LSU Football: Ed Orgeron listed as a coach that has most to prove in 2021

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron was listed this week by 247Sports as a head coach with the “most to prove” in 2021.

I wasn’t surprised to see Orgeron’s name on 247Sports’ list.

There’s been plenty of discussion about LSU’s return to reality in 2020 after their incredible 15-0 run in 2019.

The Tigers went 5-5 in 2020, finishing the season on a 2 game winning streak. Going 5-5, however, is a massive letdown after winning it all in 2019.

For whatever reason, 247Sports (along with plenty of other outlets) started questioning Orgeron after LSU’s lackluster 2020 season.

Was the 2019 season a fluke? Were the Tigers a one-year wonder?

Those are some of the questions we’ve seen posed over the last eight or so months.

And they’re all silly.

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron doesn’t have anything to prove

Coach O has proved in his four full seasons as LSU’s head coach that he’s among the elite head coaches in college football.

45-14 in four years (plus his interim stint in 2016) is an impressive record by Orgeron.

This past season, the Tigers went 5-5 because they lost an inordinate amount of talent to the NFL. Orgeron also made a couple of not-so-great hires (Bo Pelini as defensive coordinator didn’t work out, even though the hire was well received by fans).

LSU didn’t underachieve last season. They didn’t squander a loaded team. They simply had a “rebuilding year”.

In 2021, the Tigers should be right back where we’re accustomed to seeing them — near the top of the SEC West.

Orgeron doesn’t have any more to prove than any other coach in the SEC.

Sure, if LSU wins only five games in 2021, then we can have a different discussion. The same could be said if Nick Saban suddenly starts winning only five games a year. I don’t care how many national championships a coach has. If the wins start dwindling, they’ll be gone.

In that sense, every coach has something to prove every year.

But as far as Orgeron having the most to prove?

That’s just nonsense.