Landry Removes LSU AD From Coach Search

LSU fired head coach Brian Kelly after four seasons (34–14) and a 5–3 start in 2025, triggering an estimated $53–54 million buyout from his 10-year, $95 million contract. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that athletic director Scott Woodward will not oversee the coaching search and said the LSU Board of Supervisors will form a committee to run the search, a move that surprised some board members. Landry blamed Woodward for a “pattern” of costly deals, cited the Jimbo Fisher buyout at Texas A&M, and urged that future contracts include performance metrics and fewer guaranteed sums. Landry said he met with university leaders about the dismissal and the financial fallout, and reports indicate private donors may cover much of Kelly’s buyout while negotiations continue. The intervention marks an uncommon politicization of LSU athletics amid public scrutiny over expensive coaching contracts and the university’s leadership vacancy.