The fallout from LSU’s first home loss to a non-conference opponent in nearly two decades continues, with the head football coach’s boss inserting himself into the tumult signaling the latest development.
Following the stunning loss to Troy in Week 5, Ed Orgeron confirmed on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday, the coach and athletic director Joe Alleva called a meeting with the Tigers’ top two assistants, offensive coordinator Matt Canada and defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. “Laid out everything on the table about which direction we want to go, what’s going on, how we can fix it,” Orgeron said of the substance of the meeting.
The Baton Rouge Advocate added some further depth and context to the huddle:The discussions... centered around “accountability,” a source familiar with the discussions told The Advocate. The four left the meeting in agreement on the direction of the program.
“It was a gut check meeting,” the source said. “It was more that guys need to look each other in the eye and tell each other how it is.
When asked the reason for the meeting being called, Orgeron bluntly stated, “We’re not playing well.” That said, Orgeron described the meeting as “very positive.”
After two wins to open the 2017 season, LSU was embarrassed in a 30-point road loss to Mississippi State in its SEC opener, then doubled down on its embarrassment with the loss to the Sun Belt Conference program two weeks later in Tiger Stadium.
After adding Canada and the $1.5 million he will be paid for the 2017 season, the Tigers offense currently sits 82nd nationally in points per game at 27. Last season, their 28.3 points per game were 68th in the country.
The defensive side of the ball isn’t immune to the struggles, either. In two of Aranda’s three seasons in charge of the defense, the Tigers were third (2014) and sixth (2016) in scoring; this season, they’re 31st nationally.
LSU will look to rebound in Week 6 as they travel to Gainesville to take on Florida.