LSU football gives update on head coaching search

After a disappointing start to the season which the LSU Tigers entered with national title hopes, head coach Les Miles was fired. Since then, interim head coach Ed Orgeron has done a respectable job leading the Tigers to four wins and just one loss under his direction.

But has Orgeron done a good enough job to have the interim label dropped after the season?

LSU still has crucial games against the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies in the coming weeks so there is definitely room for Orgeron to stake his claim to the job, but it is clear that the university is also looking elsewhere for a replacement.

On Friday, athletic director Joe Alleva provided an update to LSU football fans about the head coaching search, while outlining the guidelines of what the next coach will have to be.

Alleva says he has “a very specific set of guidelines in selecting our head coach” as they hope to change the culture in Baton Rouge.

Here is are the guidelines from Alleva’s letter to the students:

He must have the highest standards of integrity and work ethic LSU fans have come to expect.

He must be a skilled and relentless recruiter, attracting the most gifted student-athletes to our university while instilling pride and confidence in parents who entrust their children to our program.

He must be able to motivate our players to perform at the highest level, and to hold them accountable to certain standards of behavior both on and off the field. He must be committed to continuing a tradition defined by character and integrity.

He must have the instinct to adapt to changes in the game of college football, allowing LSU to compete for championships every year.

Finally, he must be an accomplished leader of the young men who will rely on him for strength and guidance and from whom they will learn valuable lessons that will have a lasting impact on their lives.

I’m very confident we will hire a man possessing all of these traits to be the head coach of our beloved Fighting Tigers.

Well, that’s pretty vague, and could really be any big name coach on the market.

So what we will take from this is that Orgeron can earn the head coaching job if he wins out, but even that will not be a guarantee. If a coach like Jimbo Fisher or Tom Herman would ultimately show interest, you’d have to believe they would have the first crack at saying “yes” to the offer.

Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!

Photo Credit: LSU Athletics

Houston coach Tom Herman doesn’t lose as an underdog
Houston coach Tom Herman doesn’t lose as an underdog