Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry says LSU athletic director will not decide the Tigers’ subsequent coach | EUROtoday

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry intends to forestall LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward from hiring the Tigers’ subsequent soccer coach.

“Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select him before I let him do it,” Landry mentioned of Woodward throughout a press convention he held in Baton Rouge on Wednesday to primarily talk about different governmental issues.

Woodward, who introduced coach Brian Kelly’s firing on Sunday evening, has thus far declined to touch upon Landry’s remarks.

Landry confirmed his involvement in discussions on Sunday that led to the firing of Kelly, who’d been employed by LSU after the 2021 soccer season and signed to a assured contract paying him about $100 million throughout 10 years.

LSU nonetheless owes Kelly greater than $52 million by way of 2031, though that determine could possibly be negotiated down or offset by cash Kelly earned in a subsequent teaching job.

“I hosted a meeting at the governor’s mansion to talk about the legalities, to talk about the cost, to talk about who pays for it,” he said. “It was a meeting to discuss the legalities of the contract.”

“My role is about the fiscal effect of firing a coach under a terrible contract,” Landry said. “All I care about is what the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for.”

Historically, LSU’s athletic department has been self-funding and does not tap in to public money. Before NCAA rule changes allowing college players to be paid, LSU’s athletic department would at times even make seven-figure contributions to the university’s academic operations.

In the case of Kelly’s contract, unnamed private donors have pledged to cover the cost of the buyout.

“If big billionaires want to spend all that kind of money, no problem,” Landry said. “But if I’ve got to go find $53 million … it’s not going to be a pleasant conversation.”

Kelly, who was fired eight games into his fourth season, went 34-14 at LSU, ending with last Saturday’s 49-25 loss to Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium. Running backs coach Frank Wilson has been tapped as Kelly’s interim replacement.

Since Woodward has been LSU’s athletic director, the football program has bought out former coach Ed Orgeron for about $17 million in 2021, and now must pay Kelly’s buyout, which is among the largest in the history of college sports.

Texas A&M’s $77 million buyout of former coach Jimbo Fisher, who was fired in 2023, is the largest.

Woodward was Texas A&M’s athletic director when Fisher was hired to coach the Aggies in December 2017. But Woodward already had been at LSU for two years when A&M, in 2021, gave Fisher a contract extension that effectively doubled the cost of his buyout.

Still, Landry assigned blame for Fisher’s buyout to Woodward.

“This is a pattern,” Landry said, suggesting that Woodward “cost Texas A&M $77 million.”

“Right now, we’ve got a $53 million liability,” he continued. “We usually are not doing that once more.”

Landry mentioned LSU’s Board of Supervisors — whose members are appointed to staggered six-year phrases by sitting governors — will type a search committee to search out LSU’s subsequent coach.

“I’m not going to be picking the next coach, but I can promise you we’re going to pick a coach and we’re going to make sure that that coach is successful,” Landry mentioned. “We’re going to make sure that he’s compensated properly.”

But Landry additionally careworn that the contract might be heavy on performance-based incentives and low on ensures, “because I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers … to foot the bill.”

Landry has appointed 9 of 18 Board of Supervisors members since taking workplace in January 2024 and can be capable of appoint 4 extra in 2026.

The governor went on to demonize sports activities brokers, notably these representing essentially the most sought-after school coaches. Kelly was represented by Trace Armstrong, Fisher by Jimmy Sexton.

“This is ridiculous. Lawyers would be disbarred for the way these agents act,” Landry mentioned. “It’s really time for the NCAA to put on some guardrails on college sports.”

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