Why is Will Wade returning to LSU? Revisiting 2022 firing after allegations of recruiting violations

The Will Wade era at LSU was a bizarre one. The Will Wade era at NC State was far shorter.

Wade is officially set to leave NC State for an LSU return after one season, CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein reports, heading back to Baton Rouge four years after an unceremonious firing.

Wade reached the NCAA Tournament twice with the Tigers, but he never actually coached in the tournament. A suspension kept him off the sidelines in 2019, and LSU, having had enough of NCAA investigations, fired him before the tournament began in 2022.

Now, Wade is back in familiar territory. Here's what you need to know. 

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Why did Will Wade return to LSU?

Recruiting scandals derailed Wade's first stint at LSU, but those types of scandals are far less common nowadays because players are allowed to be paid. That doesn't mean Wade is necessarily absolved of past NCAA violations, but the embarrassment he caused the Tigers the first time around is virtually impossible in today's climate. 

LSU has a new athletic administration and is more desperate to win than it was in 2022. The Tigers earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament in Wade's final season but haven't made it back to the tournament since and are just 17-55 in SEC play over the last four seasons. 

In an era in which resources matter most, LSU has plenty of resources. Wade has proven he knows how to use resources when they are available to him, particularly now that they can legally be used. LSU is also hiring McNeese's Heath Schroyer to its athletic administration, giving Wade a close ally who will have his back this time around.

While NC State provided Wade with plenty of resources to build a roster last season, Wade is ultra familiar with the Louisiana recruiting environment and knows what kind of fit he will be. 

What happened with Will Wade at LSU?

Wade was embroiled in recruiting scandals for much of his five seasons at LSU. He was suspended by the program ahead of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 when an FBI wiretap found him discussing a "strong-a—" offer to a player, but he avoided losing his job when LSU reinstated him following the season. The Tigers reached the Sweet 16 with Wade away from the team.

An NCAA investigation into Wade continued, and he was fired the day before Selection Sunday in 2022 when LSU was served a notice of allegations from the NCAA. 

After a year off, Wade returned to the coaching ranks at McNeese and found immediate success with back-to-back Southland Conference titles before leaving for NC State in 2025.