LSU President Rousse backtracks on Verge Ausberry decision

@lsu on X

By Matt Moscona

Less than 24 hours after LSU President Dr. Wade Rousse removed the interim tag from Verge Ausberry’s title, the new leader appears to be backtracking.

In an interview Wednesday with Piper Hutchinson of the Louisiana Illuminator, Rousse confirmed he will remove the interim tag and assess later. “I can’t make a very good decision (about that) after being on the job for eight hours.”

I asked incoming #LSU President Wade Rousse on decision to name Verge Ausberry the permanent AD. “I’ll remove the interim [title] and then we’ll assess the situation. I can’t make a very good decision after being on that on the job for eight hours…”

— Piper Hutchinson (@ByPiperHutch) November 5, 2025

“I don’t know what permanent means versus removing the interim,” Rousse added.

Ausberry, a longtime LSU athletics administrator, was promoted to interim athletic director Friday after Scott Woodward and LSU mutually agreed to part ways last Thursday. He was given full authority by the Board of Supervisors to hire the school’s new football coach.

Woodward’s decision to step away came after Gov. Jeff Landry directed heavy criticism at the AD for Brian Kelly’s $53 million buyout. Landry said he would not allow Woodward to hire Kelly’s replacement.

Rousse was selected Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors as the school’s next president. It was roughly five hours after his confirmation that news broke of Rousse removing the interim tag from Ausberry’s title.

“When you’re trying to hire a coach,” Rousse said, “instability is not healthy.”