LSU Passing Game Coordinator Scott Linehan Says His Experience Can Help "Already Elite" Tigers Offense

Scott Linehan hasn't been a part of the college game since 2001, when he was the offensive coordinator and receivers coach at Louisville. For the last 19 years he’s mantled some of the great NFL offenses, primarily with successful stints in Detroit and Dallas.

But now he strolls into Baton Rouge with the challenge of helping offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger keep one of the most prolific offenses college football has ever seen up to par. In one of his first interviews since his arrival at LSU, Linehan told local radio show "Off the Bench" on Monday morning the staff has been "zooming away" these last couple of weeks to stay ahead of the curve.

"I'm getting a pretty good idea of what we have out there and it looks great," Linehan said. "I've got 30 years of coaching in the college and NFL level. I look at it more like I'm not old, I'm experienced and I think experience can add something to a great offense already."

Linehan said the best part of stepping into an offense that just put up the historic numbers it did is that the offensive coordinator, Ensminger, is still around and knows what he wants. Ensminger was very receptive when Orgeron said he wanted to bring Joe Brady in a year ago to implement the spread.

Because of that open mindedness, Ensminger soaked in a wealth of knowledge, so much so that he knows the spread offense like the back of his hand.

"There's not going to be much change," Linehan said. "Nobody did it better than LSU last year when using NFL concepts and I look at it from the standpoint of you want to be part of a great system and I just want to add to it when I can."

The players that run the system will be undergoing plenty of change this offseason. In addition to a new quarterback in Myles Brennan, LSU will need to replace the production of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Justin Jefferson, Thaddeus Moss and four of the five members of the Joe Moore winning offensive line.

Linehan said the offensive staff looks at the talent lost not as a rebuild but as a reload.

"I see a lot of NFL players [in this offense]," Linehan said. "When I was in the NFL for the last 19 years, there was always extra time put in to evaluating the LSU guys. I really look at it like an NFL roster. It's fun coaching these guys at this stage in their careers. One of the things that really attracted me to this position and with coach O is that we're about developing the players.

"It'll be fun watching guys replace guys that had impacts on this offense and developing them into the same roles."

All eyes will be on Brennan moving forward, as is the case with most quarterbacks in his position. While Linehan has primarily been spending the zoom meetings with the receivers, he was come away very impressed with Brennan in the interaction he has had with the LSU junior.

"He's an older guy to fill in, he got some significant playing time so you get to see him on tape," Linehan said. "Then you get to see how he interacts with the team and he's ready to take the reigns. I think it's really good for a backup to watch guys like Joe [Burrow] throughout their tenure and they pick up things. I think that'll benefit him in a great way."

Linehan has coached his fair share of stud wideouts over the years including Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant. Orgeron has talked about in the past how he sees incoming freshman tight end Arik Gilbert as a receiver that the offense will be able to plug all over the field.

Linehan also sees a number of traits in the freshman five-star that will allow him to have success from the start.

"You just look at his physical traits and they're really all elite for his position," Linehan said. "This is somebody that we can move around and spread him out wide. I think he's going to be a matchup nightmare for people as we progress. You can tell this kid is full of great potential and we look forward to developing him and making great plays for our program."