Will Wade Agrees to LSU HC Contract, Leaves NC State After Matt McMahon's Exit

After failing to make the NCAA Tournament in four years under head coach Matt McMahon, LSU is making a change and turning to a familiar face.

Will Wade, who was hired by NC State last March, announced Thursday he has accepted a job to return to the Tigers and replace McMahon:

Wade had coached LSU from 2017 to 2022 and spent just one season with the Wolfpack before returning to Baton Rouge.

Noah Fleischman of On3.com reported on Wednesday that despite Wade's public declarations about his commitment to returning for a second season with the Wolfpack, "signs have pointed to an early departure to the Tigers." Wade reportedly had a contract buyout of $5 million before April 1, which would've dropped to $3 million if he left for another school after that date.

CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein had noted on Wednesday that LSU's hiring of McNeese's Heath Schroyer as a senior administrator was an indication that Wade was on the verge of returning to the program. Schroyer and current LSU president Wade Rousse had hired Wade as McNeese's head coach in 2023 after he lost his job with the Tigers due to alleged recruiting violations.

In his first five seasons at LSU, Wade went 105-51 with three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2019. He's coming off a 20-14 finish in his lone year with NC State, which ended with a loss to Texas in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament.

Wade is taking over a Tigers squad that went 15-17 in their final year under McMahon, who had a 60-70 record in four years at the helm. It appears that LSU is confident that Wade is the right person to lead the program back to national prominence over the next few years.