What is LSU Football Gaining With Scott Linehan Hire?

On Monday, reports surfaced that coach Ed Orgeron had finally pulled the trigger on a passing game coordinator, electing to go with longtime NFL offensive coordinator and head coach Scott Linehan. It goes without saying that Linehan has some pretty big shoes to fill replacing wunderkind Joe Brady, who is off to the NFL as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator.

With Brady's departure nearly a month ago, the question became rather quickly what route Orgeron would like to take. Would he go for the young rising star for the second straight season or grab an established coaching vet with years of experience.

Orgeron opted for the latter and brings in Linehan, who has worked for a wide variety of coaches as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. There was Nick Saban, whose two-year stint with the Miami Dolphins was a forgettable one but included a one-year pit stop for Linehan in 2005 that saw him bring the 29th ranked offense the year prior all the way up to 14th.

Linehan would parlay that success into a three-year gig with the St. Louis Rams as its head coach, but was fired four games into the 2008 regular season, finishing with an 11-25 record as a head coach. From there Linehan would move on to the Detroit Lions, where quarterback Matthew Stafford became the fourth 5,000 yard passer in NFL history in 2011 and receiver Calvin Johnson would break the NFL single-season receiving yards record (1,964) in 2012.

In 2014 Linehan was named the Dallas Cowboys passing game coordinator, a year responsible for Tony Romo's best statistical season of his career. Linehan was promptly promoted to offensive coordinator in 2015, where for four years he was key in the development of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

With all of Linehan's successes in the NFL, none compare to the job he did the last time he was a collegiate coach. In three years as the offensive coordinator for Louisville, Linehan's offenses averaged 406.5 yards per game.

Now those numbers don't compare to the 568.9 yards per game that LSU's offense was able to pull off en route to a 15-0 season in 2019, but therein lies the problem. The LSU offense that was displayed this past year is a once in a lifetime spectacle the likes of which are likely not going to be repeated in 2020.

It's hard to expect Linehan to come in, and alongside offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, drop 47.2 points per game like fans became accustomed to this past year. Expectations should be tempered until we see exactly how Ensminger and Linehan want to approach this season.

The jump junior quarterback Myles Brennan makes will ultimately determine how pass heavy this offense becomes. Linehan has shown the ability to adapt to the strengths of an offense all the way back to his time with the Cardinals.

After being a very pass heavy offense in 1999, a season that saw quarterback Chris Redman throw it 45 times a game, the next two seasons were balanced with the run and pass. LSU has an influx of sophomore running backs in John Emery, Tyrion Davis-Price and Chris Curry as well as freshman Kevontre Bradford that will all be looking for their share of touches.

But LSU boasts Biletnikoff winner Ja'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall on the outside, as well as five-star freshman tight end Arik Gilbert and a slew of freshmen receiver talent who will want the ball to be aired out as well. It'll be interesting to see what formula Ensminger and Linehan decide to ultimately whip up but there's no denying the talent they have to work with.

Orgeron went with an experienced NFL vet over the wunderkind this go around and given his recent track record with coaching hires the last two years, it seems too early to pass any judgment or criticism on bringing in Linehan.

“His expertise on third down and in the redzone--lets face it we have a great package here alongside Steve Ensmiger,” Orgeron said. “I think it's going to be a great combination."