LSU AD Joe Alleva Meets with Ed Orgeron, Coordinators After Tigers' Struggles
LSU Tigers athletic director Joe Alleva met with LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron and members of his staff after the Tigers' 24-21 loss to the Troy Trojans dropped their record to 3-2.
According to The Advocate's Ross Dellenger, Alleva described the meeting as "very positive." A source told Dellenger the discussion centered on "accountability."
"It was a gut-check meeting," Dellenger's source said. "It was more that guys need to look each other in the eye and tell each other how it is."
Whether or not the meetings produce any noticeable differences in the coming weeks, LSU has painted itself into a corner with Orgeron—at least for the next few years.
Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel reported the school would owe Orgeron about $9 million if it fired him this season "without cause." And that would be on top of the $3 million LSU already paid him for 2017. Firing Orgeron in 2018 would cost a total of $8.5 million—his buyout as well as his salary.
That's a lot of money for a school to pay somebody not to coach, especially for LSU given it's budgetary problems.
Things could get even more bleak, considering LSU's schedule. The Tigers play No. 21 Florida, No. 12 Auburn and No. 1 Alabama over the next month. It's possible LSU could miss a bowl game for the first time since 1999.
Hiring Orgeron, who went 10-25 in three years at Ole Miss, is looking like a mistake by LSU. The bigger misstep for the Tigers, though, may be giving him a contract with such a massive buyout.
