Tag: Scott Woodward

What are they are saying about LSU football following the open date?

LSU’s open date before facing Alabama was a good time to reflect on the status of the program.

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Things may not be going quite as well as LSU fans would have hoped to see in 2020, but the Tigers are still rolling in the recruiting game.

The most recent addition of four-star safety Derrick Davis Jr. continued to prove LSU’s on-field struggles are not nearly enough to counterbalance the result son the field this season.

Davis offered his verbal commitment to LSU on Saturday, during LSU’s bye week. The Pennsylvania safety chose the Tigers over offers from Big Ten stalwarts Ohio State (the Buckeyes improved to 3-0 with a win over Rutgers) and Penn State (who fell to 0-3 this weekend with a dreadful home loss to Maryland).

Georgia and Pitt were also reported to be in the top five for Davis. As of now, LSU is ranked No. 3 in the Class of 2021 according to 247 Sports, trailing No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State. ESPN also ranks LSU third in its updated recruiting rankings.

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LSU’s latest gain draws more of a critical eye to Penn State with another top in-state recruit opting to leave the state rather than play for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions. As noted by ESPN, none of the seven Pennsylvania recruits residing in the ESPN 300 have committed to play at Penn State.

A bye week for LSU also gave time to reflect on the difficult season that has been played to this point. In a featured interview with The Advocate, LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward confirmed his belief in head coach Ed Orgeron and the coach’s ability to work through the multiple struggles facing the program this season.

“[I’m] very confident coach Orgeron can right the ship and get it going,” Woodward said to The Advocate. “Less than a year ago we had something pretty magical, and I believe we can get back to it.”

The immense struggles of the defense have recently thrown the microscope on defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, who is making $2.3 million in his role with the LSU program. Woodward denied to comment specifically on Pelini’s future with the Tigers but did tell the Advocate LSU is” always prepared for personnel changes” but also stressed it is far too early to really evaluate what will happen as this current season plays out or what happens after the season.

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Pelini’s defense will be up for a tall challenge next weekend as the Tigers take on the newly-appointed No. 1 team in the latest Amway Coaches Poll. Alabama took over the top spot in this week’s coaches poll following Notre Dame’s double-overtime upset of previously top-ranked Clemson in South Bend on Saturday night. Alabama’s offense is once again loaded with quarterback Mac Jones rising to the top of the Heisman Trophy boards and the offense firing on all cylinders while LSU’s offense has sputtered.

This is the 13th consecutive season Alabama has climbed as high as No. 1 in the AP Top 25, as noted by Matt Brown of The Athletic. It is the longest active streak of seasons with at least one No. 1 ranking. LSU has faced Alabama with a top-two ranking in the AP Top 25 eight times since 2011.

This will mark the first time LSU has entered the Alabama game outside the top 25 of the polls since 2001, when LSU topped the Tide 35-21 in Tuscaloosa. It will be LSU’s first time being unranked against a ranked Alabama since 1999. Alabama topped LSU 23-17 that season.

Depsite what looks on paper to be one of the more lopsided decisions in the Alabama-LSU series this weekend, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is not about to take the Tigers lightly.

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“They’ve got good young players. They’ve got a lot of good players. They’re capable of beating anybody in the country, there’s no doubt about that,” Saban said to reporters on Sunday, according to Sports Illustrated. They’ve got a good offensive line, good tight end, good receivers. But they’re all young players. I think they’ve had some growing pains but they’re all very talented and very capable.”

LSU hosts Alabama on Saturday, Nov 14 at 5 p.m. CT.

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LSU coach Ed Orgeron taking 5 percent cut due to COVID-19 losses

According to USA TODAY’s coaching salary database, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is the second-highest-paid head coach in college football. 

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is the second-highest-paid head coach in college football, according to USA TODAY’s coaching salary database,

Orgeron moved into the No. 2 spot behind Alabama’s Nick Saban due to Clemson’s Dabo Swinney agreeing to a salary reduction due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, Orgeron is the latest coach to voluntarily agree to have his salary reduced, per Glenn Guilbeau of the Lafayette Daily Advertiser.

