LSU Football: Ed Orgeron talks about the eerie feeling from last season

The 2020 season was a bizarre one for LSU football and the rest of the sports world.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans were limited at college football games in 2020.

Some games had no fans at all. Those were extremely strange games to watch on television. I can’t imagine what it was like to play in front of an empty stadium (the biggest home crowd for LSU last season was 22,349 fans for the Alabama game).

Players and coaches feed off the crowd so much. The energy at a college football game — especially in the SEC — is something special to behold.

Last season, that energy simply wasn’t there. Players had to create their own energy. That’s easier said than done.

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron calls parts of 2020 season “eerie”

One of the great traditions at LSU is the Tiger Walk where the players and coaches walk into the stadium.

Last season, fans weren’t allowed to be at the Tiger Walk, which created a strange vibe.

For Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron, it was an eerie feeling.

Here’s what Coach O had to say about it this week (via 247Sports):

"“It was an empty feeling. It was like fake it till you make it. I couldn’t show anything. I didn’t want my team to say anything, but it was kind of an eerie feeling not to have our fans there. Obviously, we look forward to — they energize us, we energize them. It’s part of LSU football.”"

Fans are such a massive part of college football games.

While it was great that we got to see games last season (late last summer there was a real possibility the season wouldn’t be played), it was still a much different experience than we’re accustomed to seeing.

This year, the fans will be back. The crowds will be loud. And the traditions will be in full effect.

There’s nothing better than SEC football. And I can’t wait for the Tigers to return to Tiger Stadium on September 11 for their first home game in over a year in front of a big crowd.