What They Said: Verge Ausberry, LSU Board of Supervisors on HC search

On Friday morning, LSU’s interim athletic director Verge Ausberry and two members of LSU’s Board of Supervisors held a press conference regarding the future of LSU athletics.

LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott Ballard and LSU Board of Supervisors member John Carmouche joined Ausberry in the Lawton Room on campus in Baton Rouge to field questions on Scott Woodward’s time as LSU AD coming to an end, the search for a new head coach of the football team and more.

Here’s everything they said at Friday’s press conference.

Scott Ballard:
Good morning — good early morning, actually. This does not need to be long. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Scott Ballard. I am chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors. As you already know, last night Scott Woodward and LSU mutually agreed to part ways. On behalf of the Board of Supervisors and the LSU family, I want to thank Scott for his six years as our athletic director and wish him well in his future pursuits. He was a great LSU Tiger, a good friend, a good person.

Now, let me introduce John Carmouche, a member of the Board of Supervisors and the person who we’ve made chair of the LSU Athletic Committee, who will give you more information about our next steps.

John Carmouche:
Thank you, Chairman Ballard. An exciting day here today.

As chair of the Athletics Committee, it is my responsibility, with my fellow board members, to ensure that LSU Athletics is positioned as a national leader in college sports. It is important to me and many others that LSU and our state restore balance. We can reclaim the future we built in athletics as an institution and as a state.

As we transition into the next chapter, I’m proud to introduce Verge Ausberry as the Interim Director of Athletics. I have to tell you, we are very excited. Verge is the ideal person to lead this department through this change. And I want to be very clear: he has full authority to do so — that includes leading the search for our next head coach and hiring our next head coach.

Verge is a native son of Louisiana and LSU. He’s a multi-time alumnus of this institution, a former championship-winning linebacker on the football team, and a longtime senior university administrator. Simply put, he’s spent all of his adult life working to make this athletic department and this state better.

Not only has Verge worked in almost every area of the athletic department since he started as an employee in 1991, he’s also been a tremendous asset to university leadership with his campus role in governmental and community relations. From the time he arrived on campus as a football student-athlete, Verge has been associated with excellence and championships. That’s the standard he will uphold as interim athletic director.

Let’s always remember — this is LSU. This is the greatest athletics program in the country. We will continue to be an elite destination for student-athletes and coaches. And I’ll say it again: this is LSU. With that, it’s my honor and excitement to introduce the next interim athletic director of LSU, Verge Ausberry.

Verge Ausberry:
Thank you, Chairman Carmouche.

I’d like to give thanks to Scott Ballard, chairman of the Board of Supervisors; John Carmouche, chairman of the Athletics Committee; the university administration; and the fellow board members for giving me this opportunity.

This is a great opportunity. I’m a little boy from New Iberia, Louisiana, who had the opportunity to come here in 1985. Started last on the depth chart, worked my way through, was able to start here two years, lead the team in tackles two years, and play on some very successful teams — two SEC championship teams.

That’s where I start from — the hard work. I parlayed that into my career here. Started at the bottom again as a graduate assistant, working in compliance, then for the Tiger Athletic Foundation. From there, I became an associate athletic director with Skip Bertman.

I worked my way through the ranks. I know what hard work is; I know what it means to be part of LSU. I’ve walked these halls. I’ve walked those quads. I’ve walked Allen Hall, Coates Hall — all the great halls at LSU. I want our fan base to know one thing: LSU is not broken. The LSU athletic department is not broken. I think we have the best athletic department in the country. I think we have the best staff in the country.

The executive team is second to none — I’d put them up against anyone. They’re the best, and they will get the job done. Coaches are second to none. We have championship coaches here. I’ve been blessed to work with championship coaches: Kim Mulkey, Jay Clark, Jay Johnson, Dennis Shaver — who’s not here with the track team — Garrett Runion, who won a national championship in golf as an assistant coach here at LSU. They’re great coaches, and many other great coaches who win championships. That’s what we expect here at LSU.

This place is not broken; the athletic department is not broken. We win. I’ve been part of 18 national championships at LSU — six of them recently. I’ve been part of four national championship games, won three national championships. I’ve been part of seven SEC championships, two as a player. I know what it takes to win. We know what it takes to win. And that’s our job — that’s our mission.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with three of the best coaches in the world: Kim Mulkey, Nick Saban, and Skip Bertman. My heritage goes back with those people and the ability they gave me and what they taught me — to be the best. And we’re going to be the best at LSU.

Between the third and fourth quarter last week, I walked on the field during that football game. And I just wanted to see what was going on. When you’re an administrator, you don’t just watch what’s happening on the field — you watch the sidelines, the stands, everything around you. That’s important to being a good administrator.

I went down there on that field, and I saw something. I saw empty seats. I saw empty suites. I saw Tiger Stadium halfway empty. That’s not a good thing. Woody Hayes always said the worst word in the dictionary is apathy.

