Report: LSU Football Plans To Move On From Passing Game Coordinator Scott Linehan

The wholesale changes with LSU’s coaching staff continues. After electing to part ways with defensive coordinator Bo Pelini and safeties coach Bill Busch Monday afternoon, the Tigers are moving on from passing game coordinator Scott Linehan as well, according to a report from Brooks Kubena of The Advocate.

Linehan’s buyout will be in the $1 million range after signing a two-year, $1.6 million contract when hired.

Linehan was in charge of third down and red zone offense in his lone season with the Tigers, two areas the offense struggled with consistently. In 34 trips to the red zone in 2020, the Tigers recorded just 18 touchdowns between the run and pass or 53%.

Known for his life in the NFL for his work with the wide receivers, Linehan helped Terrace Marshall to a career year in only eight games during his shortened 2020 season. When Marshall and freshman tight end Arik Gilbert opted out, it was freshman Kayshon Boutte who stepped into the spotlight, recording back-to-back 100-yard games before his SEC record 308-yard season finale against Ole Miss.

But at the end of the day, Linehan's tenure was going to be defined by the offense's performance in the red zone and on third down. The 34.6% success rate on third downs ranked No. 102 nationally. After averaging close to 39 points per game for the first three games with Myles Brennan under center, the Tigers ran into a difficult stretch of games where the offense averaged 13 points per game.

In back-to-back wins over Florida and Ole Miss to end the season, the Tigers found a little more consistency, scoring 37 and 53 points respectively. Of course some of the struggles have to do with inconsistent play up front by the offensive line, the opt outs of Terrace Marshall and Arik Gilbert and the injury to Brennan.

Few names make more sense for the vacant coaching spot than Jorge Munoz, who was an analyst with the staff in 2019 before being hired by Dave Aranda when he got the head coaching job at Baylor.

Munoz was an integral part in Joe Burrow’s success during his Heisman campaign, so much so that Burrow wanted him to be a part of the ceremony in New York.

“I'm excited about it. Obviously, I'm excited about the guys that stayed with us,” Orgeron said of the offseason. “I'm excited about the guys coming back. I think that we're going to have a little bit more of the guys staying than have left before.”