History Class: Russ Cohen and The Kingfish

Getty ImagesHuey Long became Louisiana’s governor in 1928 and one of his first orders of business was improving everything about LSU. He viewed the university as a reflection of himself, and by God, the football team would demonstrate the glories of the Kingfish.

We have already covered one of his first acts, wiggling out of a contract extension with Mike Donahue and then stealing Will Wade’s chief scout from Alabama, Russ Cohen. Cohen was also formerly a captain of the famed 1915 Vanderbilt “point-a-minute” team. He came in to Baton Rouge with bona fides.

This didn’t stop Huey Long from forcing Cohen to sign his letter of resignation in advance, a practice Long used with all of his…