LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward, university part ways, officials confirmed

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Reports show that LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward and the university are expected to part ways.

According to reports from Yahoo Sports Writer Ross Dellenger, LSU and Woodward are finalizing an exit agreement. Dellenger says Woodward's contract states he is owed about $6.4 million.

LSU officials confirmed that Woodward has agreed to part ways, effective immediately.

“We thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director,” said Scott Ballard, Board of Supervisors Chair. “He had a lot of success at LSU, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. Our focus now is on moving the athletic department forward and best positioning LSU to achieve its full potential.”

Woodward has been the Tigers' Athletics Director since 2019. Before coming to LSU, Woodward was the AD for Texas A&M University and the University of Washington.

The former athletic director released a statement after the announcement.

"It is with a heavy heart but also with my typical optimism, that today is my last day serving as your Director of Athletics.

I grew up a few miles from campus, attended Catholic High School, and enrolled at the University that would change my life in 1981. My four years as a LSU student were among the greatest of my life. My career took me into government and public relations before the opportunity to return to my alma mater in 2000 to lead external affairs for the University. Being back on campus each and every day was a true honor. My journey would take me to Seattle and to College Station, before finally returning home in 2019, to LSU and to Baton Rouge.

Others can recap or opine on my tenure and on my decisions over the last six years as Director of Athletics, but I will not. Rather, I will focus on the absolute joy that LSU Athletics brings to our state’s residents and to the Baton Rouge community. I will cherish the incredible relationships I have built within the University community and beyond our campus borders. And I will fondly remember the national and SEC championships for the joy that they brought to our student-athletes, coaches, staff, campus community and our incredible fans.  

Our University will always hold a special place in my heart and I will never be too far from LSU. Nanette, Michael, Josh and I wish the Tigers nothing but the best."

This comes just a day after Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry publicly announced that Woodward would not select the university's next football head coach and a couple of days after former head coach Brian Kelly was fired.

LSU's Athletic Administrator Verge Ausberry is expected to serve as the interim AD, according to the board.

“Verge Ausberry is a native son of Louisiana and LSU, who has spent all of his adult life working to better this athletic department and this state,” said John Carmouche, Board of Athletics Committee Chair. “From the time he arrived on campus as a football student-athlete, he’s been associated with championship excellence and will continue to uphold that standard in his role as interim athletic director. He’s the ideal person to lead this department with full authority at this time, and together we show the country that LSU continues to be an elite destination for student-athletes, coaches and staff.”

Ausberry joined the LSU athletics department in 1991. By 2019, he was promoted to the role of Executive Deputy Athletic Director, as well as Executive Director of External Relations.

“I’m honored that the Board of Supervisors and university leadership to put their trust in me to serve the university in this role,” Ausberry said. “I arrived at LSU as a freshman student-athlete in 1985, and from that point forward, this institution has impacted my life and my family in ways I never could have imagined. It’s my responsibility to move this athletic department forward, including hiring the best football coach in America to lead our program. Our coaches and staff will continue to work every day to give our student-athletes the best experience possible and set a championship-level standard.”

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