LSU's Ed Orgeron Remains Consistent on Potential Coaching Decisions Being Made After the Season

For the second time this season, the LSU defense allowed an opposing offense to hang over 600 yards of offense on it. Alabama put together 650 yards in the latest head-scratching performance from the defense, the most given up in a season full of explosive performances against Bo Pelini and company.

First there was the 632 yards surrendered against Mississippi State, the 586 yards against Missouri and then the 506 yards against Auburn. The performance by the Crimson Tide may be the most recent and considering these types of games are still rampant this late in the season, offseason changes could be in order.

Coach Ed Orgeron reiterated Saturday night that any possible coaching decisions wouldn't be made until after the season.

“I promised myself we would go through the end of the season, then we would look at everything," Orgeron said after the game.

But at what point is enough, enough? The boiling point against the Crimson Tide was the second of two 60+ yard touchdowns to DeVonta Smith that had Orgeron irate with the defensive coaching staff on the sidelines.

WOW.

Coach O PISSED after Devonta Smith's 2nd TD of the night

Great shot by @lefteyedaquano #LSU pic.twitter.com/XydoNnGtNm
— Brian Holland (@BHollandSports) December 6, 2020

Heading into the evening, LSU had planned to double team Smith for most of the game and that was one of the few plays where LSU strayed away from the game plan and put Smith in one-on-one coverage. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones saw the mismatch and took advantage, directly leading to Orgeron's reaction.

"That was one of the times we weren’t. We got beat one-on-one. It’s nobody’s fault, but we went into the game to stop (DeVonta Smith). You have to give them credit," Orgeron said. "Sometimes we had him doubled and he made great plays. It was just frustrating to see him have almost 300 yards in the first half.”

These next two games won't come any easier for the defense either as Florida and Ole Miss feature two of the more explosive offenses not just in the SEC but in the country. If similar performances are on the horizon, Orgeron will be left with no other options.

Even Pelini himself said in an interview with The Daily Advertiser that this particular LSU team just doesn't have the personnel to run a 4-3 defense. While he's adjusted and simplified as much as possible, the issues haven't gone away.

Athletic director Scott Woodward told The Advocate earlier this season that despite the athletic department expected to lose upwards of $80 million, LSU isn't afraid of making coaching changes in any of its sports if need be.

"We’re always prepared for personnel changes in all of our sports. That’s part of running a prudent department, being ready for it no matter what," Woodward said in November. "We know the old cliché: ‘The only constant is change.’ I’m sure we will have the proper evaluations at the proper time to see what and how those moves will be made, just like we do every year."