Ed Orgeron built one of the best teams in college football history at LSU in 2019. Oregon led the Tigers on a 15-0 campaign, but two years later, LSU and Oregon parted ways as LSU struggled to replicate that success.
LSU tabbed former Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly to lead the rebuild. Kelly won 10-games in year one, but is now looking to take the next step at LSU. That means getting to the playoff and winning a national title.
Orgeron is out of coaching now, but made an appearance on XL Primetime on Jacksonville Sports Radio. Orgeron knows the pressure of coaching at LSU. He lived it himself and offered insight into the pressure Kelly is facing this year.
“I just know the expectations at LSU are number one or nothing. I mean, LSU, they expect you to win the national championship. Now they don’t expect you to win it every year, but Coach Saban won it in his third year. Les Miles won it in his third year. And I won it in my third year. So the expectations are high there,” Orgeron said.
“I think he’s got a really good team. He’s got a really good quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier. He’s got a tough opener at Clemson. So I think that the expectations bring on a lot of pressure, especially when you haven’t won a championship yet,” Kelly said.
Kelly is one of the most successful coaches in the sport, but just hasn’t found that elusive championship. With Nussmeier back and the No. 1-ranked transfer portal class, Kelly is hoping LSU has the talent to make a run. As Oregon alluded to, expectations will be sky high for LSU as 2025 approaches, but the opener is no cupcake with a trip to Clemson on tap.
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