You can’t turn on the tv, listen to the radio, or log into your favorite team website to find anyone talking about much else outside of Ed Orgeron. It feels imminent that there will be a change after the latest loss. Orgeron currently has a career record of 42-15 at LSU since being named the head coach in 2017, he finished 6-2 as the interim in 2016.
The Athletic regraded the coaching carousel from the 2017 season (subscription required) where the LSU Tigers had two candidates lined up for the job. We will start with the coach who actually took over LSU, Ed Orgeron.
What the Athletic Says:
This is the toughest one to regrade. Orgeron won a national championship. Only five active head coaches have done that. Most programs would give almost anything to do that. Part of me believes a national title is an automatic A. But Orgeron could get fired any week now, as he’s 8-8 since that national title. He was also named in the Title IX situation at LSU, and several players have been involved in ugly off-field incidents. He’s 48-17 overall, including his interim stint, and also reached the Fiesta Bowl in the 2018 season.
Regrade: A-
Original Grades
- ESPN: B
- CBS: C
- SI: B+
- Fox Sports: B
- SB Nation: B
The other coach that was lining up for the LSU job was former Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman. He chose to take the job at Texas and many thought it was a massive hire. He lasted four seasons before being replaced by Steve Sarkisian.
What The Athletic Says:
This was the biggest hire of the cycle. Herman passed on LSU to take the Texas job, and it was lauded as a home-run hire. But Herman was fired after four years. He had a 32-18 record, reached the Big 12 championship game in 2018 and won the Sugar Bowl that season. He also produced three Top 25 finishes after taking over a program that had lost to Kansas in 2016. It wasn’t a bad tenure. It just wasn’t good enough.
Regrade: B
Original Grades
- ESPN: A
- CBS: A
- SI: A-
- Fox Sports: A
- SB Nation: A