why did ed orgeron leave lsu

Ed Orgeron left LSU in October 2021 after a rapid fall from a national championship–winning height to a program in turmoil. LSU and Orgeron announced a separation agreement that would see him finish the 2021 season, with the expectation of a high-profile coaching search to follow. The move came despite Orgeron’s 74% win rate and a 15-0 national title season in 2019, and was characterized by concerns about team culture, leadership alignment with administrators, and broader program issues that had emerged in the ensuing years. The exact public rationale cited by LSU centered on performance metrics and the overall direction of the program, though reporting at the time highlighted a range of factors including administrative discord, off-field distractions, and concerns about how the program was being run. Consequently, Orgeron received a substantial buyout as part of the separation agreement, effectively ending his tenure less than two years after the championship season.