Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is tired of what’s been happening with the LSU football program.
In particular, he does not want athletic director Scott Woodward to make the call on the next head coach. The governor went as far as to say he’d rather have the commander in chief decide on a bench boss.
During a Wednesday press conference, Landry addressed the Tigers’ coaching situation after the school fired Brian Kelly over the weekend following a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. Kelly is owed a reported $54 million buyout.
Landry pointed to Woodward, who was previously in charge of Texas A&M athletics and was responsible for hiring Jimbo Fisher. Though Woodward was already at LSU by the time Fisher was fired in November 2023, the Aggies were on the hook for more than $76 million as part of his buyout.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry records a social media video outside the White House, March 24, 2025, in Washington. APThe Republican governor said there has been a “pattern” with Woodward that should preclude him from making the next head coaching call.
“This is a pattern,” Landry said. The guy here now that wrote that contract cost A&M $77 million. Right now, we have a $53 million liability and we are not doing that again. And you know what? I believe we’re going to find a great coach. Maybe we’ll let President Trump pick it. He loves winners. … No, I can tell you right now Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach,” Landry said. “Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it.”
Landry reiterated he does not want Woodward to make the choice and said that LSU’s “Board of Supervisors is gonna come up with a committee, and they’re gonna go find us a coach.”
Woodward has not yet commented on the governor’s words.
LSU Tigers Head Coach Brian Kelly talks with LSU Tigers Athletics Director Scott Woodward before the game at Williams-Brice Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. University Images via Getty ImagKelly came to LSU in late 2021 after over a decade at Notre Dame, but a high level of success did not follow him to Baton Rouge. LSU went 34-14 in its four seasons, including a 5-3 record in 2025. Kelly never reached the College Football Playoff during his Tigers tenure.
Landry confirmed reports that he met with LSU’s Board of Supervisors on Sunday to discuss the possible firing of Kelly.
“My role is about the fiscal effect of firing a coach under a terrible contract, OK?” Landry added. “All I care about is what the taxpayers are going to be on the hook [for]. I was also not happy with the fact that we were raising ticket prices while we were having a losing season. And we were paying a coach $100 million and we were not getting the results.
