The LSU Tigers are often viewed as one of the best athletic programs in the Country, and when their teams don't live up to the standard, massive changes take place. Everyone thought LSU was becoming a villain when the Tigers poached Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame, but the hire didn't work out for either party.
LSU has become the ultimate villain with Will Wade and Lane Kiffin
This year has been less than ideal for the LSU Tigers with the results in football and basketball. Brian Kelly entered the season with National Championship expectations, but ended up being fired after the Tigers were embarrassed by Texas A&M. The LSU Basketball team missed out on the NCAA Tournament again finishing the year 15-17 with a 3-15 record in SEC play for a second consecutive season.
When LSU fired Brian Kelly, the Tigers were always going to be in the market for a big name head coach. The Tigers move was to hire Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, taking a top head coach away from an SEC rival with a job offer so appealing, Kiffin was willing to toss away a chance at a National Championship with Ole Miss.
The drama surrounding Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, and LSU became the biggest story in the sport overshadowing the games and trending into the offseason. Lane Kiffin was already a controversial figure in college football, and now he's hated for how he handled his departure from Ole Miss.
The only way things could get crazier this year for LSU was if they decided to change leadership in the basketball program. LSU didn't fire Matt McMahon right away, but this week smoke emerged that the LSU Tigers were potentially going to poach Will Wade from NC State. On Thursday, Jon Rothstein reported that Will Wade is going to be hired.
Sources: LSU will officially part ways with Matt McMahon today and hire NC State's Will Wade as its next head basketball coach.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 26, 2026
Wade was previously the head coach of the Tigers from 2017-22.
The move by LSU is truly insane given how Will Wade's tenure in Baton Rouge ended the first time. Will Wade's time in Baton Rouge was filled with controversy with NCAA investigations and Will Wade being caught on an FBI wiretap discussing illegally paying recruits.
Hearing the Will Wade audio, compared to reading a quote.
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace) April 1, 2020
Does it make a difference to you?
Via: HBO #TheScheme pic.twitter.com/7kgESLALZ5
The LSU Tigers have become the biggest villains in college sports if they weren't already with the decision to hire away Will Wade. After just 1 season at NC State, Will Wade is leaving what everyone saw as a great job to return to LSU, seemingly with a ton of resources. Lane Kiffin like Wade left a great gig in order to seek out what's seen as a better job while crushing a program in stunning fashion.
The deal with Will Wade hasn't been announced by either the school or Wade, but given all the reporting it seems highly likely that the Tigers will close the deal. The next year in Baton Rouge is going to be incredible to watch as LSU has assembled a cast of incredible characters with the likes of Lane Kiffin, Kim Mulkey, and now Will Wade.