LSU Football: Paul Finebaum comments on Ed Orgeron ‘hot seat’ chatter

Is LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron on the hot seat entering the 2021 season?

That seems like a ludicrous question to ask after the Tigers won the national championship in dominating fashion in 2019.

But there are at least a few national media outlets who feel like Orgeron’s seat is warm this season.

CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, for example, said during the summer months that Orgeron’s seat is the “hottest” in the SEC.

The reason, obviously, is because LSU finished 5-5 last season after going 15-0 in 2019. Dodd, though, conveniently ignored that the Tigers lost 14 players to the 2020 NFL Draft, or that Orgeron was forced to replace passing game coordinator Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

Oh, and there was the COVID-19 national pandemic that Orgeron and the Tigers had to navigate, too.

There are some national talking heads, however, that think the Coach O hot seat talk is unnecessary.

Paul Finebaum doesn’t think LSU football needs to consider a coaching change

SEC Network host Paul Finebaum recently appeared on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin and he talked about the hot seat chatter surrounding Orgeron.

Finebaum thinks the conversation needs to be “tabled for another day”.

From 247Sports:

"“Well, it’s always 2019 for LSU fans and part of that reason is that Orgeron … he oozes confidence. I think they’ll be good this year,” Finebaum said. “The only thing that will get him are off the field problems combined with a mediocre season. He has off the field issues, but I think he’ll have a big year. I think they can win nine or 10 games and I think the ‘Coach O on the hot seat’ conversation needs to be tabled for another day."

The only way anyone should consider Orgeron on the hot seat is if the Tigers go 5-7 this season.

But that’s true of almost every coach in the SEC. If Kirby Smart goes 5-7 at Georgia this season, there will be plenty of folks calling for his job.

So in that sense, every coach is on the hot seat at all times to some extent.

But this idea that Orgeron is under extra pressure because of a 5-5 season in a bizarre year?

That’s just nonsense. And I’m glad Finebaum sees it the same way.