LSU AD Scott Woodward Out Over $54M Buyout

LSU fired coach Brian Kelly after a 5–3 start and faces an estimated $53–54 million buyout liability for his contract. Athletic director Scott Woodward is out and longtime administrator Verge Ausberry will serve as interim AD as the school begins a search for Kelly’s replacement. Woodward’s departure followed intense public criticism from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who said Woodward should not hire the next coach and repeatedly attacked his contract decisions. Sources say LSU and Woodward are finalizing a separation agreement that will pay him more than $6 million remaining on his contract, and the LSU Board of Supervisors will help oversee the upcoming coaching search. Woodward, hired in 2019 and credited with multiple national titles and high‑profile hires, leaves with his legacy clouded by the costly Kelly contract, which has drawn comparisons to Jimbo Fisher’s large buyout.