Scott Woodward, LSU expected to part ways

LSU and athletics director Scott Woodward are expected to part ways, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. The news comes after Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Woodward would not be leading the search for a new football coach.

LSU executive deputy athletics director Verge Ausberry is expected to serve as the interim AD, a source confirmed to Nakos. Per the terms of his contract, Woodward is due $6.8 million. However, a separation agreement has not been completed as of publication.

Nakos reported sources have been expecting Woodward’s departure since Sunday – the day he fired head football coach Brian Kelly without notifying LSU’s Board of Supervisors. Three days later, on Wednesday afternoon, Landry declared Woodward would not be leading the coaching search.

Woodward, an LSU alumnus, took over at his alma mater in 2019 after three years at Texas A&M. He made multiple splash hires in Baton Rouge, including Kelly. Woodward also hired women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey and baseball coach Jay Johnson.

As a result of Kelly’s firing, LSU is on the hook for a more than $53 million buyout. In a statement announcing the move, Woodward said the university was still working through the terms of the separation.

But Kelly’s buyout remained front and center this week after the news broke, and it was amplified even more after comments from Landry during a Wednesday press conference. Landry told reporters Woodward would not be leading the search to replace Kelly, citing both the now-former coach’s contract and the one Jimbo Fisher received from Woodward at Texas A&M.

Between the two, there’s nearly $130 million in buyout money. That’s why Landry vowed someone else would lead the search.

“No. I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach,” Landry said. “Hell, I would let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it. … I don’t know. But the Board of Supervisors is going to come up with a committee and they’re going to find us a coach.”

More on Scott Woodward’s administrative career

Woodward was initially hired at LSU in 2000 by former chancellor Mark Emmert as the university’s director of external affairs. He then left for Washington in 2004 as vice president of external affairs and later became athletics director in 2008.

Woodward’s biggest hire in Seattle was football coach Chris Petersen, who left Boise State to take over at UW following Steve Sarkisian’s departure. In 2016, Woodward left Washington for Texas A&M and hired Fisher as football coach in December 2017. He also helped bring Buzz Williams to College Station as men’s basketball coach in 2019.

Shortly after Williams’ hire, Woodward returned to Baton Rouge as athletics director. Mulkey was one of his first hires, and she later led the LSU women’s basketball team to a national championship in 2023. Then, Woodward took a big swing by hiring Kelly away from Notre Dame. He went 34-14 at LSU before his departure this week. Kelly signed a 10-year, $95 million contract upon his arrival.