Coach O has to go
From @BlitzCfb
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has had his name attached to the “hot seat” moniker for the past two seasons. Coach O came to LSU in 2015 as the defensive line coach. He then became interim head coach in 2016 after Les Miles was fired after starting the season 2-2. Orgeron helped propel LSU to an 8-4 record that season, going 7-2 in the games he coached which included a Citrus Bowl win as well. He coached the Tigers to a 9-4 record in 2017 and then a 10-3 record in 2018, along with a New Years Six Bowl win (Fiesta Bowl).
Coach O’s best season was in 2019, when he led LSU to an undefeated 15-0 record and a National Championship. Ever since that title win, the Tigers have gone downhill. They started 2020 with a loss to the Mike Leach led Mississippi State Bulldogs and it has snowballed. LSU’s most recent loss at home against Auburn is just another game on a growing list of embarrassing results in these past two seasons. So what changed from that legendary 2019 season to now?
The LSU 2019 coaching staff was loaded with great minds like Dave Aranda and Joe Brady. Aranda is now the head coach at Baylor and Joe Brady is the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Coach O also had generational talents on the field with the likes of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase on offense. Orgeron had so many tools at his disposal that it was impossible for him to fail in that situation. Once they all left, LSU has fallen off. The stars aligned perfectly for Coach O and LSU in 2019.
In LSU’s two losses this season, they ran for 49 yards and 11 yards respectively. While you can attribute it to the lack of a rushing attack, there is something deeper. LSU has all the talent in the world. Coach O recruits well and is a likeable guy. LSU has had a top 5 recruiting class in each of the past three cycles. While Coach O has an infectious personality, does he really know X’s and O’s or is he just a motivator? From his tenure at LSU, the latter seems to be the case. Without a proper coaching staff around him, Orgeron will not be successful.
LSU needs to find somebody that can develop talent and someone that knows the ins and outs of the game. Fans in Baton Rouge should thank Orgeron for the National Championship, but Coach O has reached his potential and it is time for him to go.
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