Two years ago, Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher more than $70 million to go away, the biggest buyout in the history of college football. Brian Kelly was reportedly paid the second-largest ever buyout on Sunday. LSU’s athletics director has a history of attracting attention with his splashy hirings. Chris Petersen, the Boise State coach, was lured to Washington during his first visit. At Texas A&M, he landed the hire of the century by bringing national champion Fisher to College Station. After taking over the LSU position in 2019, he went all out to lure Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame by offering him a 10-year contract. Woodward is the poster child of winning press conferences, imposing his wishes and awarding some of the most outrageous contracts. Now, for the third time in as many years, Woodward’s obsession with hitting the ball out of the park has left a major athletic department reeling. LSU’s board, and now even the governor of Louisiana, are weighing in on whether Woodward should be given the opportunity to make a mistaken third hire. Turn back the clock to 2021 and the coaching carousel. Woodward, who is a Baton Rouge-native, saved his greatest moment for the school he loves. LSU had a close relationship with the then-Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. Riley publicly stated that he wouldn’t go to Baton Rouge. He took the USC position instead.
Then, it was trying to convince Fisher to go from Texas A&M to LSU. Fisher was rewarded for his interest with a new, monstrous extension. Woodward is not responsible for all the $70,000,000 in buyout funds. It was then a case of haphazardly hunting big game. Lane Kiffin. Mel Tucker. There was little consideration for taking shots like Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning or Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko. These candidates were chosen in hindsight but are now leading some of the top teams in college football by 2025. Woodward was able to convince Kelly, a “name”, to say yes. The Notre Dame Coach was a northerner by profession with no experience recruiting in the south. He was a program builder and ball coach who had difficulty recruiting at the highest levels. He thought that the introduction of a recruiting infrastructure would be the answer to his biggest problems. It was not taken into consideration that he himself could have been a problem.
Kelly in the Deep South started out as a bit of a joke. He became a viral meme after he attempted to feign an accent and danced alongside a recruit. It was a strange appearance for the long-time coach of Notre Dame. The program is one of the most orthodox in sports. Kelly had some success right away, as he led the Tigers to an SEC West title in 2022 and a win over Alabama. From there, cracks began to appear in the foundation. Over the past two decades, the defense has been declining. After they made a lot of money to fix the problem, both the offensive line as well as running game fell apart. Marcus Freeman played in the 2025 national championship for Notre Dame’s new coach, Marcus Freeman. South Bend was not worried about losing the most winning coach in its history.
Kelly failed to lead LSU into serious contention for a national title, even though he invested elite resources in recruiting the class of 2025. Another strikeout resulted from the swing at the fences, and it was a costly one. Kelly’s future was not seriously in doubt even before Sunday. Woodward pulled out the plug following a disappointing 49-25 win over No. 3 Texas A&M at Tiger Stadium that ended with “Fire Kelly!” The venue was filled with chants. There is a value in winning the press conferences and taking swings. It can inspire fans and boosters to provide much-needed support, both financially and otherwise, for the athletic department.
Woodward’s hiring of Petersen revived Washington’s athletics department and turned them into a contender at the national level. Fisher also led Texas A&M to an Orange Bowl victory and AP top-five finish before he was unceremoniously canned. And even though the on-field product ultimately suffered, it galvanized Texas A&M into investing at the top of college football. LSU needs to be more savvy in managing its search, as the college football market is changing and becoming more competitive. Some Louisiana power players would consider Jon Sumrall as beneath them. They shouldn’t. Sumrall is among the best coaches in America. A full vetting of Sumrall would be malpractice. Further, the power of the individual coach in the sport has waned. Resources, infrastructure, and administrative support are now more important. Indiana’s hiring Curt Cignetti inspired action. But their ascent to top of sport coincided with unprecedented investments in the program. LSU, on the other hand, only returned to the elite tier for player acquisition in 2024-25. Will the next coach receive top 1% investment from LSU? This is more important than whether or not you give him a 12-million-dollar contract.
Woodward’s role in the 2025 coaching search is not yet clear. Jeff Landry of Louisiana has already spoken out. LSU doesn’t have a permanent head of school, complicating matters. Woodward is sure to feel pressure from his family and friends to make amends for his mistakes, as well as deliver a better result for the program in his hometown. If LSU does not learn from Woodward’s repeated errors, then nothing will change. Do not worry about winning at the press conference. You should hire a coach who is able to motivate you.
2025-10-27 02:31:40
