Let the partying on the bayou commence in earnest.
Some fans didn’t get their wish when Les Miles decided to stay at LSU after getting heavy overtures from Michigan. Instead, they’ll have to settle for one of Miles’ most vilified assistant leaving the Tigers.
Offensive coordinator Gary Crowton confirmed to the Baton Rouge Advocate Thursday morning that he has accepted an offer for the same position at Maryland. Crowton had confirmed Wednesday night that he’d received an offer for the coordinator job from new Terps head coach Randy Edsall after interviewing for the position earlier in the week.
“I did accept the job,” Crowton told the Advocate. “I met with Coach Miles this morning. I talked over with Maren (his wife) and my family last night. This was a very hard decision because there are such wonderful things at LSU.”
Crowton will make $500,000 annually on a three-year deal, $100,000 more a year than what he was making at LSU.
The 53-year-old coach had come under heavy fire for what could be charitably described as inept offenses during his past two years with the Tigers. LSU was 45th (29.7) and 76th (24.8) in scoring offense, and 86th (341.3) and 112th (304.5) in total offense. Most embarrassing was an utterly limp passing attack: 107th (155.6) last year, 97th (181.8) in 2009.
Of course, when you are forced to rely on Jordan Jefferson at quarterback, what do you expect?
Regardless, the LSU faithful won’t have Crowton to kick around any longer. As to which coordinator they will be able to put a foot into from here on out, that’s very much up in the air at the moment.