Ryan Clark blasts Governor's involvement in LSU's coaching search

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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has been heavily involved in the firing of LSU’s former head coach, Brian Kelly, as well as the hiring process for Kelly’s successor. Landry addressed the situation in a press conference on Wednesday, stating that LSU athletic director Scott Woodward will not be deciding who the next head coach will be.

On Thursday evening, LSU and Scott Woodward agreed to go their separate ways.

Landry instead said that LSU’s board of supervisors, many of whom were appointed by Landry himself, would form a committee to make the hiring decision.

Landry’s involvement in the situation has drawn the ire of many Tigers fans, including former LSU safety Ryan Clark. Clark appeared on ESPN Thursday morning and blasted Landry for his comments on Woodward, calling his remarks “ridiculous.”

“This is the second dumb thing he’s said this week… Scott Woodward, for whatever he is, is a man who got Jay Johnson. Last I checked, the 2025 Louisiana State University Tiger baseball team was in the White House,” Clark said. “He was there in 2019 with one of the greatest college football teams of all time. He was also there when he said, ‘We’re gonna go out and get Kim Mulkey.’ She brings a championship to the school with Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson.”

And to his credit, Clark makes some good points there. Although the Brian Kelly hire has turned out poorly, Woodward’s choices to hire Johnson and Mulkey have brought three combined National Championships to the school.

Woodward was not involved in hiring Ed Orgeron as LSU’s head coach, as he arrived before the 2019 season, and Orgeron was named head coach during the 2016 season.

Clark’s comments went beyond just trying to disprove Landry however. Clark then took the offensive, saying that Landry’s involvement is “another situation of politicians poking their noses into situations that they don’t know about.”

Ultimately, this situation boils down to two parties seeing things as either black or white. While it’s true that the Brian Kelly hire didn’t turn out well, Woodward has a strong track record with two of LSU’s other major sports programs. It may not be wise to let him make the decision entirely on his own, but Woodward’s voice is an important one to have involved. 

How this situation will turn out will be behind closed doors, and it’s unlikely that Tigers fans will be privy to the exact inner workings of how things occur. Hopefully, however, Landry and Woodward can find a way to work together for the good of the program.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Ryan Clark blasts Governor's involvement in LSU's coaching search

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