LSU currently does not have a president, athletic director or head football coach.
Louisiana does have a Governor, Jeff Landry, who has essentially fired the last two and, having apparently solved all the problems facing the people of his state, spends his time running the athletic department.
This task always seems simple, whether on an Internet bulletin board or in the stands at Tiger Stadium.
Landry initially said the job of hiring a new coach would fall to a subcommittee created by the school's 17-member Board of Supervisors. After days of criticism, interim athletic director Verge Ausberry said Friday that a search committee had been created but was given full authority to hire the “best football coach.”
Well, unless Landry authorizes President Trump to make the choice.
“He likes winners, you know?” Landry said Wednesday.
Landry joked. We think. Really, who can say? After all, having an incumbent president with no real connection to the university select the football coach makes about as much sense as choosing him through a bureaucratic committee.
(Who would Trump choose? Tommy Tuberville? Herschel Walker? Another job for Marco Rubio?)
“It's a total clown show,” said one opponent, an SEC athletic director.
Even by the standards of the three-ring circus known as college football.
The question is whether political interference will prevent LSU from identifying the right athletic director-coaching combination to lead the Tigers back to a national championship, or worse, scare away top candidates.
This sport is quite difficult without an annoying governor.
LSU fell to 5-3 on Saturday with a humiliating loss to Texas A&M. This caused not only Landry, but many Tiger fans to completely lose faith in Brian Kelly, whom athletic director Scott Woodward acquired from Notre Dame three and a half seasons ago.
Kelly was just 34-14 (19-10 in SEC play) in Baton Rouge. All three of the program's previous coaches won national titles. Kelly failed to even make the playoffs. So Landry orchestrated a Sunday firing that resulted in Kelly and his company being bought out for $54 million. “fam-eh-lee” leave.
A few days later, at a news conference about food stamps and behind a sign that read “Protecting the Most Vulnerable,” he set his sights on humiliating and essentially firing Woodward for hiring Kelly in the first place.
“I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not choosing our next coach,” Landry said.
Kelly's 10-year, $100 million contract was obviously not a success for the school, but that amount was also within the standard going rate and was unanimously approved… by the LSU Board of Supervisors.
Woodward sniffed Kelly, a strange man who proved awkward in the fast-paced era of NIL and transfer portals. Although, to be fair, it wasn't a complete disaster. Those three losses this season came to three top-10 teams – A&M 8-0, Ole Miss 7-1 and Vanderbilt 7-1.
It's worth noting that Woodward is also responsible for hiring LSU's baseball and women's basketball coaches, both of whom led the school to national titles. Women's gymnastics also won it all during Woodward's tenure.
In previous AD positions, Woodward hired Chris Petersen to revive the Washington football program and Jimbo Fisher to lead Texas A&M. Fischer eventually backed out and was owed a massive $76 million ransom.
“It's a pattern,” Landry said of Woodward being responsible for large payouts.
However, the governor's timing was wrong. After some early success while Woodward was principal of a college in College Station, Fisher's contract was actually renewed by Woodward's successor. Landry also suggested taxpayers were hoping for Kelly's golden parachute. This will be done with private money.
But hey, let's not let the facts get in the way.
None of this means that Kelly or Woodward should have stayed in their jobs. Just some tact would be helpful, at least for external perception. Landry also wasn't wrong about a few things: coaching contracts are out of control, too many ADs and coaches share agents, and most importantly, LSU and its fans deserve a program that can win national titles.
As with most things in politics, there is enough truth to make almost any argument work.
The problem with LSU is that it's not politics. This is a college sport. Passion fuels everything, but precision is what produces results.
If Landry thinks LSU is going to force Lane Kiffin to leave Ole Miss without a Kelly-style contract (or more), he doesn't understand the business.
LSU has the resources, recruiting base and tradition to rank among the top five recruiting positions in the country. This is a special place, a desirable job. However, hiring a coach is a difficult dance. Top candidates have other great options, from Florida to Penn State or staying local. Recruitment is often done secretly rather than through a committee.
Ausberry, Woodward's executive deputy AD, is on the search team along with select people from the Board of Supervisors and donors.
But will they really allow a temporary advertiser to hire $100 million worth of employees?
Even when they find a coach, no one knows if the new guy will succeed.
Now LSU must contend with a sense of chaos… and an unbalanced governor who controls the very Board of Supervisors that will hire not only a coach, but a president and a full-time marketing director who will need to work closely together at a time when the roster's money is on the line.
You don't just choose a coach; the coach needs to be convinced to choose you.
Louisiana in general and LSU in particular are always surrounded by a healthy dose of insanity. It's part of his power, part of his appeal, part of what makes him special. Play neck. Geo Tigers.
Moreover, after a few awkward days of political bragging, it has become an obstacle that must be overcome on its own.
