This is an opinion piece. LSU and Auburn fans beware. A more fitting headline for this SEC Football post would have replaced the word 'fiasco' with s**t show in Baton Rouge.
Let's begin with a positive note. From the day Scott Woodward hired Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, I labeled Woodward as one of the SEC's most out-of-touch Athletic Directors. My opinion on the hiring never changed. Fisher belongs on a list of national championship coaches no program should ever hire, along with Les Miles and Ed Orgeron. From an Alabama Crimson Tide perspective, Auburn hiring Jimbo to replace Hugh Freeze would almost be as good as Auburn not firing Hugh.
Speaking of the Tigers, Auburn AD John Cohen should send a thank-you note to Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. If Landry did not get Brian Kelly fired, he is certainly responsible for the firing of (former) LSU AD Scott Woodward.
My opinion on Woodward has changed dramatically based on recent information. The sordid developments in Baton Rouge are presented in lengthy detail by Ross Dellenger. His piece deserves a full read. It caused me to reverse my opinion of Scott Woodward.
Woodward fired Will Wade a few years ago. It took LSU far too long to cut Wade loose, but they finally did. Wade is a good coach who should never represent any respectable school. As a liar and a cheater, Wade has never repented for why LSU had no choice but to fire him. My 2023 piece on Wade provides details of why his 'Show Cause' penalty was a bad joke.
Feud more about SEC basketball than SEC football
Thanks to Dellenger, we now know that Jeff Landry wanted Woodward to rehire Wade. Woodward commendably refused. According to Dellenger, Landry was furious and has been on a vendetta against Woodward since.
Getting back to John Cohen and why he should thank Jeff Landry. However badly Cohen mismanages retaining or firing Hugh Freeze, Auburn's recurrent leadership failures have been eclipsed by the LSU mess.
Alabama Crimson Tide fans can comfortably laugh at LSU's misfortunes now. There will be no laughter if, as Governor, Tommy Tuberville one day decides to fire a by then national championship coach, Kalen DeBoer, for no reason other than he can. A Governor controlling a program has happened before. Huey Long designed plays for LSU and demanded they be run, along with considerably more interference.