How LSU Recruiting Will be Affected With Ed Orgeron Departing After 2021 Season
LSU faces a tricky situation in regards to its recruiting. That's the case with every program going through a coaching change but with the Tigers' class more than halfway filled, there will certainly be interesting conversations with recruits over the next several weeks.
Part of the hope in keeping Orgeron through the 2021 season is it will allow the athletic department not only ample time to lay out a firm plan of attack in finding its next coach, but that it will also make for a smooth transition once the 2021 season is over. For Orgeron, one of the many duties he'll take on over the next several weeks is settling down a potentially disastrous situation with recruiting.
Orgeron told reporters his message to recruits won't change despit the fact this will be his final season leading the Tigers.
"I'm gonna tell them to go to LSU. I'm going to still recruit the players, tell them to come to LSU, this is a great place," Orgeron said. "I recruited them to come to LSU. Why would I tell them any different now? So I'm going to tell them to come to LSU. This is a great place, they're going to hire a great coach, you can have great success here at LSU. My message to the recruits will not change. I met with two today."
LSUCountry reached out to all 14 of the Tigers' current commits and had responses from multiple players. Most said they were going to take time to really think about what comes next as they haven't made a decision one way or the other in how Orgeron's departure affects their commitment.
This will be a tricky line for Orgeron and this coaching staff to walk over the next several weeks with the early signing period approaching in December. Usually when there's a coaching change, recruiting for that year will fall off a cliff but because Orgeron is sticking around until the end of the season, the message can be carefully constructed to recruits who are interested in Baton Rouge.
What also works in LSU's favor is that many of the current commits are Louisiana natives and have always dreamed about playing for the purple and gold. The Tigers did lose a commitment from Edna Karr receiver Aaron Anderson on Monday, becoming the first big recruiting note to hit the program since Orgeron's announced departure.
Of the 14 current commits, nine are from Louisiana and the program is in the running for a number of other highly touted local products like Shazz Preston and JaCoby Mathews.
"My family and I keep up with lots of stuff that surrounds college football," Preston told SI All-American. "My dad has told me from day 1 coaches come and go. Coach has been nice to me and my family…I wish him luck."
LSU hasn't landed a new commit since late July and with 10 spots left to fill in this class it'll be interesting to see if this current staff can lure any names before December's signing period. There are no real decisions on the horizons but part of the message will be like Orgeron says, the athletic department will find the right coach for the job.
"I'm telling them that I love LSU and I was telling them the right thing before I'm not gonna be here. I still obviously have feelings about it," Orgeron said.