Orgeron, as well as LSU athletic director Scott Woodward, agreed to a 5% reduction for 2021.

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Orgeron will lose $300,000 in salary from LSU in 2021; however, he does receive the other $2.9 million from other entities, specifically the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

“I was very willing,” Orgeron said Thursday night during a teleconference. “With the deficit they have, it’s understandable.”

LSU is among the many universities expected to face a massive deficit due to COVID-19. LSU’s projected losses are around $80 million.

Regarding pay reduction, coaches making more than $80,000 annually do not have to take a five percent decrease for 2021 but can do so on a volunteer basis.

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“I think five percent is very generous on their part,” Orgeron said. “I know some other staffs are even going 10 percent or higher. So, I was glad to do it.”

Woodward’s office also released a statement.

LSU Athletics announced a compensation reduction plan to help mitigate the impact of an expected $80 million loss in revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The department initiated several costs savings measures since March and today announced the additional step of a department-wide reduction in compensation.

Woodward, whose salary is $1.5 million per year, faces a pay reduction of $75,000.

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Unfortunately, LSU laid off other employees due to the pandemic but did not name them. Jason Suitt, an assistant athletic director for fan engagement, announced on his Twitter account he no longer works for LSU.

Orgeron noted that the football program would not see any significant cuts.

“The thing I like about it is they didn’t cut anything from the football team,” he said. “Nothing from my athletes. We’re still traveling the same way. We still have the same amount of food.”

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LSU AD Scott Woodward: ‘I believe our student-athletes want to play’

LSU issued a statement from Woodward on Monday.

It’s only Monday, but it’s already been a long week for those involved in college football and the future of the 2020 season.

LSU released a statement from athletic director Scott Woodward that came shortly after it was announced there would be no Mountain West football this fall.

Woodward said that the recent reports surrounding college athletics does not change the approach LSU is making, that he believed LSU’s student athletes wanted to play and that the university owes it to them to make every effort to return to sports safely.

Here’s a look at the complete statement:

“We remain steadfast in our approach in the Southeastern Conference, taking all the available time to gather as much information as possible in order to make informed decisions. We are united in our process and our focus on the safety and well-being of our student-athletes. The recent flood of reports surrounding college athletics does not alter that approach. As we have said since the beginning, we are patiently working through each and every variable following the direction of our Return to Safety and Medical Guidance Task Force. I believe our student-athletes want to play. We owe it to them to make every effort to do so safely.”

LSU football is currently set to begin the season against the Ole Miss Rebels in Tiger Stadium on Sept. 26.

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LSU AD Scott Woodward weighs in on school’s football schedule

On Friday, LSU athletic director Scott Woodward discussed the team’s 2020 schedule.

On Thursday afternoon, the SEC officially announced a new format for the 2020 college football season that would include a 10-game, conference-only season.

While the decision to play a conference-only schedule was expected, considering the ACC made a similar announcement the day before, it was still a popular topic on social media.

On Friday, LSU athletic director Scott Woodward discussed the team’s 2020 schedule, per Shea Dixon of 247Sports.

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Today is an exciting day for all of us who love college football in the SEC. The toughest conference in college football is going to battle it out in historic fashion. Tiger Stadium and our National Championship Football team will play host to five SEC opponents in a 10-game, all-SEC regular-season schedule.

While Woodward indicated how excited LSU and the entire SEC was about having football this fall, he noted the top priority for everyone is the health and safety of the student-athletes.

Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our student-athletes. We, as SEC member institutions, are continuing to engage in deliberate and informed discussions on planning for the safety of student-athletes, coaches and staff. We will continue to follow the guidance of medical professionals in our decision making, including the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. Together, and with the direction of state public health officials, we are focused on a safe return to competition.

LSU officially opens the 2020 season on Sept. 26 in Baton Rouge against Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels.

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