WATCH: LSU AD Scott Woodward takes hilarious jab at Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward knows Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher well. He worked for the Tigers in a different role when both were hired by LSU, and came to develop a relationship with them during that time.
So when the pair made headlines recently after Saban called out Fisher for Texas A&M‘s use of NIL, Woodward was watching closely. The Tigers AD joined the Paul Finebaum Show on Wednesday at the SEC Spring meetings in Destin, Florida, where he opened with a playful joke at the expense of Saban and Fisher.
“I’m not going to get in between two hillbillies fighting from West Virginia,” he said. “That’s a no-win situation.”
Scott Woodward later clarified that he was only joking before weighing in further on the situation.
“I say that jokingly because they are both really good people and in my opinion regret the situation that they were in,” he said. “I know ’em both well. From our standpoint as athletic directors, we have to collaborate with them. You don’t lord over someone making 5-10 times more than you. You work with them and form a partnership. You have to gain that trust in how you do things and just get ’em to take a deep breath sometimes. It happens. I think they’ve moved on and that’s good not only for the SEC but for football in general.”
Scott Woodward appears to be correct in that regard, as both Saban and Fisher said prior to the LSU AD’s interview at the SEC Spring meetings that they are ready to bury the hatchet. Although conversations about NIL and the transfer portal aren’t going anywhere, both coaches are ready to exit the spotlight.
“It’s over with, we’re done talking about it,” Fisher said via On3’s Jesse Simonton. “We have a lot more pressing needs than our arguments. “Put a bow on it. Double-knotted.”
When speaking on the subject, Nick Saban clarified that he didn’t think that he said anybody did something wrong, and that he should have kept individual names and schools out of his comments.
“I didn’t say anybody did anything wrong,” Saban said, via Rodak. “I’ve said everything I’m going to say about this. I should have never mentioned any individual institutions. I’ve said that before.”