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Larose native and LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron got the man he wanted.
He just had to wait 12 months to get him.
Orgeron announced this week that he’s hired Steve Ensminger as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator – a controversial hire among the passionate LSU fan base because it’s not a so-called ‘splashy’ hire.
But Ensminger has chops, despite what the so-called fans think.
He was LSU’s offensive coordinator in 2016 when Orgeron was interim head coach and he had success – so much so that Orgeron reportedly wanted to hire Ensminger full-time once he got the full-time job.
Ensminger refused initially, but is now in the job anyway after the Tigers played 2017 with Matt Canada, who was relieved of his contract after just one season with the team.
“What a great day for our LSU football team,” Orgeron said. “I am so proud of Steve Ensminger, our next offensive coordinator. Steve is a Tiger through and through. He’s dedicated his life to football as a player here at LSU and a coach all over the country. … He’s not just one of our own, he’s also the best coach to lead LSU’s offense in the next coming years. I do believe that with all of my heart.”
Ensminger’s job will be to fix an LSU offense that’s been fragile for more than a decade.
LSU has had top defenses since 2001 when Nick Saban took over the Tigers’ program. But offense has almost always lagged behind – especially in the final years of Les Miles’ tenure and then last year under Orgeron.
But in 2016 when Ensminger was LSU’s offensive coordinator, the team did enjoy short-term success.
In eight games in the job, LSU averaged 465 total yards per game and averaged 32 points per game. The Tigers scored 35 or more points five times in eight games and LSU topped 500 or more yards of total offense in four of the games, accumulating a 6-2 record in that span.
But in 2016, Ensminger was calling plays out of former coordinator Cam Cameron’s playbook because he was hired mid-season and didn’t have time to install his own system
In 2018, Ensminger will be able to put his own system in place – one which he believes fans will be pleased with
At his introductory news conference, Ensminger said he plans to utilize three and four-receiver sets with single-back formations. He said LSU will execute run-pass option plays and will throw short and medium-range passes with relative ease. Ensminger even said that the Tigers plan to play with tempo, utilizing some no-huddle looks.
But for all the change, some things are better off staying the same, too. Ensminger said the Tigers will keep their power running principles in the new offense, as well – a staple of the team for the past decade.
“We can be in three wides and everything else and we can still run the football,” Ensminger said. “You have to be able to do it all with everything. In my opinion, you can be three wide, but you better still be able to be physical and run the football and play-action off of it and RPO hit that guy right there and still throw the ball deep. Every formation we get in and every personnel we get in, I plan on being able to throw the quick game.”
This is not a popular hire among most.
LSU fans took to social media in droves this week, denouncing the hire of Ensminger.
Some fans point to Ensminger’s age (59) and say that they’d have preferred a younger coach to call LSU’s plays and run the Tigers’ offense. LSU also hired 73-year-old Jerry O’Sullivan this week to serve as their passing game coordinator.
But others also look inside the numbers to form a more well-informed opinion than simply discounting someone because of their age.
The Tigers’ offense did thrive statistically in 2016 under Ensminger, but they fell short in big games, getting shut out against Alabama and scoring just 10 points against Florida – both losses.
But Ensminger doesn’t care.
He said he doesn’t read criticism against him online and never will.
Ensminger said he believes he can do the job at a high level and Orgeron does, too.
That’s the online vindication he needs going into next season.
“I had a guy call me last night and say, ‘Have you see this in the paper?’” Ensminger said. “I said, ‘Hell no, I haven’t read the paper in 20 years.’ … I don’t read the damned paper. I don’t read Twitter. I don’t go on Facebook. I tell my family to stay off of it. All I can do is what I can do. I can’t let any outside influence say, ‘Hey, well you’re not good enough. You can’t do this.’ … That’s b*lls**t. I’ll do it.”
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