On Sunday, LSU athletic director Scott Woodward fired Brian Kelly. Last night, LSU fired Woodward. Tiger Rag magazine editor Glenn Guilbeau says it didn’t matter that the LSU grad hired three national championship-winning coaches in Jay Johnson, Kim Mulkey and Jay Clark – the money he paid Kelly, who never came close to winning a national title, ultimately led to his demise.
“He paid him a national championship contract. $100 million for 10 years. Usually, you got to win a national championship before you get something like that,” Guilbeau said.
Guilbeau says it was only a matter of time before Woodward was going to follow Kelly out the door at LSU.
“You see that happen often in college athletics. The person who hires a coach who gets fired is often, in turn, fired sooner or later, too,” Guilbeau noted.
Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry, who was a star linebacker for the Tigers in the 1980s, has been tapped to serve as interim athletic director. Guilbeau says it’s unclear whether the school is giving Ausberry serious consideration for the permanent role.
“I would say Verge Ausberry probably has a chance to become the athletic director, but I would bet that they’re going to have a national search for their new AD,” Guilbeau said.
LSU says Ausberry will lead all facets of the athletic department, including the search for a new head football coach.
