LSU Football: How not landing Marcus Freeman hurts the Tigers in recruiting

LSU football was hoping to land Marcus Freeman as their new defensive coordinator earlier this month.

Freeman, who spent the last four seasons as the Cincinnati Bearcats’ defensive coordinator, interviewed with the Tigers to replace Bo Pelini.

Ultimately, Freeman decided to take a job on Brian Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame as the Irish’s new defensive coordinator.

Freeman was Ed Orgeron’s top target, so missing on him obviously hurt. The Ohio native is a rising star in the coaching ranks and likely would’ve made a big impact on LSU’s defense in 2021.

Missing on Marcus Freeman hurt LSU football in more ways than one

The main reason Coach O wanted Freeman in Baton Rogue was to make the defense better.

But that’s not the only positive that Freeman would’ve brought to LSU.

If the Tigers had been able to hire Freeman, it would’ve brought LSU back near the top of the list for four-star linebacker Raesjon Davis, a former LSU commit who decommitted in December.

Davis said earlier this month that if the Tigers hired Freeman that LSU would “move way up” for him (via 247Sports).

Now that Freeman is going to Notre Dame, it appears that LSU is all but out of the picture for Davis.

Adam Gorney, who covers recruiting for Rivals, wrote this week that there is a “strong possibility” that Davis ends up at USC.

This shouldn’t be totally shocking. Davis is a California native. And the Trojans played well this season (going 5-1 in six games).

But it hurts a bit to know that when LSU missed on Freeman they also missed on Davis.

Of course, the battle for Davis isn’t completely over. Maybe Orgeron hires a defensive coordinator that Davis loves. You just never know when it comes to recruiting.