Sudden Exit After Coaching Turmoil
Scott Woodward, who led Louisiana State University’s athletic department through one of its most successful stretches in school history, has resigned under pressure. The decision came just four days after the university fired football coach Brian Kelly and a day after Republican Governor Jeff Landry publicly declared that Woodward would not be involved in hiring Kelly’s successor.
Woodward’s abrupt departure marks the end of a six-year tenure defined by championships, high-profile coaching hires, and growing political tension behind the scenes. LSU confirmed Thursday night that Verge Ausberry, the university’s executive deputy athletic director, will serve as interim AD while leading the search for a new football coach.
“We thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director,” said LSU Board of Supervisors chairman Scott Ballard. “He had a lot of success at LSU. Our focus now is on moving the athletic department forward and best positioning LSU to achieve its full potential.”
A Record of Championship Success
A Baton Rouge native and LSU graduate, Woodward was appointed athletic director in 2019 and quickly became one of the most influential figures in college sports. During his tenure, LSU captured national titles in football, baseball (twice), women’s basketball, and gymnastics — an unprecedented level of across-the-board success.
Woodward was known for his ambitious hiring strategy, recruiting major names to Baton Rouge, including Kim Mulkey, who led LSU women’s basketball to its first-ever national championship in 2023.
Mulkey, who declined to speak with reporters after her team’s exhibition game Thursday night, was described as “heartbroken” by assistant coach Bob Starkey. “In 40 years of coaching, I’ve worked with two phenomenal athletic directors,” Starkey said. “One was Skip Bertman. The other one was Scott Woodward.”
Political Interference and Public Backlash
Woodward’s resignation followed weeks of tension between the athletic department and Louisiana’s political leadership. Governor Landry, who has sought greater influence over LSU’s flagship programs, effectively sidelined Woodward when he declared the athletic director would not select the next football coach.
The move prompted sharp criticism from prominent LSU figures, including political commentator and alumnus James Carville, who condemned the governor’s actions in an interview with the Associated Press.
“The Louisiana governor and the LSU board has damaged the reputation of our university,” Carville said. “Landry’s IQ is the equivalent of the temperature of dishwater. The LSU board is weak and pathetic. This is not about my politics. It’s about my university.”
A Legacy Mixed With Pride and Controversy
In his farewell letter to fans, Woodward avoided controversy and focused instead on gratitude and pride for LSU’s accomplishments. “Our university will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will never be too far from LSU,” he wrote. “Others can recap or opine on my tenure and on my decisions over the last six years as Director of Athletics, but I will not. Rather, I will focus on the absolute joy that LSU Athletics brings to our state’s residents and to the Baton Rouge community.”
Woodward’s resignation closes one of the most successful yet politically charged eras in LSU history. Under his leadership, the school reestablished itself as a national powerhouse in multiple sports, while also navigating growing state influence over university governance.
As Ausberry steps into the interim role, LSU now faces the dual challenge of rebuilding its football program and restoring stability within its athletic administration — a process likely to unfold under continued political scrutiny.