The intersection of Louisiana politics, college sports, and national cultural debates reached a boiling point this week when ESPN analyst and former LSU standout Ryan Clark passionately criticized a proposal to erect a statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on the university’s campus.
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take, Clark, a Louisiana native and Super Bowl champion, directed his scorn at Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who publicly backed the idea. Landry, in an effort to advocate for “freedom of speech on college campuses,” suggested that the LSU Board of Supervisors find a place for a statue honoring Kirk, who was tragically assassinated in September 2025.
Clark, however, vehemently rejected the idea, calling it a political stunt completely disconnected from the university’s culture and community.
“This is the first dumb thing he said this week,” Clark stated, adding that the move was entirely performative. “He wanted to put a statue of somebody, Charlie Kirk, that doesn’t represent the people of Louisiana, doesn’t represent the players and the students at LSU, [or] the executives that work there.”
The statue proposal was the secondary subject of Clark’s frustration, which was initially sparked by Landry’s attempt to interfere in LSU’s search for a new football coach following the firing of Brian Kelly. The governor publicly stated that Athletic Director Scott Woodward would not choose the replacement coach, a move Clark called the “second most ridiculous thing” Landry said.
Ryan Clark responds to Gov. Jeff Landry vowing to keep LSU AD from hiring next coach
"Second most ridiculous thing he said this week. The first was standing on campus and saying he wanted to put a statue of somebody (Charlie Kirk) that doesn’t represent the people of Louisiana" pic.twitter.com/vbLmKU1AlF
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 30, 2025
Clark defended Woodward’s record, citing the successful hires of championship-winning coaches like Kim Mulkey for women’s basketball and Jay Johnson for baseball. Clark argued that the governor’s involvement in athletic decisions and his push for the Kirk statue were both symptoms of politicians inserting themselves into matters they do not understand, specifically for public attention.
“This is another situation of politicians poking their nose into things that they don’t know about,” Clark asserted, emphasizing the deep connection he holds as an LSU alumnus and a former player. He added, “Scott Woodward deserves to pick the next head coach and the governor should stay out of it.”
The outspoken analyst’s comments resonated widely, igniting a fresh wave of debate over the politicization of college campuses and athletic programs. For Clark and many other alumni, the statue proposal is not a tribute to free speech, but rather an ill-fitting symbol and a politically charged distraction from critical state issues like poverty and education. Clark’s remarks underscore the increasing willingness of high-profile sports figures to challenge what they view as misguided political involvement in the institutions they represent.
