Changes coming, Orgeron promises
BATON ROUGE — As much as Ed Orgeron might have preferred a different route to the top coaching job at LSU, the Louisiana native was never going to be able to hide his enthusiasm for his new opportunity — and didn’t try.
“It’s a great day in my life, I promise you that,” Orgeron said, calling it “a dream, obviously” to be the Tigers’ head coach.
“It’s a well-respected position that I’m holding right now and I hold it in high esteem. And I understand the expectations at LSU and I fully, fully intend to meet all of those expectations.”
Orgeron, 55, who was formally introduced as Les Miles’ interim replacement on Monday, said he has no idea whether he’ll have the job past this season and isn’t saying whether he
sees his opportunity as an audition to remain long-term.
“Whatever’s going to happen is going to happen,” Orgeron said, adding that his sole focus was on his players’ success. “Let the chips fall where they may. All I want to do is see them win.”
Orgeron said he’s tapped current assistant Steve Ensminger, a former LSU quarterback, to replace offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who was fired on Sunday along with Miles.
Orgeron said he’s also elevated defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to associate head coach. As for Orgeron’s old position as defensive line coach, he’s adding a new, but familiar face to the staff in Pete Jenkins, who is 75 years old and has had two previous stints as a defensive assistant at LSU since 1980. Orgeron said Jenkins would be his “mentor” and “right-hand man.”
“We’re going to flip the script,” Orgeron said. “We’re going to do things different. We’re going to do things that I’ve done in the past to re-energize this team.”
The decision to fire Miles, who was 114-34 in 11-plus seasons, stemmed largely from lackluster offensive performances
in big games, particularly because of an anemic passing game.
LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva said parting with Miles was tough, not only because of his past successes — which include a 2007 national title and two SEC championships — but also because of how he represented the university and cared for his players.
Orgeron said the offense will be “tweaked” to feature more spread formations. He did not say whether he’d reopen the starting quarterback job, which has been held by both Brandin Harris and Danny Etling this season already. But he did say, “I’m still a prostyle guy,” which could lend itself more to the pocket-passing skills of Etling.
Orgeron also emphasized that he wants his players fresh and energized, and intends to pursue that goal with less practice time and more meeting time.
“As long as you get your work in mentally or physically, it’s good,” tight end Colin Jeter said. “If we are in the film room more and get the same work done, that’s saving our bodies.”
LSU’s first game under Orgeron is Saturday in Tiger Stadium against Missouri.
“We’re going to start a new season,” Orgeron said. “Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter.”