Ed Orgeron to finish out season as LSU football coach with 'our team'

LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who has agreed with the university to part ways with the football program after this season, wants to "finish out" the season, including any potential bowl game, with his team.

"This is our team," Orgeron said Wednesday. "I wanted to finish out with it."

Orgeron, a Louisiana native who grew up rooting for LSU, led the Tigers to an unbeaten season and national championship in 2019. He received a six-year contract extension shortly thereafter, but the Tigers have gone 9-8 since amid a litany of off-field issues.

What comes next for Orgeron, 60, remains up in the air -- and he said he'd be open to different opportunities -- but he wants to take some time to spend with family and figure out he'd enjoy doing.

"I'm open-minded right now," Orgeron said, "but I do need to take a year off. I want to spend some time with my children."

First, however, there are five regular-season games remaining for the Tigers, starting with Saturday's clash on the road against No. 12 Ole Miss.

"The focus right now is on Ole Miss," Orgeron said. "Really not much has changed."

As part of the terms of their separation, LSU will pay Orgeron the $16.95 million remaining on his contract.

Off-field issues dogged Orgeron over the past two seasons, including claims that he didn't properly report allegations of sexual misconduct by his players. On the field, LSU went 5-5 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and the Tigers are 4-3 this season after upsetting No. 20 Florida on Saturday.