After the promotion of Ed Orgeron to head coach, more changes are on the way for LSU’s coaching staff.
Orgeron, the 55-year-old coach who officially won the LSU job Saturday morning, the school announced in a news conference, is now on the hunt to revamp his coaching staff — mainly a big-name, high-powered offensive coordinator.
“My plan is to take my time and assemble the best staff in America,” Orgeron said Saturday.
“I know he’s going to assemble a great staff,” LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said. “I’m telling you, the names we’re talking about are phenomenal.”
“I feel very confident that he’s going to be able to deliver on 90 percent of the names he presented to me,” Alleva added after the news conference on Saturday.
Orgeron presented Alleva with a detailed plan Friday, outlining the future for LSU’s program — including a swap to the spread offense, Orgeron said during the news conference.
The spread offense is the way of the future, Orgeron said, although some teams are still running the pro-style, ground-and-pound type of offense.
The things in Orgeron’s “blueprint, or mindset” for LSU’s offensive future include: a dual-threat quarterback, a heavy use of tight ends in the passing game and, in regards to LSU — a ferocious run game is imperative.
“There’s still some teams that do it,” Orgeron said. “Most people are going to the spread offense to score more points, and that’s what we want to do.”
Here’s a (lengthy) quote from Orgeron regarding LSU’s upcoming offensive changes on Saturday:
“We’re going to look at recruiting the best offensive coordinator in football and bring him to LSU. I do believe that nowadays you have to run the spread offense. You have to have dual-threat quarterbacks that can run the ball and throw it. But you have to have somebody who knows how to run it.
We still want to be a physical football team. We have great backs at LSU. We have one of the best backs in the country coming back next year in Derrius Guice. We’re going to recruit some of the best backs in the country. We have some great backs on our team that we haven’t played so we have to use those guys. We want to use our skill sets. We want to use our tight ends, throwing the football like we did in our last game.
We have a blueprint. I have a mindset on what we’re going to go get, who we’re going to go get, we’re going to go get it.”
The short list for LSU’s swift offensive change may begin with Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin — a longtime friend and former coworker to Orgeron. Kiffin and Orgeron worked together as assistants on USC’s staff (2010-12) and then again in Tennessee (2009) when Kiffin was hired as the Vols’ head coach.
No matter the Tigers’ new hire for offensive coordinator — which Orgeron said he will further evaluate for LSU’s coaching staff after the upcoming bowl game — it will not mean the Tigers will have to cut ties with interim offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, the coach said.
Ensminger was LSU’s former tight ends coach before being promoted to coordinator when Miles and former offensive coordinator Cam Cameron were fired in late September.
“Steve Ensminger is going to be a Tiger with me,” Orgeron said. “I love him. I spoke to Steve this morning, he’s always going to be with me.”
Ensminger — who Orgeron said sleeps on the couch in his office, immersing himself in film to prep LSU’s offense for its opponents in the Tigers’ final seven games — will remain with the Tigers’ coaching staff in some capacity, Orgeron said.
After approximately 12 seasons under former coach Les Miles’ pro-style offense, Orgeron promised changes to the Tiger offense when he was handed control of the team on Sept. 26.
In Orgeron’s seven games as interim coach, the Tigers cruised to multiple record-setting offensive performances — the last being behind sophomore tailback Derrius Guice’s 285 rushing yards, a single-game program record.
LSU’s 54-39 win versus Texas A&M featured a 324-yard performance from junior quarterback Danny Etling, which, coupled by Guice’s 285, was the first time in the program’s history the team had a 300-yard passer and 200-yard rusher in the same game.
Yet, LSU’s search for a new offensive coordinator is underway.
“I’m going to bring in a guy, interview some guys, bring in someone we can really trust,” Orgeron said of the offense. “Someone that I know that he can do a great job.”
Pete Jenkins returning to Tiger defensive line
On Saturday, Orgeron confirmed at least one coaching move — or lack thereof — for LSU’s staff next season: defensive line coach Pete Jenkins will return for at least one more season.
“We’re going to evaluate the staff as we go along,” Orgeron said. “I’m happy to have Pete Jenkins, I know he’s going to stay with us another year. For sure.”
Jenkins, a 75-year-old, hollering defensive line coach and dear friend of Orgeron’s, joined LSU’s staff via Orgeron once ‘Coach O,’ as he’s called, was promoted to interim head coach.
Including the changes to the defensive staff, Orgeron said he feels confident retaining defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is feasible for the Tigers.
Orgeron and Aranda, “The Professor,” as he’s monikered within the coaching community, spoke Saturday morning to discuss future plans prior to Orgeron being announced as the Tigers’ head coach.
“I feel confident that Dave’s going to be with us,” Orgeron said. “I had a great conversation with him this morning … But, knowing that you have one of the best, people are going to come after him. We understand that.”
Added Orgeron: “He’s happy. I’m happy. Dave and I have a great relationship. I totally expect Dave to be with us. We understand he’s one of the top guys in the country. People are going to come after him … Joe and I had a great conversation about Dave. I feel confident he’s going to be with us.”
You can follow Christian Boutwell on Twitter, @CBoutwell_
