We're not even a week in, and it feels like the LSU coaching search is going to be something made into at least a best selling book, and perhaps even a blockbuster movie at some point.
For starters, there were reports that a proverbial collection plate was making its way around the suite during the Tigers second-half collapse against a top five Texas A&M squad to see who was willing to drop money in to cover head coach Brian Kelly's buyout, and come to find out conversations about Kelly's future involved the highest ranking politician in Louisiana with the state's governor Jeff Landry weighing in.
Landry has spent the past two days in front of cameras answering questions about his involvement in the decision, and how involved both he, as well as athletic director Scott Woodward, will be involved in the choosing of LSU's next head coach.
Yesterday, Landry made waves by stating that Woodward would not be the one selecting the new head coach, throwing Woodward under the bus pointing out that he was responsible for Jimbo Fisher's record-setting $75 million buyout and is now also responsible for the second highest buyout in college football history with Kelly's at $53 million.
Landry added the the LSU Board of Supervisors would be the ones to make the hire, and that not only is Woodward not going to select LSU's next leader, but that he'd let President Trump choose the next head coach of the Tigers before allowing Woodward to do so.
Those comments were a complete surprise to LSU Board of Supervisor's chair Scott Ballard, as you can see from this interaction with reporters just after Landry's remarks.
LSU Board of Supervisor's chair Scott Ballard reacts to Governor Jeff Landry's statement regarding the search for the next head LSU football coach.
— WBRZ News (@WBRZ) October 29, 2025
to learn more: https://t.co/BbLDa8zAl7 pic.twitter.com/KM8h0K2OJ6
Today, Landry hit the Pat McAfee show, in part to reiterate that he is not choosing the next head coach in any way, shape, or form, and the only reason he is really involved is because Kelly's contract states that his buyout becomes the responsibility of the state, as a state institution, if private funding and donations comes up short.
Just a day after saying he was sick of "rewarding failures in this country" at his previous presser, Landry shared with McAfee that he envisions the contract of LSU's next head coach to be groundbreaking of sorts.
"Look, I'm hoping we can make a contract with a great coach at LSU that can be the template."
"I have no problem compensating these coaches, even at the rate we are talking about, as long as we are winning."
"I think that everyone is in agreement here, in the state of Louisiana, that the next coach that we hire is going to have a patently different contract. If that agent can't see what is coming down the pipe, hey these big name coaches are big because they win. What, are they afraid of? Right? If you're the best, you shouldn't have to worry. Guess what? I'm putting my reputation on the line, and when I win, this is how much money I want."
Whether those comments scare coaches off, or have them excited about a contract that is in all likelihood much, much, much lighter on the buyout front and heavy on incentives like bringing SEC and national titles back to campus will have coaches excited, or scared about resetting the market in that way is anyone's guess.
While completely neglecting the competitive nature of college coaches everywhere, Landry goes on to argue that the way contracts are structured now, coaches don't have to worry about winning five years down the road because they've got a cushy buyout worked in and can just "go through the motions" until they get axed.
Hear more from Landry, who figures to continue to be a central figure in the coaching search in Baton Rouge, during his appearance on McAfee in the clip.