Nov 06, 2025
3 min read
Lou Scott Woodward is the Athletic Director of the time passing after the shooter.
LSU will name Verge Osberry full-time athletic director, multiple sources told The Advocate on Tuesday.The decision comes less than a week after the firing of Scott Woodward and gives the athletic department clear leadership amid the search for a football coach.
The LSU administration discussed the issue while the LSU Board of Directors was in private
An official announcement can be expected in the coming days.When the LSU women's basketball game was pitched to the Aubersbury Khans, the director at the end of the stage spent part of the first night just at the end of the stands.
The promotion could bring stability after one of the most tumultuous periods in LSU athletic history.In 10 days, LSU fired football coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, parted ways with Woodward after Gov. Jeff Landry publicly criticized him, and filled two of the school's top jobs.
Ausberry, a native of the Iberian Peninsula, played linebacker at LSU.He has worked in various roles in the athletics department for 24 years, including the last six as associate athletic director.He was named interim athletic director Thursday after Woodward and LSU agreed to part ways.
Among his various responsibilities, Auberry plays football.He also has deep connections in Louisiana politics and the education movement.
In 2021, Ausberry was suspended from LSU for 30 days and faced cheating and sexual misconduct charges.
Police reports show former LSU wide receiver Drake Davis texted Osbury in 2018 and admitted to fighting with his girlfriend, former LSU tennis star Jade Lewis, and hitting her.Ausberry never reported the allegations to the police, the LSU Title IX office or other authorities, and Hush Blackwell found his response to her handling of the incident "unbelievable."Osbury said in a 2020 interview with The Advocate that he called Davis immediately after receiving the texts, and Davis recanted his confession.
In his first effort as a full-time athletic director, Ausberry will lead the search for LSU's next football coach.He said in an interview with WNXX, 104.5-fm on Tuesday that he would prefer to hire someone with experience as a head coach.
Ausberry added in the interview that LSU would be willing to consider a coach who reached the college football playoff, even if it meant not making an official hire until January.The early signing period runs December 3-5 and the transfer portal opens January 2-15.
LSU Board of Supervisors member John Carmouche said Friday that Asbury has been given "full authority" to conduct the search and hire the next coach as interim athletic director.He leads a committee that includes LSU Carmouche Board President Scott Ballard, former LSU offensive lineman and senior tight end Ben Bordelon and FMOL Health System CEO and President EJ Kuiper.Ballard said Tuesday that "one more member" could be added to the search team.
Russia plans to play a role after Tuesday's vote.Although LSU also hired James Dalton as vice president and the new president of the Baton Rouge campus, the athletic director will report to Russ under the new leadership structure.Russo said he would meet with Osberry as soon as Tuesday night.
"I expect to be very, very involved. As I said in our speech, our involvement starts today. "I plan to meet with our advertisers as soon as I can tonight and be as involved as I can."
The drive was used after a flurry of new presidents following the last few presidential nominations cast doubt on the college sports industry.
"We're going to work closely together," Ausberry said."He's going to help us, join us, consult us on this football search. That's what we needed. Talking to people there — agents and candidates and other people in the business — they were all asking, 'Who's going to be the president? Who do we report to? Who's the AD?' You had to make them feel comfortable with what we were doing."
LSU even now can answer the question of who will be the direct head of the coach.Once an intern in LSU's compliance office, Ausberry became an academic advisor for players before working with the Tiger Athletic Foundation.Then he moved into administration.For the past six years, he formally assisted the office of the president in foreign and government affairs.
In a press conference on Friday, ousberry sat the prospect of the next coach, saying "Lsu has been in the playoffs every year in football."At least he will be tasked with creating a new hire, and he will try to find someone who can put LSU in the regular season.
"I want our fan base to know one thing: LSU is not broken," Osberry said Friday."The athletic department at LSU is not broken. I think we have the best athletic department in the country."
Staff writers Andrea Gallo and Scott Raila contributed to this report.
