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Why Bo Pelini is a better fit for LSU football than Dave Aranda

By Zach Ragan

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers looks on from the sidelines during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers looks on from the sidelines during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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LSU football hired Bo Pelini last month to replace Dave Aranda as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.

When Ed Orgeron was hired as LSU football’s full time head coach in late 2016, he quickly retained Dave Aranda as his defensive coordinator.

Aranda, who had spent three seasons as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator, was hired by Les Miles before the 2016 season.

The California native developed a reputation at LSU as a “mad professor” when it came to defense. Aranda’s 3-4 defense was a staple in Baton Rouge for four seasons.

I always felt like Aranda did a good job at LSU, but I never really felt like he was a great “fit”. Maybe it was the fact that his personality was so different than Orgeron’s. Or perhaps it was because Aranda didn’t have any previous SEC experience.

Either way, with Aranda taking the head coaching job at Baylor, it meant Orgeron had a chance to hire a defensive coordinator that was a perfect fit at LSU.

And that’s exactly what he did by hiring Bo Pelini, who served as Les Miles’ defensive coordinator from 2005-07.

When discussing the coaching change on Wednesday, Orgeron sounded like a coach who is a lot more comfortable with his defensive coordinator now.

Coach O confirmed that LSU would be moving to a 4-3 defense in 2020 (he noted that had Aranda stayed at LSU, the Tigers would’ve stuck with a 3-4 defense).

The Tigers head coach mentioned that Pelini’s preference for a 4-3 defense is one of the reasons he was hired at LSU.

Orgeron continued discussing Pelini by saying that the former Nebraska head coach’s first team meeting on Tuesday was “phenomenal”. Coach O added that he “always wanted to work with him (Pelini)”.

Everything about this hire just feels right. Nothing against Aranda, but Pelini’s coaching style and philosophies just seem more in line with Coach O’s.

LSU made an unexpected offensive leap in 2019. I wouldn’t be surprised if a similar defensive leap, despite the personnel losses the Tigers suffered, occurs next season.

Next. Top 5 recruits in LSU's 2020 signing class. dark

Coach O keeps evolving. And LSU just keeps getting better.

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