HIGHLIGHTS

• Gov. Jeff Landry said Wednesday that LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will not select the next football coach
• The governor stated the LSU Board of Supervisors will form a committee to conduct the coaching search
• Landry confirmed his involvement in discussions centered on the fiscal impact of Brian Kelly’s $54 million buyout
• The governor hosted a Sunday meeting at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss the “legalities” and “cost” of Kelly’s firing
• Landry has appointed 6 of 14 current Board members and will appoint 4 more when terms expire in 2026

Landry Says Woodward Won’t Pick LSU’s Next Football Coach

Governor declares Board of Supervisors will form committee to oversee coaching search, taking unprecedented role in Tiger Stadium decisions.

BATON ROUGE, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Wednesday that LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will not pick the Tigers’ next head football coach.

According to The Advocate, Landry said at a press conference that Woodward won’t have a role in choosing Brian Kelly’s replacement. He went further, saying, “Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select him before I let him do it.”

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What Louisiana Taxpayers Need to Know About the Coaching Change

When asked who would pick the next coach, the governor said the LSU Board of Supervisors would form a committee to find one.

“I don’t know. But the Board of Supervisors is gonna come up with a committee, and they’re gonna go find us a coach,” Landry said.

The governor confirmed his involvement in the coaching change but said his role was about money, not football.

SEE ALSO: LSU Fans Say This Was The Moment We Knew Brian Kelly Wasn't It

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

Timeline of the Governor’s Involvement

LSU fired Kelly on Sunday evening, less than 24 hours after the Tigers lost 49-25 at home to No. 3-ranked Texas A&M. The firing comes with a roughly $54 million buyout, though LSU is trying to negotiate that number down.

Landry confirmed he hosted a meeting at the Governor’s Mansion on Sunday night, when Kelly was fired. But the governor said the meeting wasn’t about whether to fire Kelly—it was about the financial and legal problems that came with doing it.

“No, 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, to talk about ‘what’s the effect of it,’” Landry explained. “It was a meeting to discuss the legalities of the contract.”

Understanding the Governor’s Authority Over LSU Decisions

Landry’s involvement in LSU football decisions goes beyond what most governors have done, though Louisiana governors have meddled in Tiger Stadium matters before.

According to Yahoo Sports reporting, the governor has already appointed six of the 14 current LSU Board of Supervisors members. When four more terms expire in 2026, Landry will appoint those replacements, too. That means he’ll have picked 10 of the 14 voting members.

Legislation passed in 2024 gave the governor more power to appoint board chairs directly. The Board of Supervisors has constitutional authority to supervise and manage all LSU institutions, including major financial decisions like multi-million dollar coaching buyouts.

READ MORE: How Jeff Landry Got Involved in Brian Kelly's Firing

LSU’s current leadership situation gives the governor more say. The university has been operating under interim President Dr. Matt Lee since June 2025, after former President William Tate IV left for Rutgers University. Without a permanent president, major decisions involving big money typically need broader agreement among stakeholders, including state political figures.

What Happens Next for LSU Football

Running backs coach Frank Wilson is the interim head coach for the rest of the 2025 season. The Tigers are 5-3 after Saturday’s loss to Texas A&M.

According to the university’s announcement, LSU will “immediately begin a national search for a new head football coach.” Athletic Director Woodward said Sunday he was “confident in our ability to bring to Baton Rouge an outstanding leader, teacher and coach, who fits our culture and community and who embraces the excellence we demand.”

But Landry’s Wednesday comments raise questions about how much say Woodward will have in that search. The athletic director has taken heat for the Kelly hire, which resulted in a 34-14 record over four seasons. That’s respectable by most standards, but it doesn’t meet LSU’s national championship expectations. The three previous LSU coaches—Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron—all won national championships.

The coaching search happens during an already busy cycle across college football. Major programs, including Penn State, Florida, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, UCLA, and Oklahoma State, are all looking for new head coaches.

Woodward and LSU spokesman Zach Greenwell didn’t return requests for comment after the governor’s Wednesday statements.