Washington, DC
By 11:30 AM on Thursday, LSU found itself with two basketball coaches: the one still technically employed but awaiting dismissal, and the coach they had fired four years prior for non-cooperation during an NCAA probe. The university’s eagerness to bring back the latter was such that they extended an offer before formally terminating the former.
Understand the complexity? Indeed. It’s an utter disarray.
Such is the way of LSU.
While college athletics increasingly deviates from its cooperative spirit, LSU remains distinct. The institution has a legacy of embroiling itself in scandals, akin to a “theater of the absurd” steeped in Louisiana’s unique culture.
This latest incident marks a new peak, even for a school with a history like 1934, when then-football coach Lawrence “Biff” Jones resigned after Senator and future Governor Huey Long attempted to storm the Tigers’ locker room at halftime during an Oregon game to voice his displeasure.
Resembling a divorced pair unable to fully separate—or perhaps more fittingly, a couple meant for each other— LSU and Will Wade have reconciled, a process that proved even more convoluted than their original, deliberate separation.
In 2022, LSU ultimately dismissed the coach right before the NCAA tournament, following an extended NCAA investigation that originated from Wade’s conversation about a “strong-ass” offer on an FBI wiretap.
“We cannot continue to subject our University, Department of Athletics, and crucially, our student-athletes, to this burdensome and prolonged process without intervention,” declared then-university president William F. Tate and athletic director Scott Woodward in a joint announcement. They added, “Our commitment to upholding the integrity and welfare of our whole institution and our student-athletes will forever be our highest priority.”
Regarding those commitments…
Subsequently, Tate departed to assume the identical role at Rutgers, while Woodward resigned following a public reprimand from the Louisiana governor, who asserted that Woodward would not oversee the selection of LSU’s next head football coach after dismissing Brian Kelly and incurring a substantial buyout.
Governor Jeff Landry, who intermittently governs the state when not involving himself in LSU affairs, has instead appointed Wade Rousse, previously McNeese State’s president, to Tate’s former position, and brought in Heath Schroyer, McNeese’s athletic director, to fill the equivalent role at LSU.
Their shared history? They defiantly hired Wade after his departure from LSU, even embracing his nonconformist persona in a promotional video that depicted him as an outlaw, concluding with the slogan, “Willy the Kid is free.”
“Free Willy” has once again managed to untangle himself from an inconvenient situation. By 1 PM, LSU had ironed out the complex arrangements. The administration dismissed Matt McMahon—who had taken over after Wade’s NCAA-induced upheaval, with literally no players—and secured Wade with a seven-year contract. Amusingly, this duration almost mirrors his previous violations at LSU, where he faced five Level I and one Level II charges.
Wade now aligns with figures like Lane Kiffin, who was enticed from Ole Miss during the College Football Playoff, and Kim Mulkey, forming an athletic department truly deserving of its own reality television series. This marks Wade’s sixth coaching stint in 13 years, with none extending beyond five seasons.
“I will forever be thankful for my tenure here,” Wade remarked concerning his 367 days at NC State, explaining that the choice was deeply personal as returning to LSU represented a “chance to go home.”
He was born in Nashville, and attended Clemson for his education.
“I believe I was deceived,” stated NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan during his Thursday press conference.
Such a reaction is entirely comprehensible.
The Wolfpack garner little sympathy in this scenario. Apart from what could be called an unforeseen journey to the 2024 Final Four, the program has consistently struggled for decades to compete with its Tobacco Road rivals. The institution sought victory, and Wade—boasting seven NCAA tournament appearances in eight seasons (excluding the Covid-19 year)—presented the clearest path to regaining prominence.
“Will assured me he believes he can achieve significant victories at NC State,” Corrigan stated upon Wade’s initial hiring. “It didn’t require many discussions for me to concur.”
Evidently, compromising principles carries a cost, and for NC State, that price is another coaching search, yielded only a First Four disappointment.
The sole beneficiary in this entire unsavory episode is McMahon.
He will receive a severance package. Crucially, however, he can finally depart from the tumultuous bayou environment.