Ed Orgeron, LSU agree to part ways after season

Ed Orgeron appeared to remove himself from the hot seat with LSU’s upset win over Florida on Saturday, but he will not coach the Tigers beyond the 2021 season.

Orgeron and LSU have agreed to part ways following the season, SI Now’s Ross Dellenger reports. Negotiations for a split between the two sides began before Saturday’s victory.

#LSU and Ed Orgeron have reached a separation agreement: He will not return in 2022 but expected to complete this season, sources tell @SINow.

Negotiations began last week before UF win.

It’s unprecedented in the sport – coach & school divorcing 21 months after winning it all.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 17, 2021

Orgeron led LSU to a national championship less than two years ago, but there has been speculation for weeks that he could lose his job. LSU lost to UCLA in its season opener before rattling off three consecutive wins. The hot seat talk then increased following losses to Auburn and Kentucky, despite both teams being ranked nationally this season.

While LSU made an inexcusable mistake in its 49-42 win over Florida, the wide-ranging belief was that the win and the way Orgeron’s players responded to the hot seat talk would help the 60-year-old keep his job. That was apparently never in the cards.

There have already been rumblings about one coach who could replace Orgeron.