The LSU Tigers rewrote record books on offense in 2019 behind Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow at quarterback.
One year later, LSU is looking for a new offensive coordinator.
There were many reasons why LSU struggled on offense at times in 2020.
First, there was quarterback Myles Brennan. Brennan was solid early in the season but still learning on the job with several young weapons outside of wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.
When Brennan got hurt, LSU had to rely on a pair of freshmen in TJ Finley and Max Johnson. Finley had two solid starts and struggled in his other outings.
Meanwhile, Johnson won both of his starts to end the season, including an upset at Florida.
There were injuries and opt-outs, such as All-American wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Marshall late in the season. The Tigers featured several new starters on the offensive line this fall, and there were growing pains.
The running game was never consistent, hindering the quarterback play.
After the season, it was announced offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger would retire from on-field coaching and take a role as an offensive analyst.
Ensminger spent the last three seasons as LSU’s offensive coordinator, and the Tigers averaged 37.4 points per game and over 474 total yards per game during his tenure.
Orgeron’s next hire is critical. He cannot afford a mistake as he made with Pelini and Scott Linehan last year.
Expect LSU’s next offensive coordinator to have coordinator experience and success with some version of the spread offense. The new coach must have strong recruiting ties, too.
Here are three candidates to watch for in LSU’s search for its next offensive coordinator.