Ed Orgeron speaks to NFL success of Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson

Ed Orgeron may be out as the LSU head coach at the end of this season, but the Tigers’ coach had a major part in developing Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Joe Burrow.

All three young NFL players are having early success on Sundays with their respective teams. In his rookie campaign, Chase has already amassed 35 receptions for 754 yards and 6 touchdowns. Burrow, who gets to throw to his former LSU teammate now for the Cincinnati Bengals, has nearly 2,000 passing yards and 17 touchdowns after 7 games.

In Minnesota, Jefferson continues to expand on his breakout rookie season. The second-year pro has 542 receiving yards and three touchdowns after 6 games for the Vikings.

Ed Orgeron was specifically asked about the success of Chase and Jefferson in the NFL.

“I’m just so happy for them,” Orgeron said. “I know how hard they work, I know the type of human beings they are. They are great people, they both come from the state of Louisiana.

“They both came to LSU, they developed. They are having great careers in the NFL and their families are happy.”

Orgeron couldn’t stop short of mentioning Burrow, either.

“Joe Burrow is happy. I’m just so happy for all of them,” Orgeron added.

“They are representing LSU and the state of Louisiana, and again, these guys poured their heart and soul out for LSU and the state of Louisiana and now they’re getting it in return. I’m so happy for all of them.”

Paul Finebaum calls Ed Orgeron a distraction

Paul Finebaum suggests a radical change at LSU after the Tigers’ 31-17 loss to Ole Miss this weekend. Finebaum, on with Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic in the Morning on WJOX, said he believes it would be in the team’s best interest to remove Ed Orgeron now, instead of at the end of the season.

A harsh take, perhaps, but the SEC analyst argued Orgeron has become a distraction for LSU after getting the ax less than two weeks ago.

“I’m more concerned about the LSU side,” Paul Finebaum said. “I know Ed Orgeron was fired or parted ways last week, but I think he should go now. I don’t think he’s helping that team, I think he’s a distraction.

“We saw it during that (Ole Miss) game, that he’s offering very little. He’s just getting in the way. I understood it was all for show, I understood it was all (about) let’s sing kumbaya and act like nothing’s wrong here and let people wonder could he have survived. (But) he shouldn’t be there any longer, and I think the sooner LSU moves him out of the way and just eliminates a distraction, the better it is for these players the rest of the way.”

After LSU clinched an upset win over Florida and Orgeron was fired anyway, there were questions about how the Tigers would respond in Week 8. They scored first on Saturday but rolled over for the Rebels in the second and third quarters. It was their fourth loss of the year.

Considering the Tigers are 4-4, not even below .500, it could be extremely awkward if Scott Woodard and the program were to go back on their deal with Ed Orgeron.

LSU plays Alabama on Nov. 6, Arkansas on Nov. 13, ULM on Nov. 20 and Texas A&M on Nov. 27.