The wild feud between Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and LSU athletic director Scott Woodward was a very long time coming.
After Woodward fired LSU soccer coach Brian Kelly final week, Landry blasted Woodward in a press convention and declared that he wouldn't be concerned in hiring the subsequent coach.
Landry and Woodward have lengthy been at odds, according to Yahoo Sports, with Landry holding a “private vendetta” in opposition to Woodward.
After LSU athletic directors determined they have been firing Kelly, Landry held a gathering on the governor's mansion with donors and choose college directors to authorize the choice, the outlet reported.
And at that assembly, Landry strongly expressed his need to have Woodward fired, per the report.
“He's obtained it out for him,” a Louisiana political determine informed Yahoo Sports activities. “This governor picks fights and he by no means forgets a slight.”
A few of that's as a result of Woodward, a former political lobbyist, is extra progressive than the conservative Landry.
Quickly after Landry was sworn in in 2024, he turned combative with the college over numerous disagreements.
First, whereas talking on Fox Information, Landry criticized LSU's girls's basketball crew for remaining within the locker room whereas the nationwide anthem performed throughout an NCAA event sport.
He declared it an indication of disrespect to the nation and threatened to revoke athletic scholarships.
Later that 12 months, he was adamant on restoring the college's custom of parading a reside tiger across the area earlier than soccer video games, which the college had stopped numerous years in the past.
Landry had a Bengal tiger transported from Florida and paraded across the area earlier than a sport whereas the college's precise actual reside tiger mascot was not used.
These two selections left the college “indignant, scarred and embarrassed,” Yahoo Sports activities reported.
Then this 12 months, Landry urged Woodward and college directors to rent again Will Wade to teach the basketball crew, in accordance with the outlet.
Wade coached LSU throughout a profitable five-year run between 2017-2022, recording a 105-51 file and bringing the Tigers to a few NCAA tournaments.
However he then turned embroiled in an NCAA investigation for paying gamers, and Woodward subsequently fired him.
He discovered success and rehabilitated his picture with McNeese State the previous two years, which earned him a job at NC State.
However as LSU completed a disappointing 12 months final season underneath Matt McMahon, Landry urged Woodward to fireplace him and convey again Wade, which Woodward refused, Yahoo Sports activities reported.
And now simply final week, Landry publicly slammed Woodward for giving Kelly his “horrible” contract that resulted in a $54 million buyout needing to be paid.
