A year for Orgeron to earn some respect

Southeastern Conference Media Days begin Monday in Atlanta with LSU coach Ed Orgeron one of the three head coaches to make an opening-session appearance.

Orgeron is getting ready for his second full season as Tigers coach. Orgeron was in charge of the LSU program for the final eight games of the 2016 season after coach Les Miles was fired.

For the first time in a long time, LSU is not on the minds of national football writers.

The Tigers may or may not be ranked when the Associated Press preseason rankings are released next month. It has been 18 years since LSU began a season unranked. That 2000 season was the Tigers’ first under Nick Saban.

LSU has opened a year ranked lower than No. 14 only once in this 17-year run. The Tigers were ranked No. 21 in the 2010 preseason. In this 17-year stretch, LSU was ranked in the preseason top-ten on eight occasions – the last just two seasons ago at No. 5.

When a select group of media members make their predictions for the 2018 SEC season, the Tigers will not be receiving much consideration for a conference championship game spot. A good guess would be that LSU is chosen to finish fourth in the SEC West – behind Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State.

Such a placement is not totally unexpected since the Tigers will be breaking in a new quarterback. In addition, no running back has rushed for a touchdown and no wide receiver has been a major contributor in the SEC. The defense is in better shape, but just five full-time starters return.

In his short LSU stint, Orgeron has posted a 15-6 record, including a 10-4 mark against SEC teams. So, Orgeron has led the Tigers to a victory in more than 70 percent of their games – overall and conference.

However, there will be talk among media members in Atlanta about Orgeron being on the hot seat. Orgeron’s recent winning percentage as a head coach goes higher when one throws in his 6-2 mark as Southern California’s interim coach in 2013. Thus, Orgeron has a 21-8 record at LSU and USC.

Despite this body of work, many college football observers have started a watch for when Orgeron’s tenure comes to a close with the Tigers. In essence, it is not fair for Orgeron to come under such scrutiny.

So, why has Orgeron gathered so little respect?

First, it seems like Orgeron’s three-year run at Ole Miss has not escaped people’s thoughts. An ill-prepared Orgeron saw the Rebels win just 10 out of 35 games. Ole Miss had a 3-21 SEC record. Orgeron will quickly acknowledge that his approach with the Rebels more than 10 years ago was wrong.

Orgeron assumed two talented teams as an interim coach – from Lane Kiffin at Southern California and from Miles at LSU. His Trojans team lost only to Notre Dame and UCLA. His Tigers team lost only to Alabama and Florida. He prevented the bottom from falling out on both of those squads.

Second, Orgeron has been unable to register many signature victories during his time at USC and LSU. He has just three victories against a team which won at least nine games – one each year. The Trojans beat 11-3 Stanford in 2013. LSU beat 9-4 Louisville in 2016 and 10-4 Auburn in 2017.

Without a doubt, Orgeron will get the chance to pick up some meaningful victories in 2018. Almost half of LSU’s schedule is comprised of teams who won at least nine games last year – Alabama (13-1), Georgia (13-2), Miami (10-3), Auburn (10-4) and Mississippi State (9-4).

So, the upcoming season will be a campaign of opportunity for Orgeron and his team. The Tigers are not going to be talked about in Atlanta of being one of the country’s big boys in 2018. Orgeron will be able to gain some respect for himself and the LSU program by being the SEC’s surprise team.