LSU Athletic Director Ousted Amid Football Coaching Turmoil

In a surprising move, LSU has announced the departure of its athletic director, Scott Woodward, on October 27, 2025. Woodward's exit comes just days after the university fired football coach Brian Kelly amid a 5-3 season.

Verge Ausberry, the executive deputy athletic director, will now serve as the interim athletic director as LSU looks to move the department forward. The school's board of supervisors chair, Scott Ballard, thanked Woodward for his six years of service and wished him well in the future.

However, Woodward's departure was not entirely unexpected. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry had publicly criticized the outgoing athletic director multiple times this week, even stating that Woodward would not be hiring LSU's next football coach. Landry also mentioned "a number of bad contracts" that seemed to have followed Woodward.

The governor's blunt and public criticism of Woodward made his departure an inevitability. According to a source, Woodward is expected to be paid out the more than $6 million he was owed on his contract.

Woodward, a longtime college administrator with a political background and an LSU graduate, had been the athletic director since 2019. His tenure included a national title in football, the hiring of women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey, and the firing of men's coach Will Wade. However, the recent coaching turmoil and Landry's public attacks proved too much for Woodward to overcome.