USA TODAY International Edition
Interim coach Orgeron opening up LSU’s offense
There is a new football coach in this town, and he says he will be delivering a new offense.
“How y’all doing? It’s a great day in my life,” LSU interim football coach Ed Orgeron boomed over the podium microphone in the LSU athletic administration building Monday to kick off LSU’s weekly media luncheon, dubbed “Brunch with Bebe.” That is pronounced “Bay- Bay” and has been the Larose, La., native’s nickname since he was a kid.
“It’s a well- respected position that I’m holding right now, and I hold it in high esteem,” he said. “And I understand the expectations at LSU, and I fully, fully intend to meet all of those expectations.”
Orgeron, 55, replaced fired LSU coach Les Miles on Sunday afternoon. He was previously the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator after joining LSU in 2015.
The Louisiana native previously was a Southeastern Conference head coach at Mississippi, though he never had a winning record. In 2013 he was 6- 2 as the interim coach at Southern California after Lane Kiffin was fired.
Former LSU defensive line coach Pete Jenkins, 75, will take over as defensive line coach, and first- year wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig will become recruiting coordinator. Orgeron said he had also elevated defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to associate head coach.
Tight ends coach Steve Ensminger will be the offensive coordinator, replacing Cam Cameron, who also was fired Sunday. Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes will coach tight ends and has the title of running game coordinator. Special- teams coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto will focus on special teams and not have any defensive coaching duties. He had been helping coach linebackers.
Orgeron has big plans for LSU’s offense, which has struggled in the passing game for most of the last eight years, including this season, and was part of the reason Miles and Cameron were fired. The Tigers are 2- 2 overall and 1- 1 in the SEC after Saturday night’s 18- 13 loss at unranked Auburn. LSU hosts Missouri ( 2- 2, 0- 1 SEC) at 7: 30 p. m. ET Saturday on the SEC Network.
“You can expect a new style of play on offense,” said Orgeron, noting there would be more spread formations. “We’re going to tweak things around.”
Orgeron scrambled when asked if the quarterback position — manned by junior transfer Danny Etling since the second game of the season after the benching of starter Brandon Harris — was open again.
“I don’t know. It’s my first day,” Orgeron said.