LSU athletic director should be on hot seat after Brian Kelly firing

The LSU Tigers are still reeling from last Saturday's blowout loss to Texas A&M. Head coach Brian Kelly was fired following the 49-25 drubbing, less than three years after leaving Notre Dame for Baton Rouge. 

Scott Woodward, LSU's athletic director, initially pursued Kelly for the role and ultimately decided to fire him. However, Woodward is notably avoiding criticism over Kelly's dismissal. Kelly is owed $53 million in his buyout after being let go — the second major buyout Woodward has arranged in his career.

Scott Woodward should be on the hot seat at LSU

Woodward masterminded Jimbo Fisher's hiring as Texas A&M's head coach and served as the athletic director from 2016 to 2019. He gave Fisher a nearly $100 million buyout, which A&M had to pay after he was fired in 2023.

With Woodward being the primary decision-maker for these two hires, why isn't he under more scrutiny? He should be under pressure at LSU, as the athletics department hasn't exactly thrived under his leadership.

Since Woodward was hired in April 2019, the Tigers have won six national championships — one in gymnastics (2024), two in baseball (2023, 2025), one in women's basketball (2023), one in men's outdoor track (2021) and the football national title (2019). This all appears on his resume, even if he wasn't directly responsible for any of those teams' achievements.

The Tigers should consider whether they want Woodward to make another head-coaching decision after his two most high-profile hires failed. Maybe the Board of Regents should review his resume more closely.