Governor Landry assumes LSU coach hiring control

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has made an extraordinary and direct intervention into the future of LSU’s athletic leadership, declaring that the university’s Athletic Director, Scott Woodward, would be sidelined from any potential search for a new head football coach, should a replacement for Brian Kelly become necessary.

In comments made earlier this week, Governor Landry unequivocally stated that Woodward would “not be the one choosing Brian Kelly’s replacement,” sending a clear signal that the governor intends to exert significant influence over one of the state’s most high-profile and politically charged hiring decisions.

The declaration is particularly unusual given that Brian Kelly remains the head coach of the LSU Tigers, having led the team to a 10-3 record in 2023 following a 10-4 debut season in 2022. There has been no indication from LSU that Kelly’s position is currently in jeopardy, making Landry’s pre-emptive statement a striking assertion of gubernatorial authority.

Scott Woodward, a highly respected figure in collegiate athletics, has a track record of securing high-profile coaching talent, including Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and Kelly himself at LSU. He returned to his alma mater as AD in 2019 and is widely credited with elevating LSU’s athletic programs. The governor’s move effectively bypasses Woodward’s traditional role and expertise in such a critical decision.

The question now looms: if not Woodward, then who would lead the search for a new head football coach? Governor Landry’s statement did not specify an alternative process or individual, leaving the university community and state sports fans to speculate on the mechanism for such a critical hire. Traditionally, the athletic director, in consultation with the university president and Board of Supervisors, holds primary responsibility for coaching searches.

LSU football holds immense cultural and economic significance in Louisiana, and the head coaching position is often considered one of the most powerful jobs in the state. Governor Landry, who took office in January, has been characterized by a hands-on approach to state governance, and this latest move underscores his willingness to directly engage with institutions that typically enjoy greater autonomy.

The intervention raises questions about the balance of power between the state’s highest elected official and the governance of its flagship university, particularly regarding athletic decisions. It remains to be seen how the LSU Board of Supervisors and President William Tate IV will respond to this direct assertion of control over a hypothetical, but critically important, future personnel decision.

For now, Coach Kelly continues to prepare for the upcoming season, but Governor Landry’s declaration has injected an unprecedented layer of political oversight into the potential future of LSU’s top coaching job.