Two years ago, Texas A&M made headlines in college football by paying Jimbo Fisher more than $70 million to buy out his contract, marking the largest buyout in the sport’s history. More recently, Brian Kelly reportedly received the second-largest buyout ever, another costly coaching departure that has captured national attention. These two high-profile cases share a common figure behind the scenes: Scott Woodward, the athletic director at LSU.
Woodward has built a reputation as a bold and aggressive recruiter of coaching talent, unafraid to pursue big names and splashy hires that grab headlines. His track record includes some impressive successes. At Washington, he enticed Chris Petersen from Boise State, a move that transformed the Huskies into a national contender. Later, at Texas A&M, he landed what many considered the hire of the century by bringing Jimbo Fisher to College Station. And after taking the helm at LSU in 2019, Woodward swung for the fences again by luring Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame with a massive 10-year contract.
However, Woodward’s penchant for grand gestures and blockbuster contracts has also come with significant risks and consequences. For the second time in just three years, one of his high-profile coaching decisions has left an athletic department struggling, with the fallout attracting scrutiny from LSU’s board and even the governor of Louisiana. This raises an important question for LSU: should Woodward be entrusted with making a third major coaching hire given the track record of costly missteps?
To understand the situation, it’s helpful to rewind to the 2021 coaching carousel. Woodward, a Baton Rouge native and LSU alum, was clearly saving his biggest move for his hometown school. Initially, LSU pursued Lincoln Riley, then at Oklahoma. Riley publicly dismissed LSU’s overtures, eventually taking the USC job instead. Woodward then set his sights on Jimbo Fisher, who was under contract at Texas A&M. While Fisher ultimately stayed put, he received a massive contract extension—partly a reaction to LSU’s interest—which contributed to the enormous buyout Texas A&M would pay to part ways with him later.
Following those attempts, Woodward’s approach to hiring became somewhat scattershot. He pursued high-profile names like Lane Kiffin and Mel Tucker, but overlooked emerging young coaches such as Georgia’s defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator Mike Elko. In hindsight, those overlooked candidates have become leaders of some of the top programs in college football entering the 2025 season. Instead, Woodward convinced Brian Kelly, a well-known figure but one whose resume raised questions about his fit in the Deep South.
Kelly, who had spent his entire coaching career in the northern United States, was unfamiliar with the region’s recruiting landscape and culture. Known primarily as a program builder and strategist, Kelly had struggled in recent years to recruit at the highest level. Woodward believed that by upgrading LSU’s recruiting infrastructure, Kelly’s weaknesses could be mitigated. However, there was less consideration that Kelly himself might be part of the problem.
From the outset, Kelly’s adjustment to LSU and the Deep South was met with skepticism and even ridicule. His attempts to adopt a Southern accent and engage in unconventional recruiting antics quickly became fodder for memes and mockery, contrasting sharply with his more buttoned-up image at Notre Dame. Despite this rocky start, Kelly did have some early success, leading LSU to an SEC West title in 2022 and a notable victory over Alabama.
Yet, cracks soon appeared in the program’s foundation. Over the last two years, LSU’s defense deteriorated, and efforts to fix it led to a collapse in the offensive line and running game. Meanwhile, Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s successor at Notre Dame, took the Fighting Irish to a national championship game in 2025, highlighting the contrast between the two programs and coaching legacies. Notre Dame fans showed little concern over losing their winningest coach, underscoring that Kelly’s departure was less painful than anticipated.
Despite significant investment, including securing one of the nation’s top recruiting classes for 2025, LSU failed to become a serious national championship contender under Kelly. The gamble on a big-name hire did not pay off, resulting in a costly strikeout. Until recently, Kelly’s job wasn’t widely viewed as being in jeopardy. But following a disappointing 49-25 loss to No. 3 Texas A&M at Tiger Stadium—an upset that sparked chants of “Fire