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LSU president posts message of support for AD Verge Ausberry after viral comments

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax5 hours agoBarkleyTruax
LSU Football has named a permanent athletics director (Photo: WWL)
LSU Football has named a permanent athletics director (Photo: WWL)

LSU president Wade Rousse gave new athletic director Verge Ausberry his vote of confidence ahead of the Tigers’ football game vs. Alabama on Saturday. This comes after the pair had a “terrific” meeting on Thursday.

Rousse posted a photo of the two standing on the field inside Tiger Stadium. Rousse’s hand was grabbing Ausberry’s arm in what could be described as an act of solidarity.

“I just had a terrific meeting with LSU’s AD Verge Ausberry,” Rousse wrote in a post on X. “I can’t wait to get to work with him and our world-class athletic department! Now, let’s beat ‘bama this weekend! Geaux Tigers!!”

The post comes shortly after Rousse — who was just hired as the LSU president earlier this week — questioned the difference between removing the interim tag and naming Ausberry the permanent AD. Rousse said that he “just removed the interim tag” on Ausberry and that “he’s the acting AD.”

In addition to those comments, he spoke to the Louisiana Illuminator’s Piper Hutchinson to help clear up what exactly Ausberry’s job title is at the moment. What made his comments confusing is that Rousse said that he’d simply remove the interim tag, “and then we’ll assess the situation,” he said. Rousse cited his newness to the job as to why he couldn’t make that decision right away.

However, Rousse’s post on social media Thursday showcases his approval of Ausberry leading the LSU athletics department into the future. In addition, Rousse also told the Louisiana Illuminator that Ausberry has has his full authority to go find LSU a new head football coach.

Having so much turnover among LSU’s leadership in the middle of college football season is less than ideal. But now that a new president and athletic director have been hired — LSU’s brass can focus on their football coaching search, which figures to be one of the top jobs in the country this offseason. Ausberry laid out some requirements that LSU’s next coach will need to adhere to during their tenure.

“Our next chapter is to hire a football coach,” Ausberry said. “Hire the best football coach there is. That’s our jobs. We’ll go out there, and we are not going to let this program fail. LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football. There’s 12 teams that make it. It’s going to expand here.

“We have to be one of those at LSU. No substitute.”