Where Does LSU Football Program Go From Here?
It was a night where all of the shortcomings of LSU's program over the last two years came to a head. The purple and gold were thoroughly out played and out coached in what resulted in a second straight conference loss for a team whose issues and identity are far from being discovered and resolved.
The loss was a symbolic moment for this program under Ed Orgeron, one that's gone an unforgettable 8-8 since that magical 2019 national championship run. That season will never be forgotten in Baton Rouge but it's impossible to think that following act in 2020 and another .500 start to the season in 2021 hasn't majorly affected the future outlook of this program.
"Stay together, I know it's gonna be tough, I understand that. Let's look at the film, let's coach better, let's play better and get ready for Florida. That's all we can do," Orgeron said.
Despite a second straight disappointing conference defeat, Ed Orgeron remained upbeat following the Tigers 42-21 loss at Kentucky Saturday night. The noise around the program reached a boiling point over the last week and now all that remains is for the water to completely spill over the top of the pot.
The confidence remains in Orgeron's voice that LSU can turn this season around but the lack of execution, development and understanding on the field is a telling sign of where things have gone.
"A lot of confidence, we'll go to work tomorrow just like it is. Plan on beating Florida like I do everyday and that's not gonna change," Orgeron said. "I look at it one team at a time, one game at a time."
Quarterback Max Johnson was far less positive and much more blunt about the reality of LSU's start to the 2021 campaign. For a quarterback who came into this season ready to take this program by the hand and lead it back to prosperity, the early returns have been hard to swallow.
"It freaking sucks," Johnson said. "I'm not gonna lie but we've gotta come back to work on Monday and just get better, grind and block out the noise. Just be ourselves, it's only us, it's only our team and we just gotta work hard and get better."
The now fifth year Tigers coach refuses to let the negative noise around the program affect the way he and this coaching staff prepare. Starting with the Florida outing next week, LSU faces a tough month ahead with ranked opponents Ole Miss, Alabama and Arkansas to follow.
"I'm not gonna have a bad day at LSU," Orgeron said. "I'm the head coach at LSU, I love being the head coach here. Is it tough? Yeah but I'm not gonna feel sorry for myself. I never will. That never will happen."
