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LSU Tigers: Ed Orgeron shouldn’t sweat missing on Travis Etienne

By Zach Ragan

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers reacts during the first half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers reacts during the first half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Louisiana native Travis Etienne signed with the Clemson Tigers in 2017 instead of the LSU Tigers.

When the LSU Tigers take the field next Monday night in New Orleans for the College Football Playoff title game against the Clemson Tigers, one of the main players they’ll have to account for is Louisiana native Travis Etienne.

The dynamic running back has become one of Clemson’s key players over the last two years, rushing for just under 3,200 total yards as a sophomore and junior.

Back in 2016, the Tigers, under then interim Coach O, made a late push during the 2017 recruiting cycle for Etienne, who was rated as the No. 8 player in the state of Louisiana.

Etienne, for whatever reason, didn’t receive an offer from LSU until Orgeron was serving as the interim head coach. By then, it was too late for LSU. Etienne eschewed his home-state Tigers for the Clemson Tigers.

Despite not signing Etienne, LSU is in pretty good shape at running back. Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s had a tremendous 2019 season, rushing for 1,304 yards and catching 50 passes for 399 yards.

But Orgeron will forever regret letting Etienne slip away. He told reporters last week “Every time I watch Clemson play or every time I see him having success I’m sick to my stomach”. Orgeron added “We should have recruited him at an earlier age, like we do all our great Louisiana backs, and keep them in state….he’s the one that got away”.

Etienne didn’t seemed phase by Orgeron’s regret, telling reporters on Monday that he finds no validation in Orgeron’s words.

I can certainly understand why Orgeron feels “sick to his stomach” when he watches Etienne play — it can’t be easy to see a Louisiana native having success at Clemson.

But he shouldn’t sweat it. This is how recruiting goes. There are countless stories of in-state recruits slipping away at various schools (imagine how Tennessee feels watching Amari Rodgers, the son of Vol legend Tee Martin, and Knoxville native Tee Higgins suit up for Clemson).

Maybe Coach O learned a valuable lesson about the recruiting process by letting Etienne get away.

It would be hard to argue against how Orgeron’s approached his job at LSU — the unprecedented success LSU is having this year speaks for itself.

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