LSU and AD Scott Woodward Finalizing Exit Agreement Amid Coaching Search

LSU and athletic director Scott Woodward are expected to part ways, sources confirm to LSU Tigers On SI. Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger first reported the news.

The two parties are finalizing an exit agreement that could be announced as soon Friday with longtime athletic administrator Verge Ausberry set to serve as the interim athletic director.

With the decision set to be finalized, LSU will now be searching for a new university president, athletic director and head football coach.

The decision comes on the heels of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry forcefully stating that Woodward will not select the next head coach in Baton Rouge amid the firing of Brian Kelly.

At his press conference on Wednesday, the Louisiana governor spoke at length about Woodward leaving the state with a hefty $53 million to pay in the coming years to Kelly - who was relieved of his duties on Sunday night amid a 5-3 start to the 2025 season.

BREAKING: #LSU and AD Scott Woodward are finalizing an exit agreement, according to @RossDellenger.

LSU athletic administrator Verge Ausberry will serve as the interim athletic director in Baton Rouge.

Woodward is out as the coaching search sets to get underway…

Here we go. pic.twitter.com/Iwladhz5FI
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) October 31, 2025

“We are not going down a failed path,” Landry said. “This is a pattern. The guy that wrote that contract cost Texas A&M 70 something million dollars. We’ve got a 53 million dollar liability. We are not doing that again. I believe we’re going to find a great coach — maybe we’ll let President Trump pick it, he loves winners.

"I’m not gonna be picking the next coach, but I can promise you we’re going to pick a coach and make sure he’s successful. We’re going to make sure he’s compensated properly and we’re going to put metrics on it because I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country, then leaving the tax payers to foot the bill.”

LSU is without a university president at the moment - leaving the coaching search in limbo as the decision committee is selected.

There are several moving parts, including the search for a new university president that will likely be chosen by next week.

While putting Woodward on blast, Landry continued referencing his hiring of Jimbo Fisher - who was fired at Texas A&M and owed over $70 million — the largest buyout in college football history.

LSU Tigers Football: Scott Woodward. — Courtesy of LSU Football.

“I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach, hell I’ll let Donald Trump select it before I let him,” Landry said. “I don’t know [who it is], but the board of directors is going to form a committee and they’re going to find us a coach. Y’all reporters have to start looking into the people that represent these coaches, the agents.

"Woodward’s agent, Kelly’s agent, the Texas A&M agent, they’re all the same agent. This is ridiculous. Lawyers would be disbarred if they acted how these agents acted. It’s time for the NCAA to put in some guard rails for college sports.”

Landry stated that the university's Board of Supervisors will put together a committee to begin the head coaching search for LSU.

Now, Woodward is out with the chaos in Baton Rouge continuing following the news of Kelly's firing on Sunday night.

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