Report: LSU hiring Ole Miss chief of staff to join football player personnel department
Austin Thomas is making his return to Baton Rouge after two years as the chief of staff under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. The news was first reported by Wilson Alexander of The Advocate.
The news comes in the wake of a shakeup to LSU’s player personnel department as its director, Will Redmond, left to take a similar role at Auburn. While Thomas’ job at LSU isn’t yet clear, it seems fair to assume that he will replace Redmond.
Thomas previously served as the general manager under Ed Orgeron from 2016-18 and again in 2021. Between those stints, he served in similar roles at Texas A&M and later Baylor.
He wasn’t retained when Brian Kelly took over after the 2021 season, but he’ll become yet another staffer from that group who is returning to Baton Rouge after two years away.
Sources: Austin Thomas is returning to #LSU for the third time. He spent the last two years as Ole Miss’ chief of staff and will have a key role in personnel. https://t.co/srXNtkpkNV
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) January 26, 2024
Thomas began his career at his alma mater, Tennessee, serving as a recruiting and personnel assistant and later as a defensive quality control coach. He joined USC as an assistant director of player personnel in 2010 before leaving to direct that department at LSU in 2013.
He briefly returned to USC in 2016 to serve as an assistant athletic director for football, but Oregon brought him back when he got the full-time job.
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