LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron Reacts to NCAA Ruling Allowing Athletes Back On Campus June 1
The LSU coaching staff has been back to work in the football ops facility for a few weeks now and are on the brink of getting their players back at the start of June.
With the NCAA's ruling Wednesday that allows on-campus activity starting June 1, it's now up to the SEC to lift its moratorium on on-campus activities for the Tigers to officially be allowed back on school grounds. In an interview WWL radio show "Sports Talk" on Wednesday evening, LSU coach Ed Orgeron gave his initial reaction to the ruling by the NCAA.
"We welcome it, we've been preparing," Orgeron said. "We've been in our offices three weeks as a staff so we're prepared but obviously we're going to follow the proper protocols to make sure our guys are safe."
It's been a real team approach to getting the proper protocols ready to where the administration and training staff feel it can welcome the athletes back to campus. Orgeron said he hopes to learn a little more about the details with a conference call with the commissioner scheduled at 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
"Shelly [Mullenix] has been working on it, Jack [Marucci] has been working on it, our athletic directors have been working on it," Orgeron said. "I don't know if we'll be able to work out in groups, small groups, we're going to find out soon. Like I said, whatever it is, whatever we can do, we're going to welcome them back but there health is going to be first obviously."
While Orgeron and company are thrilled to welcome back all of their players, a few have stuck around and a few others just recently returned. Quarterback Myles Brennan is among those who Orgeron has seen recently and is now ready to hand the keys to the junior that has waited patiently for his turn.
"He's been around us, he's paid his dues and I'm so proud of Myles," Orgeron said. "The days of transfer portal, you know Myles said 'hey coach, I'm a Tiger, I'm staying here' and not many quarterbacks do that. He's taking a leadership role, I feel comfortable with Myles right now that he's going to have an excellent year."
Orgeron also touched on recent graduate transfer Jabril Cox, who was signed out of North Dakota State to provide a veteran presence to a linebacker group that would've been lacking otherwise.
Cox, a three time All-American and three time champion for the Bisons, figures to be one of the starting linebackers for the Tigers this fall. Orgeron said Cox was actually on his way to visit LSU when the coronavirus hit and was forced to stay at the airport and head back home, without ever visiting campus.
"He's never taken an official visit to LSU so just think about what that championship has done for us that we were able to sign the best graduate transfer out there without him even visiting our campus," Orgeron said.
"He was the best player available at a need position. We identified the best players available and need position and he filled it. He's 6-foot-3, 233 pounds and we talked to some scouts. They thought if he came out, he'd be a high draft pick."
