LSU Coach Ed Orgeron Says Tigers Embracing Increased Opportunity and Playing With Pride

As game day approaches for the Tigers, Coach Ed Orgeron’s group has seen a flurry of players see their season end due to injury. From Elias Ricks to Ali Gaye to Kayshon Boutte, both sides of the football are just about as banged up as they can be heading into rivalry week against the Florida Gators.

Though a number of injuries, this LSU team now has the chance to put their talented youngsters on the field to give them the experience needed to dominate the SEC for the foreseeable future.

Orgeron is excited to see his freshman get the chance to see the field, but the young guys as a whole now have the chance to step up. Getting freshman safety Sage Ryan an opportunity to get snaps under his belt has been a focal point for Coach Orgeron this week as well.

"New guys have got a chance,” Orgeron said. “They're eager and ready to go. Sage Ryan had a great week of practice. We've got some new guys in there. Cordale Flott is excited about playing corner.”

Shifting players around defensively to put this team in position to compete against Florida has been Coach Orgeron’s main priority this week in practice. Moving freshman stud Maason Smith back to defensive end after losing Alie Gaye has been one of many moves this defense made throughout the week.

"Now we've moved Maason Smith back to defensive end,” Orgeron said. “But it helps to have Glen Logan. Glen Logan's playing tackle. Neil (Farrell) is playing nose. Jaquelin Roy is playing tackle and nose. And we also have Jacobian Guillory and we moved Soni (Fonua) back to end."

Offensively, the Tigers will put the ball in the hands of their stacked freshman class, namely Jack Bech, Brian Thomas Jr., and Malik Nabers. This trio, along with Deion Smith who is out this week due to injury, has the chance to be special in Death Valley for years to come. Giving them valuable experience against a talented Gators team is key for their future success.

Another piece Orgeron harped on in his Thursday evening press conference was the stability of his 2022 recruiting class. Despite the struggles this season, the coaching staff feels confident in their prospects staying committed to this program and officially signing this year.

"Right now, I feel really good (about recruiting),” Orgeron said. “We talk to our recruits as much as we can. We keep in contact with them."

As the Tigers prepare to host a dynamic offense in Florida, the confidence within this LSU locker room has not wavered. Despite numerous valuable pieces out due to injury, Orgeron feels confident in this team’s preparation heading into Saturday night in Death Valley.

"I think there's a lot of fight left in this team,” Orgeron said. “I've been with them. I know we're 3-3, but we've got a lot of games left. And from what I've seen this week, what I've seen in the coaching staff, there's a lot of fight left in this team."