LSU Football: The Ed Orgeron disrespect tour continues

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron led the Tigers to one of the most magical seasons in sports history a little under two years ago.

In 2019, LSU dominated their competition while going 15-0 and winning a national championship.

The 2019 season should’ve cemented Orgeron’s status as one of the top coaches in the game.

Instead, the disrespect for Coach O has seemingly increased over the last several months.

Sporting News doesn’t think much of LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron

Sporting News recently ranked all 130 FBS head coaches.

And they didn’t show much respect for Orgeron.

Sporting News has Coach O at No. 14 on their list, below such names as Cincinnati’s Luck Fickell and Penn State’s James Franklin.

From Sporting News:

"Orgeron is the toughest coach on the list to rank. The Tigers are just one year removed from a national championship run, but a 5-5 season and off-the-field scandals have made it tough to keep Coach O in the top 10. He was ranked No. 15 heading into the 2019 season. This feels like the right spot after a two-year reset."

I don’t see how this feels like the “right spot” for Orgeron.

According to Sporting News, winning a national championship only bumps you up one spot on their list?

That doesn’t make a bit of sense. Especially when Franklin is at No. 11 on their list after a 4-5 season in 2020 (Franklin also doesn’t have a College Football Playoff appearance on his resume).

There are only five active college football head coaches who have a national championship to their credit. Orgeron is one of those coaches (along with Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, and Mack Brown). That alone should put Coach O in the top 10.

I’d put Orgeron in the top five if this were my list. Probably around No. 3 or No. 4.

Saban and Swinney are clearly No. 1 and No. 2.

But beyond that, it’s wide open. And I think Orgeron’s success at LSU, combined with his incredible recruiting, should warrant his inclusion in the top 3 or 4 of this list (an argument can be made for Lincoln Riley to be right there with Coach O).

I shouldn’t be surprised at the continued disrespect for Orgeron from the national media. Coach O wasn’t the national media’s choice to replace Les Miles at LSU. Maybe that’s why he continues to be treated like he’s not an elite head coach.