Ed Orgeron explains why LSU went for it so many times on 4th down against Georgia
By Andrew Olson
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Ed Orgeron is playing with house money. The second-year full-time LSU head coach was often put on the “hot seat” by the media in the offseason. The Tigers faced what looked a daunting task of taking on Miami, Auburn and Georgia in the first seven games. The Bayou Bengals have emerged 6-1 and contenders for a division and conference championship after knocking off UGA 36-16 for the upset.
Entering Saturday’s showdown against then-No. 2 Georgia, LSU was 5-1, one of college football’s biggest surprises of 2018. Facing the No. 2 team with the help of the Death Valley crowd, Orgeron decided part of the strategy would be to take chances (and reap the rewards).
That meant when LSU faced a fourth-down, the decision was already made. The Tigers would be going for it.
“Our plan was to attack the whole game. We took shots down field. We were aggressive on fourth down,” Orgeron told reporters Monday in his weekly press conference.
That aggressive strategy even applied when LSU was in its own territory.
Ed Orgeron said he didn’t have to make in-game decisions on the 4th down calls vs. #UGA. Why? He said they entered the game knowing that if they faced 4th-and-1, he was going for it. Even on his own 38-yard line (which he did).
LSU was 4-for-4 on fourth downs.
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) October 15, 2018
It paid off. LSU went four-for-four on fourth downs, something that likely reminded Tigers fans of a game from 2007 against another highly ranked SEC East foe.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
