Lane Kiffin praises 'remarkable' job Ed Orgeron has done in final weeks at LSU

It’s no secret that LSU’s current head coach Ed Orgeron will not be with the team next year. But that has not stopped many of his colleagues around the conference from speaking about his coaching performance during this strange situation. This week during the SEC football head coaches teleconference, Lane Kiffin spoke on Orgeron’s work this season.

“It’s pretty remarkable you know, to be able to do that. Like you said with the players knowing you’re not returning, and they’ve had a lot of opt outs, injuries you know whatever with a lot of great players” Kiffin said. “So, to rally the troops like he did, and you know almost beat Alabama and whatever. I think Alabama had seven yards rushing or something is really amazing.”

How LSU stopped Alabama’s run game

LSU held Alabama to just six rushing yards on 26 attempts, but Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young still threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Alabama averages 152.7 rush yards per game, and the Tigers did a great job neutralizing the running game.

Brian Robinson Jr. had 18 yards on the ground and found the end zone on a two-yard run. Robinson ranks fourth in the SEC with 90.5 rush yards per game, so taking him out of the equation gives opposing teams a huge advantage.

The only other game Alabama had less than 30 rushing attempts was against Florida, when the Crimson Tide ran the ball 28 times and scored 31 points. That was their previous low score before the LSU game, so that could be a trend to watch going forward.

“Well, I think that you gotta be a great motivator, you know which he is. In that situation, because you’re motivating them without you being there long term. So, I guess it’s like motivation without any fewer you know. That’s pretty hard thing to do with kids nowadays. They’re not worried about if you’re going to play them next or any of that stuff,” said Kiffin of Orgeron’s coaching of late.

Orgeron motivate and leads without fear

Ed Orgeron has coached like a man betting it all at the blackjack tables in Las Vegas. And that risk it mentality made him a hero early in the game.

To start the game on LSU’s first drive, Alabama was able to stall the Tigers on their own 48-yard line. On 4th-and-four, LSU set up for a punt, but Alabama wasn’t buying it, preparing for the fake punt. The Crimson Tide guessed right but failed to stop the conversion, which went for 26 yards. The drive ended with a Tigers touchdown.

Late in the fourth quarter, with LSU down by six, the Tigers had a chance to walk away with points on the board deep within Alabama territory. On fourth-and-goal from the Alabama 7-yard line, Orgeron elected to go for it and failed. That decision would prove to be costly for LSU on their final position of the game. Instead of needing a field goal to tie, the Tigers needed a touchdown and could not convert to win the game, falling Alabama 20-14.