Paul Finebaum talks LSU’s season, Ed Orgeron’s job security

After a storybook national championship year in 2019, the LSU Tigers had their first season at or below .500 since 1999. 

Granted, it took place in the middle of a pandemic, so whether it would have ended at 5-5 for the Tigers in a normal year we will never know. Regardless, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron needs a big season in 2021 to fend off hot seat rumors and return the Tigers to national contention. 

Paul Finebaum thinks he will do it. 

Finebaum joined ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin to discuss which college football coaches will remain in place for 2022.

“It’s always 2019 for LSU fans, and part of that reason is that Orgeron just oozes confidence,” Finebaum said. “I think they’ll be good this year. The only thing that will get him are off-the-field problems combined with a mediocre season. He has off-the-field issues, but I think he’ll have a big year. I think they’ll win nine or 10 games, and I think the ‘Coach O. on the hot seat conversation’ needs to be tabled for another day.”

Orgeron is entering his fourth year as LSU’s head coach (excluding his stint as interim head coach in 2016). Over those four years LSU has a 39-12 record with two bowl wins and the national championship.

LSU has some tough road trips, a relatively unproven quarterback

LSU could get to nine or 10 wins as Finebaum said. They could also lose six games. 

The Tigers open next weekend at the Rose Bowl against an allegedly improved UCLA team led by quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Their conference schedule includes road trips to Alabama and Ole Miss, and the Tigers play Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M at home. 

With Myles Brennan sidelined with a broken arm, Max Johnson is set to start for the Tigers. Johnson appeared in six games, starting two late in the season after TJ Finley was benched. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,069 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception.

The running back room is young, but Orgeron is already impressed with sophomores Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emery Jr. 

“There was a lot of great things going,” Orgeron said after practice earlier this week. “The young running backs looked good again today. A lot of guys did some good things.”

The LSU defense returns nine starters led by cornerback and probable first-round draft pick Derek Stingley. Middle linebacker and leading tackler from last season, Damone Clark, returns to Baton Rouge as well. He had 63 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a pass break up in 2021.