It’s not uncommon for coaches to hire staff members that ultimately don’t work out for a variety of reasons. When that happens, they usually announce a mutual parting of the ways and everyone moves on, no hard feelings.
That’s not how Ed Orgeron handled things at SEC media day.
The LSU coach admitted that his decision to hire Matt Canada as offensive coordinator was a mistake, and that his replacement, Steve Ensminger, should have been hired all along.
“It’s tough when you make a mistake, but it’s even tougher not to admit you made a mistake and it’s just not a good fit,” Orgeron said when asked about the offensive coordinator switch, via Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. “I had to do the best what I thought for the LSU program, and that’s why I did it.”
Ensminger was Orgeron’s offensive coordinator during his interim stint in 2016, but upon receiving the job permanently, Canada was brought in as offensive coordinator, with Ensminger demoted to tight ends coach.
“Circumstances were different when I got the job,” Orgeron said. “I went out and tried to get the best coordinator … it didn’t work. And all the while I was saying: ‘You know what? Steve Ensminger is the guy, and if I have a chance I’m going to hire him.’
“I have complete confidence in the direction that he’s going to lead this offense. He and I are on the same page.”
Canada, who has since moved on to become Maryland’s offensive coordinator, struggled early in LSU’s season. It sounds like he never had the confidence of his head coach. It’s hardly as toxic as the relationship between these former co-workers, but it’s still a rather startling public admission.
