It’s not the first time Ed Orgeron battled the idea that LSU football had nothing to play for over its final few games, but it is the first time he went full Herm Edwards to do it.
The Tigers head coach didn’t mention the former xxxx name, but he did match one of his famous quotes in battling the idea that his team didn’t really care what happened the rest of the way.
"Somebody says, ‘well, what have you got to lose?’ It’s a game. We play to win the game. OK? That’s important to us, to be competitive,” Orgeron said, his deep voice reverberating through the microphone.
And the LSU head coach isn’t just blowing smoke, at least evidenced by the performance of his resurgent defense. There have been changes, though. He was told the team was a bit overworked in practice, something that arose during prep for the Alabama game, so he backed off. That’s no longer an issue he says.
It also came from doing something he had previously avoided in his time at LSU: Zero blitzes. It’s nothing particularly new strategy-wise, but it’s often a desperation attempt for an undermanned squad. The goal is to overwhelm the blocking, which it has been used effectively by LSU to do the past two weeks. But the “zero” part is the concern. The scheme leaves no defenders deep, and the defense open for big plays if the pressure doesn’t get home.
Coming up through Pete Carroll’s coaching tree, it’s just something he never used. But the idea was brought to him ahead of Alabama, and it was used to tremendous effect in stifling the Crimson Tide’s attack. It worked again in the matchup with Arkansas. Both resulted in losses, but they certainly couldn’t be pinned on the defense.
The scheme almost looks like a “bear” front, or a look with five at the line and two linebackers stacked behind them. But it’s not always a blitz. As many as eight men in coverage if needed. Or they could all go. It’s just a matter of what level of pressure LSU wants to toss at its opponents on that particular play.
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“We’ve got a lot of stuff to build off of it,” Orgeron said. "I wish, if I could’ve done anything. I’d have started this 4 years ago.”
Credit Daronte Jones. Credit Damone Clark and Micah Baskerville, both of whom are playing their best football at this point in the season, Orgeron says. But as the Tigers approach Louisiana-Monroe, Orgeron finally uttered the term “lame duck coach.” But regardless of what happens for him, he’s looking for more of the same energy from LSU’s last two games. Wins in both, the second coming against Texas A&M, would make the Tigers bowl-eligible.
"I want these guys to finish strong. I want them to be proud,” Orgeron said. "Life’s gonna give you a bunch of stuff in your life, man, you’ve got to keep on fighting. And if you keep on fighting now, you’re gonna keep on fighting then, and you’re gonna teach your children to keep on fighting. If you stop now, you’re gonna stop then. It’s no secret.”
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MORE FROM ORGERON
WHAT’S THE PLAN AT QUARTERBACK?
Orgeron doubled down on another thing that bugged him over the past week: He makes the calls at quarterback, not the players or their families. The issue stemmed from his announcement regarding the decision to play Garrett Nussmeier against Arkansas, and his relaying of discussions surrounding the potential redshirt for the freshman that would save Nussmeier a year of eligibility. If he appears in another game, he loses that ability.
That decision will come with Nussmeier as a backup, LSU’s coach said. The freshman could’ve taken the job if he’d outplayed starter Max Johnson, but despite a hot start, that wasn’t the case in the 16-13 overtime loss.
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“I like Garrett, I think he’s a good player. I like Max, I think he’s a good players. I don’t think Garrett beat Max out. I don’t think Max deserves to be benched. I gave him a chance to beat him out, although I think he’s a very good player. That touchdown play he made was a phenomenal play, but we were also minus-3 in the turnover ratio, we only scored 7 points.
"So Max is still our starter. It’s going to be up to Garrett and his father if they want to redshirt, if they want him to play in a backup role, and perhaps again go in the game and if he plays better, keep him in. But, you know, if I were him I’d redshirt. There’s only two games left, but that’s not my decision. And I’m gonna say this again, some guys wrote some stuff that I really didn’t like. I’m giving him the option to redshirt or not, and that’s what I do for everybody. Now, who plays in this football game, I decide that.”
GRATEFUL FOR A LATE START
LSU and UL-Monroe don’t kick off until 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, and that’s quite all right with Orgeron. His son, Cody, is playing his final game at McNeese State, and the late kickoff will allow the LSU coach to take part in senior day festivities before heading to Baton Rouge for the game.
"Tigers fans get to get ready, and I get to go watch my son’s last game. It’s Cody’s last game at McNeese and it’s senior day and parents get to walk them on the field, so I’m very, very thankful to God that I get to do that and come back and coach our team.”