LSU football has had its share of struggles building up to a 3-3 start with a lot of challenges still ahead, and no punches were pulled on College GameDay.
Analyst Kirk Herbstreit questioned the Tigers' effort and pride, while also pointing to issues with the leadership due to the departures of key offensive and defensive coaches after the 2019 title season.
"It is incredible to see how it changes and how quickly it changes,
Herbstreit began. "I think you had lightning in a bottle in 2019. You had Joe Burrow who transferred over from Ohio State. You had Joe Brady as an offensive coordinator. You had Dave Aranda as a defensive coordinator. Geniuses on both sides of the ball. They were essentially head coaches on both sides of the ball. And he was great at recruiting and great at being the guy who was in charge.
"It became fun to watch LSU. Last year during COVID it was a disaster. It’s carried over this year."
The critique was mostly accurate and reasonable. Burrow was in his second season as the starting QB in 2019, having transferred the year before. Brady was the passing game coordinator with Steve Ensminger calling plays, but neither point excuses the struggles of the past two seasons. LSU has scuffled to a 3-3 record since that CFP title.
Tigers coach Ed Orgeron has been placed at the center of those struggles, despite reforming a majority of the coaching staff after the struggles of the 2020 season. This year's squad has also struggled with significant injuries, but Herbstreit sees the issues as far deeper. He pointed to potential frustration among alums and a possible need for changes in leadership, while questioning players' effort in the process.
"What I see is individuality. I see guys that quit. I see guys that don’t want to play for the LSU brand," Hersbstreit continued. "That’s very new. You can go back as far back as you want to go with LSU. They might not win all their games, but they’re going to play hard for each other. That’s not the case anymore. LSU does not play hard. That’s the new LSU.
"It’s going to kill their alums because it’s such a proud bunch, but that’s the reality. And I don’t know how you change it, you’ve got to change coaches, you change coaches — whatever you gotta do. LSU has got to get back to having some pride in their program."
It's not the first time this season the GameDay analyst put the Tigers' effort in his crosshairs. Before LSU's SEC opener against Mississippi State, he levied similar criticism.
"LSU obviously has the better talent, but don't know if they care about playing football anymore," he said at the time.
LSU, of course, went on to win that game, but they've dropped both games since in dramatic and deflating fashion.
The Tigers were set to host the 20th-ranked Gators, hoping to repeat the upset magic they pulled off in a similar situation a year ago. Herbstreit predicted boos by the Tiger Stadium crowd with the game getting out of hand.
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