobbled by sanctions — cost $4 million in buyout cash, according to NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan, who said that figure was negotiated down from over $5 million. Details of Wade’s new contract have not been announced, but he’s expected to be gettingreceive approximately $30 million on the deal, according to ESPN. Then there’s the hiring of Wade’s staff and an increase to the budget to build his roster, which CBS Sports pegged to start at $10 million. That would put the total cost of the men’s basketball and football programs over the past five months at at $201 million. LSU has never been afraid to spend on its coaches —, with women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey is in the third year of a 10-year, $32 million contract, while and baseball coach Jay Johnson signedsigning a seven-year, $23.45 million extension in 2025 — past or present.