Ed Orgeron Comments on LSU's Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase Super Bowl Run
The connection between Cincinnati Bengals stars Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase has been in the works for years, dating back to their legendary 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship run.
Now on their way to the Super Bowl, former Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron discussed their “it” factor and what makes the two so special during an interview with McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.
Burrow showed up to Baton Rouge with a chip on his shoulder. After being buried on the Ohio State depth chart, he was ready to prove what he is capable of on the field and make a name for himself. Orgeron didn’t hand Burrow the keys to the program once he arrived, it was earned.
“He showed up with a great work ethic. He was focused. He had to win the team over,” Orgeron said. “We had two quarterbacks that impressed the team, that the team thought they were going to be the starting quarterback. Joe started as a fourth-team quarterback. He had to work his way up. So, I watched him on a daily basis work hard, keep his mouth shut and win the team over. That was one of the more impressive things that I've seen was Joe in the beginning."
In a locker room that had their handful of quarterbacks, it didn’t take long for Burrow to win over the team and gain their respect. His cool demeanor and incredible work ethic is what eventually separated him from the rest. It’s what won over the locker room.
Burrow, even dating back to his high school days, has had that “it” factor within his play style, ultimately giving him the edge once he got to Death Valley for Orgeron’s group. Nothing has changed. Now taking over the Bengals locker room and winning over his teammates in just two years, he’s stayed true to himself and has given this team a chance to bring a Super Bowl back to Cincinnati.
"He's got that 'it' factor. He's got a little swag. He's got toughness,” Orgeron said. “But Joe is the smartest quarterback and smartest football player I've ever been around. He's focused — he's laser-focused — every day. Joe's about winning. Joe's about hard work. And Joe don't put up with anything… Everybody in Cincinnati believes in him. You see that.”
A key piece to Burrow’s success from 2019 to the Bengals current Super Bowl run is the dynamic play style of his WR1, Ja’Marr Chase. Chase has already solidified himself as one of the NFL’s top receivers, leading the charge for this Cincinnati offense.
For Burrow and Chase’s chemistry to translate to the next level shows just how lethal their connection was in 2019, that it wasn’t just the system. It was two great players who understood the ins and outs of the game.
Orgeron detailed what makes Chase so special and how his work ethic is what has the chance to have him go down as one of the greats.
"His ability to go up and catch the ball is — he's so darn strong off the line of scrimmage,” Orgeron said. “You press him, you better be ready… And the ability to go up and catch the ball with strong hands, and he's fast. He's big, strong, fast, physical and, again, you can't get Ja'Marr off of the field. For pro day, I had to tell him to get off the field. He's always working. He's a very humble young man. Wants to be great. And him and Joe got that magic together."
“Magic” is an understatement. The two have connected for explosive play after explosive play all season, tearing up defenses routinely. Combining Chase’s physicality with Burrow’s high football IQ is a recipe for success.
Chase’s ability to go up and reach the ball at its highest point is a part of his game that the former LSU head coach detailed most. To get up and catch the 50/50 balls is what made him so great at the college level and is ultimately what has given him so much success in the NFL as well.
“You know he's got a great, great knack for getting up and getting the football,” Orgeron said. “If it's a 50/50 ball, he's going to catch it. He's very competitive. He'll push you off at the right time. He's very hard to cover.”
As the dynamic duo continues their Super Bowl preparation, it’s safe to say Orgeron believes in their abilities to keep this success going on for the long haul. The two attain that “it” factor, a piece of their game that is sure to takeover once the lights are brightest in Sunday’s showdown against the Los Angeles Rams.
