Days after LSU fired football coach Brian Kelly, athletic director Scott Woodward is leaving the university after disparaging comments from the Louisiana governor.

The school announced the departure Thursday in a release. Executive deputy athletics director Verge Ausberry will serve as interim athletics director and lead the search for Kelly's replacement.

"We thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director," said Scott Ballard, LSU's board of supervisors chair, said in a statement. "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."

The decision comes following remarks from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry that criticized Woodward's decision making. Woodward was the one that hired Kelly in 2021, but after a rather disappointing tenure that resulted in the coach's dismissal on Oct. 26, LSU owed Kelly approximately $54 million; the two sides are working on what the exact buyout would be.

Because of the large buyout, Landry told reporters Woodward would not be part of the search for LSU's next coach. He also noted how Woodward hired Jimbo Fisher when he was at Texas A&M, which ended in $77 million buyout when he was fired in 2023 (though Woodward was not responsible for that number, with now-Ohio State AD Ross Bjork penning Fisher's extension).

"I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting the next head coach. Hell, I'll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it," Landry said. "The board of supervisors is going to come up with a committee and they go find us a coach."

Landry reportedly had a hand in LSU firing Kelly, and has appointed nine of the 18 board of supervisors members that will apparently lead the search for a new coach.

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana native and an LSU grad, Woodward had been the Tigers’ athletic director since 2019. In his tenure, he hired women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey and baseball coach Jay Johnson, both of which won national championships at LSU.

Prior to his arrival at LSU, Woodward was the athletic director at Texas A&M from 2016-19 and Washington from 2008-16.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU parts with athletics director Scott Woodward after Jeff Landry criticism

Reporting by Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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