LSU, Ed Orgeron award four walk-ons with scholarships

Ed Orgeron may be on his way out at LSU, but the Tigers head coach isn’t done making an impact on the program.

Orgeron on Wednesday announced four former walk-on players — Jack Mashburn, Evan Francioni, Nick Demas and Spencer Payne — would be awarded scholarships for their contributions to the program.

“What happened today — it’s one of my favorite days — we got to award scholarships to four of our walk-on players,” Orgeron said, mentioning Mashburn, Francioni, Demas and Payne as the four newest LSU scholarship players. “The team went crazy. You know what? I wish I got to reward all of them with a scholarship, but we couldn’t do it. Those guys are very worthy, and I know their parents are proud.

“It’s something they can always tell to their children: I walked on at LSU, and I earned a scholarship. I was a scholarship football player at LSU. And that’s something that takes hard work and dedication, and it takes a commitment from the parents and the players. I was so happy we could do it.”

Mashburn is a sophomore tight end from Mandeville, Louisiana, and he prepped at St. Paul’s High School. He’s appeared in eight games for LSU this season, logging one catch for seven yards, but the majority of his contributions lie on special teams.

Francioni is the only upperclassman to have his status changed, as the junior wide receiver from Archbishop Rummel High School in River Ridge, Louisiana, has appeared in 20 games in his three-year career, including eight this season. Francioni transferred to LSU after one season of playing baseball at the University of New Orleans, and he’s contributed largely in a special teams capacity.

Demas, a running back, and Payne, an offensive lineman, are both freshmen. Demas is a second-year freshman, however, and has appeared in six games this season, while Payne has not yet made his debut with the LSU Tigers.

Orgeron in his final year at LSU

Orgeron labeled the day a special one, as LSU gets to select a few walk-ons every year that will be awarded scholarships. But it will be the last time he plays a role in this day at LSU.

It was announced just over a week ago that Orgeron and LSU had agreed to part ways after the conclusion of this season. Strangely, the news came on the heels of a significant upset from LSU, as the Tigers upended the No. 20 Florida Gators, but reports said the negotiations started before the game. Orgeron will be paid a large buyout from LSU, north of $15 million, over the course of the next several years.

Ever since his 15-0, national championship-winning campaign at LSU, Orgeron boasts just a 9-9 record, as the Tigers have gone .500 in the following season and a half.