LSU Football: Ed Orgeron makes a shrewd defensive hire

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron is a master when it comes to hiring analysts.

Orgeron finds under-the-radar coaches to come to LSU to serve as analysts and help the Tigers get better as a program.

It’s not unusual for SEC coaches to have a litany of analysts. Alabama head coach Nick Saban loves adding fired coaches to his staff as analysts. In fact, the “Nick Saban coaching rehab program” has become a running joke at this point.

While it’s a smart move by Saban, I think what Orgeron does is more impressive, simply because he’s identifying up-and-coming coaches and giving them a chance.

The latest hire by Coach O is another great example of his ability to find great assistants.

Former defensive coordinator joins LSU football’s staff as an analyst

Football Scoop reported on Monday that LSU is hiring former Wofford defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes to serve as a lead analyst.

Siefkes was hired at Wofford in early 2018. Under his direction, Wofford’s defense ranked No. 12 in total defense in 2018. They ranked No. 20 in total defense in 2019 (Wofford didn’t play in 2020).

The hiring of Siefkes isn’t totally random. The newest LSU staff member has a connection to former Tigers defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Siefkes was a graduate assistant at Wisconsin in 2015 under Aranda (Jones was the defensive backs coach at Wisconsin in 2015).

I absolutely love this hire by Orgeron. It may not seem like a big deal, but analysts serve an important role for college football teams. They watch film, study tendencies and help craft game plans. Having someone like Siefkes on staff (with his experience) will help ease the workload of Jones and the rest of the defensive staff.

This is just another great move by Coach O.