LSU players young and old remember 'crazy' 2016 coaching search

Rashard Lawrence was a freshman defensive lineman. Grant Delpit and K'Lavon Chaisson were both recruits trying to figure out what it all meant.

This week, one of the many topics of conversation ahead of No. 6 LSU and No. 9 Texas is about the coaching search in 2016 that nearly brought Longhorn coach Tom Herman to Baton Rouge. Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated told the story like no other, even getting former athletic director Joe Alleva to go on record about the process.

A deep dive | Tom Herman, Ed Orgeron & #LSU's wild 2016 coaching search.

A fateful T'giving game, a secret "spy," Jimbo's $$$$, trips to scout Holgo, Fuente & Gundy, calls from Leach, help from Spurrier, texts from Kiffin & a canceled meeting with Hermanhttps://t.co/XaXMiirOvr pic.twitter.com/PARfVhumMn
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 2, 2019

The jist of the story is LSU ultimately broke its coaching decision down to two names, Herman and Ed Orgeron. It came down to Herman ultimately deciding to decline a meeting with Alleva, moving him on to Texas and Orgeron landing the LSU job.

Lawrence was a freshman defensive end when the coaching search went down and remembers he and the rest of the defensive line room wanting that next step for Orgeron to become the full time head coach.

"I definitely think he's a players' coach," Lawrence said. "For me personally, it's kind of cool to have your head coach in the defensive line room. So for us and a lot of guys, we wanted the coach that recruited us to be the head coach."

Whether the administration decided to make a change or not after the 2016 season, Lawrence and the players knew it was a decision that was out of their hands.

The only way the players knew they could help Orgeron's chances was by winning football games, the Texas A&M finale being most important of all.

"I just remember us just having fun that night," Lawrence said. "I think every Saturday now we're still having fun. Good, bad or indifferent we have a group that really cares for each other and a coach that's doing the right things on a day in and day out basis and it worked out pretty good."

When Lawrence speaks of Orgeron as a players' coach, he means through communication. When he sees players a little too banged up to go for a full practice, Orgeron understands and lightens the work load.

"He'll cut down 15 or 20 minutes of practice," Lawrence said. "That kind of thing helps. He always has an open office so if you ever have a question or concern, you go in and he'll shoot you straight."

"It's true," Chaisson said of Orgeron being a players' coach. "He focuses on that I feel like maybe too much at times, especially throughout fall camp I it in him. He cut fall camp kind of short this year just to give out bodies a break because we know how crazy it can get. If there's one thing he cares about it's the players and their bodies and your mentality on and off the field."

Delpit and Chaisson were both recruits in 2016, with the latter, ironically, seriously considering committing to Texas growing up a Houston native and a fan of the Longhorns.

"It's crazy because I grew up a UT fan, like I was a fan of the program and used to play with them on NCAA Football [video game]," Chaisson said. "I literally almost went there as my last decision."

Chaisson ultimately said the comfort level with LSU and a sense of belonging is what ultimately drove him to commit to the Tigers. The now sophomore pass rusher remembers the coaching search process back in 2016 but said it never really impacted his mindset about coming to LSU because it's where he truly felt he belonged.

"I was hoping it would be coach O," Chaisson said. "Obviously that was something that was out of my control but I'm happy that he got the job and I hope he keeps it for as long as he wants to keep coaching."

Adding on to Orgeron being a players' coach, Chaisson said when he was going through his ACL injury in 2018, the Tiger head coach would constantly be checking up on him and providing a friendly ear to whatever was on Chaissons' mind.

"Things get bigger than football on and off the field," Chaisson said. "I don't want to be remembered as a kid who just played for coach Orgeron. It can be a much bigger relationship then that. He made sure I stayed involved last year and didn't drift off. A lot of people have a tendency of drifting off and feeling alone. Every activity the team did and all the ones I could do, he made sure I did them."

Delpit was a native New Orleanian until his family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and forced him to move to Texas, where he would attend Lamar High School in Houston.

The junior safety said he had an offer from Texas and that it recruited him pretty hard but what ultimately led him back to LSU was the sense that, like Chaisson, he was coming back home.

Delpit said he followed the coaching search carefully but knew what the administration decided wouldn't affect his choice to commit to LSU one way or the other.

"Coach O eventually won because the players chose him," Delpit said. "I think they made the right decision. I love coach O but I knew LSU was the place for me regardless."