The athletic director search is over almost before it started for LSU. In what has been heralded by many as a perfect hire for the Tigers, Scott Woodward is now officially set to replace Joe Alleva. Woodward, a hometown hire, comes after a stellar run at SEC rival Texas A&M. During Woodward's tenure at Texas A&M, every sports program participated in postseason play and the Aggies won nine SEC titles, including men’s basketball, baseball, men’s tennis (twice), soccer, women’s swimming and diving (three times), and men’s outdoor track and field. He also spearheaded the construction of a world-class track & field stadium, as well as a state-of-the-art softball stadium, in addition to renovations of the basketball locker rooms and planned redesign of the swimming and diving facility, nutrition areas and a weight room. “Returning home to the LSU family to lead the department of athletics is incredibly humbling and exciting,” Woodward said. “The state university has been a part of my life for more than five decades, and I know – and I embrace – the high expectations of Tiger Nation. We will win championships and we will do it the right way, representing LSU with pride and dignity every step of the way. I want to thank President Alexander for the opportunity of a lifetime and I cannot wait to get started. Geaux Tigers!” What does it mean for both LSU and Texas A&M? Here is how the press reacted.<doc-sep>A day after the whirlwind news of a shakeup in the LSU athletics department, the school has officially announced former Texas A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward will take the same position in Baton Rouge. The news began to circulate Wednesday when it was announced Joe Alleva would be leaving the Athletic Director position he's held since 2008. LSU later announced he would shift to the new position of special assistant to the president for donor relations. “We are happy to welcome a fellow Tiger back home,” said LSU President F. King Alexander in a statement Thursday morning. “Scott brings a strong track record of winning championships, graduating student-athletes and building an infrastructure for future achievement. His leadership will take us into a new era for Tiger Athletics.” A formal welcome will be held on Tuesday with the public invited to join. Texas A&M AD Scott Woodward will replace Joe Alleva at LSU, sources say By the time afternoon rolled into evening Wednesday, LSU had pulled off a stunning and major coup, striking a deal to bring Texas A&M athl… The decision to remove Alleva as athletic director was made Tuesday night during a tight-lipped executive meeting held by the LSU Board of Supervisors, according to a board member who asked not to be identified because university officials asked members to remain quiet. Woodward, a Baton Rouge native, comes to LSU by way of the Aggies, where he was behind two major coaching hires the past two years. He had held that position since 2016. Woodward is just weeks removed from luring Buzz Williams from Virginia Tech to replace Billy Kennedy as men's basketball coach, and last year he hired Jimbo Fisher to a 10-year, $75 million deal from Florida State to replace Kevin Sumlin as football coach. “Returning home to the LSU family to lead the department of athletics is incredibly humbling and exciting,” Woodward said in the release. “The state university has been a part of my life for more than five decades, and I know – and I embrace – the high expectations of Tiger Nation. We will win championships and we will do it the right way, representing LSU with pride and dignity every step of the way.” LSU sports news in your inbox If you're a Tiger fan you won't want to miss this newsletter. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up According to The Dallas Morning News, Woodward earned $900,000 in base salary as part of a five-year deal that expires in January 2021. He owes Texas A&M about $40,000 for leaving, according to the terms of the contract. Woodward was the athletic director at the University of Washington from 2008-15 and served as the school's vice chancellor of external affairs from 2004-08. The latter was a similar position to the one he held at LSU from 2000-04, when he was then-Chancellor Mark Emmert's representative to the athletic department as the director of external affairs. Before that, Woodward was a political consultant and legislative liaison in Baton Rouge, where he founded a government and public relations firm in the mid-1990s. Along with Ed Orgeron, a Larose native, Woodward's hiring marks the first time since 1955 that LSU's athletic director and football coach are both from Louisiana. T.P. "Skipper" Heard was athletic director then, and Gaynell Tinsley was the football coach before being succeeded that year by Paul Dietzel. The hiring also comes amid scrutiny over the Tigers' basketball program and coach Will Wade, who was reinstated over the weekend after a suspension by the school lasting more than a month. The decision to suspend Wade on March 8 came after he declined to meet with LSU officials to answer questions regarding leaked FBI wiretaps that detailed phone calls between the coach and a federally convicted middleman. Wade missed the entirety of the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament, but met with school officials for the first time Friday before his reinstatement was announced Sunday evening. +2 Rabalais: For Scott Woodward, what led him from Texas A&M back to LSU? Mama called The reason Scott Woodward was able to turn his back on Texas A&M’s millions, its proximity to a bottomless talent pool and two top-tier co… As far as Alleva, his $725,000-per-year contract with the university is set to expire June, 30, 2020, and if he were fired by LSU without cause, Alleva would be entitled to 100 percent of the remaining base salary, which is about $650,000. LSU would have needed to pay Alleva 35 percent of the balance, or about $227,500, within 30 days of his termination, and the rest would have been paid in equal monthly payments over the next 30 months. Information from The Advocate's Brooks Kubena was used in this report.<doc-sep>
Baton Rouge native and LSU alumnus Scott Woodward was named athletics director at his alma mater today after serving in the same position for the last four years at Texas A&M University. Woodward will be formally welcomed back home on Tuesday at a time and location to be announced later. The community is invited to attend along with members of the media. “We are happy to welcome a fellow Tiger back home,” said LSU President F. King Alexander. “Scott brings a strong track record of winning championships, graduating student-athletes and building an infrastructure for future achievement. His leadership will take us into a new era for Tiger Athletics.” During Woodward's tenure at Texas A&M, every sports program participated in postseason play and the Aggies won nine SEC titles, including men’s basketball, baseball, men’s tennis (twice), soccer, women’s swimming and diving (three times), and men’s outdoor track and field. He also spearheaded the construction of a world-class track & field stadium, as well as a state-of-the-art softball stadium, in addition to renovations of the basketball locker rooms and planned redesign of the swimming and diving facility, nutrition areas and a weight room. “Returning home to the LSU family to lead the department of athletics is incredibly humbling and exciting,” Woodward said. “The state university has been a part of my life for more than five decades, and I know – and I embrace – the high expectations of Tiger Nation. We will win championships and we will do it the right way, representing LSU with pride and dignity every step of the way. I want to thank President Alexander for the opportunity of a lifetime and I cannot wait to get started. Geaux Tigers!” Woodward was named to the athletics director’s position vacated by Joe Alleva, who announced he stepped down from the post this week but will remain at LSU as special assistant to the university president. Woodward, who previously served as LSU’s Director of External Affairs from 2000-2004, served as the Vice President of External Affairs at the University of Washington, prior to being named Director of Athletics in 2008. During Woodward’s time leading the Husky athletic programs, UW captured seven national championships and multiple conference titles during his tenure. Prior to working in higher education, Woodward co-owned a government and public relations firm in Baton Rouge and provided strategic policy direction to Fortune 500 corporations, including clients in the education, insurance and oil industries. He also worked on behalf of the Louisiana Nature Conservancy and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and served on the Board of Directors of the Baton Rouge Food Bank. Woodward earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from LSU in 1985. He is married to Nanette Dicharry and has two adult sons, Michael and Josh Evans. The appointment is contingent upon the approval of the Board of Supervisors in accordance with their Bylaws and internal procedures. Editor’s Note: This is a press release issued by LSU Sports Information