Governor Landry reportedly had outsized influence in Scott Woodward’s decision to fire Brian Kelly as LSU’s head football coach. Jeremy Alford, the publisher of LaPolitics.com, says such involvement by Landry is not unprecedented.
“We all know how much Huey Long loved LSU football, how he loved marching with that band. And I think Jeff Landry, in a way, not only views himself in the same kind of light, but I also think, that, that is just part of his personality,” Alford said.
Alford says Landry injecting himself into LSU football’s business has been par for the course for him – last season, over objections from the university and veterinary experts, Landry facilitated the transport of a live tiger to be wheeled onto the field at Tiger Stadium prior to the Alabama game.
“This is a guy who loves football. He loves LSU. And he’s in a position to be able to have a hand in all of this, and I don’t think he would miss that opportunity,” Alford noted.
Alford says it’s not that unusual for governors to be involved to some degree in their respective states’ football programs – in fact, in an indirect way, they already are.
“Let’s not forget, at the end of the day, that the Louisiana Governor appoints the LSU Board of Supervisors. And that’s really the guiding light for our flagship university,” Alford explained.
