State audit uncovers LSU football coach Brian Kelly was overpaid by more than $1 million
LSU mistakenly overpaid head football coach Brian Kelly by more than $1 million last year, according to a state audit report published earlier this week.
An audit of the athletic department's finances found that Kelly started receiving duplicate payments following the approval of his contract last spring. The LSU coach had been receiving some of his pay directly, but the contract called for the money to instead be sent to his LLC. LSU erroneously sent payments to both Kelly and his LLC until the school noticed the double payments in November.
The oversight resulted in Kelly pocketing an additional $1,001,368 in supplemental pay during the 2022 fiscal year, according to the audit report.
"LSU management and the head football coach have enacted an adjusted payment schedule so the amount of overpayment will be recouped by the conclusion of fiscal year 2023," legislative auditor Mike Waguespack wrote in his report, which was published Monday.
An LSU spokesperson did not immediately reply to an email from USA TODAY Sports seeking comment and additional information about the "adjusted payment schedule" referenced in the report.
Kelly, the former Notre Dame coach, signed a 10-year, $100 million contract upon his arrival in Baton Rouge last season – which, according to USA TODAY Sports research, was the largest public-school contract in college football history at the time, in terms of total value.
BIG MONEY: Football coaches earned more than $12.2 million in bonuses
DATABASE: Public school coaching salaries in college football's FBS
LOOKING AHEAD: Georgia, Michigan lead way-too-early Top 25 for 2023
The 61-year-old was due to be the fourth-highest paid coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision last season, with a 2022 total pay of $9.81 million. That figure includes a $1 million annual life insurance premium payment made by the university, and the $35,000 he received for relocation expenses.
Kelly also earned an additional $575,000 in bonuses in his first season at the helm. He led the Tigers to a 10-4 record, including a 63-7 drubbing of Purdue in the Citrus Bowl. His contract runs through the 2031 season.
Contributing: Steve Berkowitz
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU overpaid Brian Kelly more than $1 million last year, audit finds
