New LSU basketball coach can go home again - he's returning to LSU, where he was head coach from 2017-22. (Tiger Rag file photo).
Will Wade is returning to Baton Rouge to coach the LSU’s men’s basketball team. A stunning development considering it was four years ago he was fired for committing NCAA recruiting violations.
Wade rebuilt his career with two Southland Conference Championships at McNeese State and an NCAA Tournament appearance with North Carolina State this season.
He returns to Baton Rouge thanks to behind scenes maneuvering by Governor Jeff Landry, LSU president Wade Rousse and newly appointed LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Lee Mallett. LSU is also bringing back Wade’s former boss at McNeese, Cowboys athletics director Heath Schroyer, who will be a Senior Deputy AD and Executive Director of of External Relations for the LSU System.
Wade has reportedly agreed to a seven-year deal and he’s been promised a roster budget exceeding $12 million.
Wade will resurrect a men’s basketball fan base that became apathetic with all of the losing from the four years with Matt McMahon as the coach.
While fans are happy with the leadership change, the move comes at a significant cost for LSU and its donors. McMahon and his staff’s buyout is expected to total around $11 million. Several more million dollars are needed to pay Wade and his staff and as mentioned earlier, more than $10 million is needed to put together a roster that can compete.
Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says when there is a will and there is wa(y)de.
“When they (LSU) really want to find the money, they know the people that can get them the money, and they felt they needed it because of how far down the basketball program had gone,” Guilbeau said.
Wade was fired by athletic director Scott Woodward in 2022. Current LSU AD Verge Ausberry was serving as an assistant athletic director at the same time Wade was fired. Guilbeau says Ausberry was very supportive of Wade and believes his firing wasn’t as significant as many made it out to be.
“I think Verge and many people at LSU are like a lot of LSU fans, they think the things Wade did wrong that got him fired and penalized by the NCAA are legal now,” Guilbeau said.
A 15-day college basketball transfer portal window opens April 7th. Expect Wade to “Boot Up” as he tries to build a winner in Baton Rouge again.
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