Since taking over as LSU's athletics director in November 2025, Verge Ausberry has become a key voice as the school navigates the ever-changing college sports landscape. But he also made clear his desire for clarity with regard to rules and structure.
Throughout the NIL era, there have been comparisons between the college game and the pros. Not only can athletes earn money through their name, image and likeness, but the transfer portal has created a sense of "free agency" and player movement.
[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]
To Ausberry, though, there are differences because of how staffs are built. But as college athletics navigates so many changes, he stressed the need for clarity. In the meantime, he said LSU will continue to work within the parameters in place, using Will Wade's roster construction as an example.
"College athletics is in a different realm," Ausberry said on In The Bayou with Tyrann Mathieu. "Professionals are set up for it. You have the **** ytics, you have the **** ysts, you have all those people. That's all they do. Player personnel, they're watching guys in college, they're watching guys on other teams. They do that every day. That's all new to us here in this system we're in. And then, we're just trying to figure out from the NCAA, what's the rules? We'll live by the rules. Right now, there's really no rules and we don't know them. So that's the hard part for us, trying to figure out what we do and how we remain competitive.
Throughout the NIL era, there have been comparisons between the college game and the pros. Not only can athletes earn money through their name, image and likeness, but the transfer portal has created a sense of "free agency" and player movement.
[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]
To Ausberry, though, there are differences because of how staffs are built. But as college athletics navigates so many changes, he stressed the need for clarity. In the meantime, he said LSU will continue to work within the parameters in place, using Will Wade's roster construction as an example.
"College athletics is in a different realm," Ausberry said on In The Bayou with Tyrann Mathieu. "Professionals are set up for it. You have the **** ytics, you have the **** ysts, you have all those people. That's all they do. Player personnel, they're watching guys in college, they're watching guys on other teams. They do that every day. That's all new to us here in this system we're in. And then, we're just trying to figure out from the NCAA, what's the rules? We'll live by the rules. Right now, there's really no rules and we don't know them. So that's the hard part for us, trying to figure out what we do and how we remain competitive.
4 months ago
