LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward Out Following Public Criticism from Governor Landry
BATON ROUGE, La. – Scott woodward has been removed as LSU’s athletic director, the university announced late Thursday, amid escalating public criticism from Louisiana Governor Jeff landry. The move comes after a tumultuous week that saw the firing of football coach Brian Kelly following a 5-3 season.
Verge Ausberry, the executive deputy athletic director, will serve as interim athletic director.
LSU’s board of supervisors chair, Scott Ballard, stated, “we thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director.He had a lot of success at LSU, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. Our focus now is on moving the athletic department forward and best positioning LSU to achieve its full potential.”
landry had repeatedly and publicly criticized Woodward this week,culminating in a Wednesday news conference where he stated Woodward woudl not be involved in hiring the next football coach. On Thursday, Landry elaborated on the “Pat McAfee Show,” saying, “There’s a number of bad contracts that seem to have followed Scott Woodward.”
Sources indicate Woodward is expected to receive a payout of more than $6 million remaining on his contract.
In a letter to LSU fans, Woodward expressed his departure “with a heavy heart but also with my typical optimism.” He chose not to detail his tenure, instead focusing on “the absolute joy that LSU Athletics brings to our state’s residents and to the Baton Rouge community.” He added, “Our University will always hold a special place in my heart and I will never be too far from LSU.”
Woodward,an LSU graduate with a background in college governance and politics,had served as athletic director as 2019. During his tenure, LSU won a national football championship, hired women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey, and dismissed men’s basketball coach Will Wade.
Landry’s blunt and public rebuke of Woodward following Kelly’s firing effectively made his position untenable.
At his 2019 introductory press conference, Woodward remarked, “Thomas Wolfe once said that you can’t go home again. But clearly,they’ve never been to Baton Rouge.”
LSU will hold a news conference at 9 a.m. ET Friday to further discuss the change in athletic director leadership.