This program cannot have apathy in any way or form. We have to win. We have to be successful. We always say this — we’re the movie makers, the financers, the administrators, the coaches. The athletes are the stars. They’re the most important part of what we do. We have to do everything to make sure the student-athletes get what they need and the coaches get what they need. Our job is support.

The next chapter is this: we have to hire a football coach. We’re going to hire the best football coach there is. That’s our job. We are not going to let this program fail. LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football. There are 12 teams that make it — it’s going to expand, and we have to be one of those. No substitutes.

We have to be talked about on ESPN, every channel, every week. That’s the standard for LSU football. This big building here has to be successful if we’re going to be successful as an athletic department. That’s the measuring stick.

I have formed a committee. On that committee will be:

• Scott Ballard, chairman of the board
• John Carmouche, chairman of athletics
• Ben Bordelon, as you know a former LSU football player and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards
• E.J. Kleeper, CEO of Our Lady of the Lake
• Myself

And we’re talking to one more member right now. Those are the people who are going to be responsible for helping us find the next great football coach at LSU.

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Q&A Session

Q: How exactly was it decided that Scott and LSU would part ways? Did the board and he have autonomy to make that decision, or was the governor involved in that final say?

John Carmouche:
The governor was not involved. The governor’s concern had to do with the state contract. The LSU Board of Supervisors and Mr. Woodward decided jointly to part ways.

Q: Representing the board — why did you all deem it necessary to part ways? Verge just talked about six championships. We’re four months removed from a baseball national championship. Those things sound like success to the common person, so why was there this mutual agreement to part?

John Carmouche:
It was a joint decision. The board and Mr. Woodward had discussions, and it was a joint decision. Thought it was the best for both parties.

Q: Will LSU or the board buy out the remainder of Scott Woodward’s contract

Scott Ballard:
It’s my understanding they’re working on that right now, and I’m sure when it’s done it’ll be public.

Q: Based on his contract, he’s owed at least $5 million or so in base salary, never mind incentives. What revenue stream will you use to pay that buyout?

Scott Ballard:
Revenue stream, as I’ve said before, is generated from the athletic department — self-generated funds and/or private donations. It does not come from state dollars allocated toward education.

Q: Mr. Ausberry, obviously you’re in an interim role right now, but are you seeking to fulfill this position full-time.

Verge Ausberry:
At this time, that’s not a concern. Our concern is getting the best football coach we can and making sure this department is stable. That’s my job. I’m not looking beyond that right now. My focus is making sure our coaches and executive team have what they need, and then hiring a football coach.

Q: Jeff Landry has made it clear he wants to see more incentive-based contracts to avoid large buyouts like Brian Kelly’s. How do you plan to approach that in this search, and do you worry that will deter candidates.

Verge Ausberry:
I’ve spoken with the board members here and others. My job is to get the best football coach there is — and not worry about that part right now. We’ll go out there as a team, get the best contract and the best coach, and do whatever it takes to get that person here.

Q: What’s the timeline for the coaching search and the committee you’ve assembled.

Verge Ausberry:
We’re looking at one more person to add. The process has already started — since we made the decision Sunday. There’s no set timeline. We’ve been looking at a lot of people; we know what we want and what we expect. We’re going to have the best coach here at Tiger Stadium.

Q: Is there a timeline for naming a full-time athletic director?

Scott Ballard:
No, there’s not. The first focus — like Verge said — is finding the best coach. That process has started, and it’s the only thing we’re focused on right now.

Q: Do the coaching and athletic director candidates have to have Louisiana ties

Scott Ballard:
Verge’s charge is to go find the best coach. Of course, we all love Louisiana people — I was born here and God willing I’ll die here — but that’s not a requirement. If Verge finds someone with Louisiana ties, great. But that’s not a litmus test.

Q: A lot of the LSU fan base is somewhat confused about whether performance considerations led to Scott’s departure. Anything specific you’d want to address in that regard?

Scott Ballard:
Like John said, it was a mutual agreement after conversations. Nothing was off the table — it was about fit, energy, direction, and timing. Scott is a great human being, a great LSU Tiger. It wasn’t about performance — it was about the mutual conclusion that it was time.

Q: The board will be hiring a new president on Tuesday. To what extent will that person be involved in the search for either the head coach or the permanent athletic director?

Scott Ballard:
The new president will be announced Tuesday. We’re not slowing down for that. Verge knows what he needs to do and will move forward. The new president will absolutely have input and, hopefully, hit the ground running once in place.

Q: Given the governor’s emphasis on contract structure, is it a point of emphasis to remove LSU as the liable party in future deals?

John Carmouche:
The governor had a right to be concerned, and we’re working toward solutions. Everything’s on the table. But let me make it clear: the state and taxpayers have never paid for a coach — and never will.

Q: Given the timing of Scott’s departure and the firing of Brian Kelly, could the lapse in not having a president named yet — now with Verge as interim — deter candidates from considering LSU?

Verge Ausberry:
We’re LSU. My phone was ringing before this even happened. A lot of candidates still want to come here. This is one of the best jobs in the country — the best job in the country — and we’re going to find the right person. I don’t see any problem getting the right coach for LSU.