Ed Orgeron to cash in big after split with LSU in 2022

National Championship-winning head coach Ed Orgeron won’t leave Baton Rouge empty-handed after he parts ways with the LSU Tigers. LSU will reportedly pay Orgeron his total buyout to release him and find a new coach, according to Bruce Feldman. The program owes Coach O $17.15 million.

Ed Orgeron is the second-highest paid coach in the country, making just over $9 million a year from the Tigers. Only Nick Saban makes more. Orgeron and LSU agreed to a six-year contract extension in January of 2020.

LSU is expected to pay Ed Orgeron his entire buyout which is over $17 million to pursue a new coach. His record at LSU is 49-17 and he went 13-5 in games against Top 10 teams while coaching the Tigers.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 17, 2021

Orgeron, Tigers parting ways

Ed Orgeron and LSU have reached a separation agreement, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellinger, and the head coach will not return to LSU for the 2022 season.

Orgeron’s career at LSU will come to a close after this season, but he will finish the 2021 campaign before he is formally dismissed. Orgeron boasts a 46-17 record in six seasons at the helm of LSU. He the program’s fourth national championship in 2019. The Tigers finished 15-0 and put together arguably the greatest season in college football history. Twenty-one months later, the two have agreed to part ways. Since the national championship victory over Clemson, Orgeron’s 9-8 record hardly puts him over .500.

Negotiations between Orgeron and LSU began last week, before the Tigers pulled off an unexpected, 49-42 upset over the No. 20 Florida Gators on Saturday.

“A strained relationship between coach and administration — rooted in team management & public/private behavior — has warped into an untenable situation, distrust & outbursts,” Dellinger said on Twitter.

After going just 5-5 in the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season, Orgeron was named in a Title IX lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged mishandling a rape allegation, igniting conflict off the field at LSU. An amended lawsuit named Orgeron as a defendant in the case, and it accused Orgeron of not reporting the alleged rape of a former student, despite his knowledge of the situation.

“It’s one of those things where no one wanted to be there anymore,” Yahoo! Sports’ Pete Thamel tweeted. “The players didn’t want to play for him, the coaches didn’t want to coach for him.”

Coach O snaps at question about his future

Ed Orgeron addressed rumors regarding his job security last Monday, quipping back at a reporter with a strong response.

“Are you trying to get another quote from me?” Orgeron asked.

“I’m just trying to do my job,” the reporter replied back.

“Good,” the coach said with a sly smile. “Well, I’m gonna do mine. I’m handling it great. I said that before.”

ESPN radio host Paul Finebaum said a Week 5 loss to Auburn put Orgeron on the hot seat. The pressure has only increased following another loss to Kentucky this past week. LSU’s next chance to turn the narrative around comes Saturday against No. 20 Florida.

Asked if he has addressed his job status to his players, Orgeron was quick to answer.

“No, not at all,” he said. “That’s for me to handle. Nobody’s told me about my job status. I haven’t had any discussions about it. As far as I know, I’m the head coach of the LSU Tigers. That’s all that matters.”

On3’s Simon Gibbs contributed to this report.