GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
While grocery shopping for bargain-priced tomatoes during government working hours with Louisiana Governor Earl Long in the late 1950s, a subordinate of Long told another:
“I wonder what the other 49 governors are doing today.”
Well, on Thursday, present Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry was on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN – one of the most popular talk shows in America today, which usually does not feature governors.
Still no comment from LSU or AD Scott Woodward on Governor Jeff Landry’s bombshell on Wednesday: “No, I can tell you right now Scott Woodward will not be selecting the next coach. Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select him before I let him do it.” https://t.co/HQfpbWjFpI
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 30, 2025
But this is Louisiana, and Landry continued to hammer home his take on the state of affairs with LSU Football in light of the firing of coach Brian Kelly on Sunday. Landry repeated to McAfee that he would not select the next coach, which Governor Huey Long (Earl’s older brother who was in office from 1928-32) actually did in 1932 when he hired Lawrence “Biff” Jones.
Landry said emphatically Wednesday at a press conference that he does not want LSU athletic director Scott Woodward hiring the next coach. That’s because of what he called a “terrible” contract that features $52.3 million buyout LSU owes Kelly, who was fired without cause with more than six years left on a 10-year, $100 million pact.
DOES GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY WANT LSU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SCOTT WOODWARD FIRED?
Former Baton Rouge Advocate star writer Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported later Thursday that Landry wants Woodward fired, but that was not until paragraph 26 in a fabulous feature on the history of politics surrounding the LSU football program. In describing Landry’s meeting Sunday night at the Governor’s mansion with LSU officials, Dellenger wrote, “While at the gathering Sunday evening, sources told Yahoo Sports that Landry strongly suggested to those present he wanted Woodward fired.”
A call to Landry media relations office asking for comment Thursday was not returned.
In listing Woodward’s accomplishments, Dellenger mentioned the hirings of LSU national championship coaches Kim Mulkey in women’s basketball and Jay Johnson in baseball and football coach Chris Petersen, but that was Woodward’s first and last great football hire – at Washington in 2013. Another bit of reporting by Dellenger may endear a large pocket of LSU fans to Landry. He wanted to hire men’s basketball coach Will Wade back after the 2024-25 season along with at least one member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, but Woodward refused. And Wade left McNeese State to become North Carolina State’s coach.
On Sunday, Louisiana’s governor told LSU officials to fire AD Scott Woodward – the latest in a political feud erupting in unprecedented theatrics.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 30, 2025
Now, LSU's coaching search is in peril, its AD’s job is in doubt & it seems bound for court with Brian Kelly https://t.co/ophXQewUfu
Landry assured McAfee he does not want to hire the new coach, rather the LSU Board of Supervisors that he appoints and tends to oversee will do that.
“I’m not,” Landry said in between McAfee’s attempts at imitating the Cajun accent of Landry, a native of St. Martinville.
Should Scott Woodward really be allowed to hire LSU’s next football coach, considering his track record in that sport? Column:https://t.co/cSU7rTItlS
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 18, 2025
“Listen, emphatically, I am not picking the coach,” Landry said. “That is not my job. The only reason I’m really involved, Pat, is because this contract that is currently between the state of Louisiana, the LSU System and Brian Kelly leaves the taxpayers of the state on the bill. There’s misinformation out there.”
Many LSU fans, some media members and lawyers have argued that Louisiana taxpayers are not accountable for LSU spending on coaches and the like to Landry’s chagrin.
Landry is a 2003 graduate of the prestigious Loyola Law School in New Orleans in 2004 and was the state’s Attorney General from 2016-24 before being elected governor in 2023 and taking office in 2024.
Brian Kelly’s contract was with the Board of LSU, it’s in the first paragraph, and LSU is a subdivision of the State. This makes the State liable for any debt.
— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) October 30, 2025
Thus, putting the ultimate responsibility on the backs of Louisiana taxpayers.
As I stated, that is why public… pic.twitter.com/8b0cJFbLun
“People saying, ‘Oh, no, the taxpayers aren’t liable,” he said. “They’re not reading the contract. On Sunday, I had a meeting with the lawyers as they were talking about whether or not Brian Kelly was terminated, whether they were going to fire him. And all I cared about were the taxpayers of our state, and that contract binds the state of Louisiana.”
According to Kelly’s contract formulated by Woodward in 2021, LSU owes Kelly $52.3 million, though Woodward and company are trying to negotiate that total down with no success yet.
“If we have to pay $53 million, and somebody else (a deep-pocketed donor or group of such) doesn’t step up to foot that bill, the state of Louisiana has to foot that bill,” Landry said. “That is in the contract.”
Even if Woodward’s nice fairy godmother donor does come through with the $52.3 million or “negotiated” lesser settlement, that is still money that could go to the next coach or into LSU’s Name, Image & Likeness coffers for more players out of the NCAA Transfer Portal and other recruiting.
“This employment and license agreement is between the Board of Supervisors of LSU, a body corporate existing under the Constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, and Brian Kelly for the services of Brian Kelly,” the opening paragraph of the contract reads. “This agreement shall be enforced and construed in accordance with the laws of Louisiana.”
Tiger Rag on Thursday spoke on the condition of anonymity with two contract lawyers who have practiced law in Louisiana about Kelly’s contract and which parties are ultimately responsible for the buyout payment or payments to Kelly. As has frequently been the case with contracts in the past written by LSU attorneys, these two lawyers interpreted the language differently.
“The contract obligates LSU Athletics to make these payments, as it is a self-sustaining department that receives no direct state appropriations or taxpayer money,” the first lawyer said. “Funding comes from ticket sales, media rights, corporate sponsorships, and booster donations via the Tiger Athletic Foundation (LSU’s fund raising arm).”
LSU Board of Supervisors president Scott Ballard confirmed that statement recently, saying that LSU will use only athletic-generated revenues and private donations to pay the buyout with no impact on state education funds or taxpayers.
“Only a small portion of Kelly’s payments come from general university funds that include some state support,” the attorney said. “Over 95 percent of Kelly’s salary is private sources. In short, the contract ties payments to LSU’s athletic resources, not state general funds.”
The second attorney boiled it down this way.
“The state of Louisiana is ultimately responsible for the buyout if LSU cannot pay it from donors,” he said. “According to the contract, LSU is obligated to pay liquidated damages in the event of termination without cause. And these payments may be made from affiliated foundation funds.”
Here is his key point.
“However, if LSU is unable to secure these funds, the responsibility for payment would fall on LSU, which is a state entity under the governance of the Board of Supervisors of LSU,” he said, quoting the contract. “As such, the state of Louisiana and its taxpayers would be responsible for ensuring LSU fulfills its contractual obligations.”
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