Orgeron’s dream coming to end, coaching final home game

Not to start any coaching rumors or anything, but FlightAware.com on Thursday night showed a big jet flying from College Station, Texas, to Baton Rouge.

That could deliver Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher straight into the teeth of a secretive LSU coaching search that he’s been linked to in the past, present and seemingly forever.

Or, more likely, it was simply Fisher, accompanied by his Aggies, taking the most convenient route for tonight’s LSU-Texas A&M game in Tiger Stadium.

As the search continues to replace lame-duck Ed Orgeron on the Tigers’ sideline, LSU fans will get only a passing glimpse of Fisher, who was the rare popular offensive coordinator in Tigertown before Joe Brady made it fashionable.

Fisher, who was on the staffs of both Nick Saban and Les Miles while at LSU, has made it abundantly clear this time that he’s staying put in College Station.

He mentioned the excellent recruiting class he’s assembling with the Aggies.

“I’d have to be the dumbest human being on God’s earth to recruit all these guys so I can go there and go play against them.”

It sounded like he meant it.

So, before the Tigers get a new coach, the game figures to be more about Orgeron in the final home game of his dream job.

Just don’t mention that to him.

“I really don’t think that way,” Orgeron said. “I am appreciative all the time I had here. A lot of great days.

“But, you know, it’s always been about the team, the 19 seniors, their last home game. So I’ll think about them first. I want to send them out the right way.”

The Tigers (5-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) need a win to get bowl eligible, although Orgeron has said he will need to talk to LSU administrators before deciding whether to coach beyond tonight.

The Tigers (5-6, 2-5) beat Louisiana-Monroe 27-14 in a lackluster performance last week, but have lost their last three conference games, mostly with offensive struggles.

“We just haven’t clicked on all cylinders,” Orgeron said of the struggles. “Sometimes we’re throwing the well, sometimes we get down in the red zone and get bogged down there. There has just been a combination of a bunch of things. We just haven’t put it all together yet.”

But Orgeron said he expects a festive atmosphere.

In fact, he may have set the tone right after last week’s game when he immediately turned his attention to the Aggies while addressing his Tigers.

“I tore off my shirt after the game,” he revealed. “I usually wait until before the game. But I’m so excited about this game, I took off my shirt after the last one. So we’re going to be pumped up.”

Orgeron promised not to reminisce too much during tonight’s game, treating it like just another contest.

“I haven’t had a bad day yet (on the LSU job),” he said. “And I’m not going to have a bad day now.”

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