The First Whistle: The $91M Hire

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING

Lane Kiffin contract details: LSU coach gets seven-year, $91 million deal with extra incentives

LSU hired Lane Kiffin on a seven-year, $91 million contract that pays him $13 million annually before incentives, putting him among the three highest-paid coaches in college football. His deal includes a clause that would raise his salary to No. 1 nationally if he wins a national championship.

Unusual Contract Terms
LSU will honor Kiffin’s postseason bonuses from Ole Miss, allowing him to earn up to $1 million if the Rebels win a national title this season. His buyout guarantees him 80% of the remaining contract if fired without cause, paid monthly and without offset language.

Ole Miss After Kiffin’s Exit
Kiffin’s departure came after leading Ole Miss to its first 11-win regular season and likely its first College Football Playoff berth. Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to permanent head coach.

Competition for Kiffin
At least three schools pursued Kiffin before he accepted the LSU job. He leaves Ole Miss with a 117-53 career record over 14 college seasons.

📃 Read full CBS Sports article here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING

SEC coaching carousel spins fast: five schools fill jobs in 24 hours

By the end of the college football regular season, a quarter of SEC teams had fired their head coach—and by Sunday night, six of the conference’s 16 programs were in the middle of coaching transitions. The swift series of moves, including Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss to LSU, helped ignite a nationwide carousel.

Where SEC Jobs Landed
Arkansas replaced Sam Pittman with Memphis’ Ryan Silverfield; Auburn moved on from Hugh Freeze and hired South Florida’s Alex Golesh; Florida swapped Billy Napier for Tulane’s Jon Sumrall; LSU dismissed Brian Kelly and hired Kiffin; Ole Miss elevated defensive coordinator Pete Golding after Kiffin’s exit; and Kentucky joined the cycle late Sunday after firing Mark Stoops.

Massive Buyout Costs
Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, and Kentucky collectively owe about $83 million in buyouts, while LSU agreed to pay Brian Kelly his full $54 million buyout pending offset provisions.

National Ripple Effects
The SEC’s moves fed broader coaching turnover across FBS. Michigan State fired Jonathan Smith and hired former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, Coastal Carolina fired Tim Beck, and N.C. State confirmed it will retain Dave Doeren for a 14th season. Contract terms for several new hires are expected later this week.

🧢 Read full Front Office Sports article here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING

Kansas State coach Chris Klieman is stepping down after 7 seasons leading the Wildcats

Chris Klieman is stepping down after seven seasons at Kansas State and nearly 35 years in coaching, ending a run that featured a Big 12 championship and bowl trips in six of seven seasons.

Why Now
Klieman said the decision stemmed from personal health considerations and a desire to spend more time with his family, noting that the choice came after “many deep and thoughtful conversations.”

What’s Next
Kansas State is targeting Texas A&M offensive coordinator — and former Wildcat quarterback — Collin Klein as its next head coach, though it’s unclear whether he would coach the Aggies through a potential College Football Playoff run.

Final Chapter
Klieman is expected to lead the Wildcats in their bowl game before officially closing his coaching career, marking the end of an era for a program that embraced him from day one.

🏈 Read full Kansas Press Association article here

COLLEGE ATHLETICS INITIATIVES

Athletics department launches FOR SPARTA: The Capital Initiative for MSU Athletics

Michigan State University announced FOR SPARTA: The Capital Initiative for MSU Athletics, a $1 billion effort aimed at upgrading facilities, improving the student-athlete experience, and strengthening the university’s position in college athletics. The initiative operates within MSU’s broader Uncommon Will. Far Better World campaign.

Facility Modernization Plans
FOR SPARTA includes major renovations across multiple venues, highlighted by a reimagined Spartan Stadium featuring a new East Tower and expanded premium seating. The initiative also plans shared spaces such as a student-athlete dining facility, along with sport-specific improvements.

Progress to Date
Since planning began in 2022, MSU Athletics has raised nearly $250 million toward its goal. Recent upgrades include new Spartan Stadium videoboards, renovations to multiple stadium levels, completion of new outdoor tennis courts, and the opening of a rowing training center in 2024.

Campaign Timeline
The FOR SPARTA initiative will follow the 2025–2032 timeline of MSU’s larger university campaign. Additional projects, including finalizing architects for stadium modernization, continue to move forward under Board of Trustees approvals.

💰️ Read full MSU Spartans article here

COLLEGE ATHLETICS REVENUE-SHARE

College sports execs near plan to boost athlete revenue-share cap

College sports officials are closing in on a plan that would boost the athlete revenue-share cap by up to $2.5M by removing the rule that deducts new scholarship spending from a school’s pool.

How It Works
The proposal adds a “luxury tax”—about 20%—on whatever portion of that extra $2.5M a school uses, with the tax supporting the College Sports Commission’s operations.

What’s Guaranteed
Regardless of the new plan, the cap is already set to rise 4% next year per the House settlement, adding roughly $800K.

Impact
If approved, schools could see as much as $3.3M in additional rev-share money to distribute to athletes next year.

📈 Read full Sports Business Journal article here

Start 3/Bench 1

⬆️ Kalani Sitake. BYU coach Kalani Sitake is expected to stay in Provo despite interest from Penn State, with the Cougars preparing a new deal worth roughly $9–9.5 million annually. The school is also gearing up to invest an additional $10–15 million in NIL on top of revenue-sharing commitments. - Nick Schultz

⬆️ Mark Andrews. Mark Andrews is staying in Baltimore on a three-year, $39.3 million extension with $26 million guaranteed. The deal keeps the Ravens’ all-time leading receiver under contract beyond the final year of his previous agreement. – Nick Shook

⬆️ Cowboys-Chiefs Game. The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day averaged 57.23 million viewers on CBS, making it the most-watched regular-season NFL game in history. - Associated Press

⬇️ SCORE Act. House leaders cancelled the SCORE Act vote after it failed to gain enough support from both parties. The bill would have expanded NCAA-style authority over eligibility, transfers, recruitment, and NIL rules. - Sudiksha Kochi