The LSU Tigers made some much-needed changes around the football program over the past few days. The Tigers fired Brian Kelly after missing the playoffs four straight times, dismissed athletic director Scott Woodward, and named Verge Ausberry as the interim AD. Looks like the Tigers are setting new standards for themselves and giving a clear picture of where the program stands.

On October 31, the interim athletic director sat down at Tiger Stadium alongside LSU insiders and reminded everyone what the bare minimum should be for LSU football: “We are not going to let this program fail. LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football, there’s 12 teams that make it. It’s going to expand here. We have to be one of those at LSU, no substitute.” That’s something Brian Kelly struggled with. When Kelly landed in Baton Rouge back in 2021, playoff berths and national titles were the expectations, especially after what he accomplished at Notre Dame.

However, Brian Kelly failed to make it into the playoffs since his arrival, despite having two 10-win seasons. LSU did not hire Brian Kelly to be a good coach with a 34-14 record; they hired him to win the natty and be a regular member of the playoffs, especially in the 12-team playoff era. Unfortunately, he’s done neither. So, LSU’s board had no choice but to pull the $53.3 million plug on Brian Kelly.

According to Ausberry, LSU football needs to be one of the top stories in sports, talked about on ESPN and every major channel, because football success drives the success of the entire athletic department. In other words, when LSU football is winning, the whole school and all its sports programs benefit. The big facilities and resources they have were built on the idea that LSU football would always be one of the best in the country, so keeping that standard high is very important.

He also mentioned being disappointed when he saw empty seats and suites at Tiger Stadium. For a program with LSU’s tradition and success, that’s as bad a sign as it gets. He said that the worst thing that can happen to a program is “apathy” when fans stop caring. To prevent that, the team has to keep winning and performing at a high level. Word on the street is Ausberry has a say in who the next head coach is . 

Verge Ausberry on the board for the next coach hunt

Verge Ausberry now has full control over choosing the next head football coach to replace Brian Kelly. Ausberry said a search committee is already working to find the right person for the job. He’s been part of LSU for over 30 years, first as a player and now as an administrator, and is leading the athletic department after Scott Woodward, the former athletic director, and the school agreed to part ways on Thursday.

Woodward’s exit came shortly after Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said that Woodward wouldn’t be involved in hiring the next football coach, even joking that he’d rather let former President Donald Trump handle it. Some people have worried that this political drama might make it harder to find a good coach, but Ausberry doesn’t think that will be a problem. but Ausberry disagreed. “We’re going to hire the best football coach there is,” he said confidently.

Ausberry also doubled down that LSU’s program remains strong despite the shake-up. “We’re LSU,” he said. “This place is not broken. The athletic department is not broken. We win.” The board of supervisors is scheduled to choose the next LSU president on Tuesday, but officials said that won’t slow down the football coach search.