LSUDad Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 BREAKING: LSU fires offensive line coach James Cregg, Ed Orgeron begins search for replacement ByBILLY EMBODY 38 minutes ago Share113 Comments LSU announced Wednesday evening that its parted ways with offensive line coach James Cregg, head coach Ed Orgeronannounced in a release. The program will begin an immediate search for his replacement just two days before official visitors are set to arrive in Baton Rouge. Cregg was entering his fourth season at the helm of the offensive line. He has over 20 years of coaching experience between the college and professional ranks. Prior to joining LSU, Cregg spent four seasons as the assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. He held the same position at previous NFL stops with the Denver Broncos (2014-16) and the Oakland Raiders (2007-08). He won a Super Bowl with the Broncos in 2015. LSU marked Cregg’s third coaching stop at a Power Five school as he spent four seasons at Southern Cal (2010-13) and one at Tennessee (2009). Cregg did perhaps his best coaching job in 2019, molding the Tiger offensive line into a unit that claimed the Joe Moore Award., which is presented to the best offensive line in college football. It’s the first time in the history of the award that a unit from LSU won the honor. LSU had eight players start at least one game on the offensive line and the Tigers didn’t use the same starting lineup on the offensive line in consecutive games until games 8 and 9 in wins over Auburn and Alabama. Center Lloyd Cushenberry and right guard Damien Lewis started every game for the Tigers and both earned All-America honors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Wonder what the heck happened. Odd timing for this simply to be "it was time to move on." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 LSU parts ways with offensive line coach James Cregg after three seasons LSU offensive line coach James Cregg coaches on the field during pregame warm-ups before kickoff against South Carolina, Saturday, October 24, 2020, at LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK▲ BY BROOKS KUBENA | Staff writer Jun 2, 2021 - 7:07 pm LSU is parting ways with offensive line coach James Cregg, the athletic department announced in a news release Wednesday night. The 47-year-old Cregg was entering the final year of his most recent contract with LSU, which was set to pay him about $700,000 starting this year through the contract's expiration on March 31, 2022. According to Cregg's most recent contract with LSU, if he is terminated by LSU without cause, the university must pay him the total remaining base salary and supplemental compensation in monthly installments equal to the amount of time remaining in the term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 2 hours ago, Hatchertiger said: Wonder what the heck happened. Odd timing for this simply to be "it was time to move on." yes, it perplexes me. You got the Joe Moore award winning line in 2019, they sucked in 2020, they are all coming back in 2021, and you release him on June 1. Very strange looking deal. Did he not get along with the new OC? Only thing I can think of quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 LSU Football: The possible reason Ed Orgeron moved on from James Cregg by Zach Ragan51s ago LSU football made a surprising move on Wednesday by parting ways with offensive line coach James Cregg. Cregg served as the Tigers’ offensive line coach for the last three seasons. He also worked with Ed Orgeron at USC from 2010-2013 and at Tennessee in 2009. Under Cregg’s guidance, LSU’s offensive line won the Joe Moore Award in 2019 (given annually to the nation’s best offensive line). Early June isn’t typically when coaching moves like this are made. We usually see these moves made just after National Signing Day — not three months before the start of the season. Why did LSU football move on from James Cregg? For now, it’s not clear why Cregg was fired. It’s all speculation at this point (were there some recruiting violations that occurred, or something else?). What we do know, however, is that Cregg wasn’t a strong recruiter. And to be an assistant coach in the SEC, you absolutely have to be a great recruiter. Cregg’s failure to land five-star offensive lineman Tristan Leigh — a player that several analysts predicted would sign with LSU — was an unacceptable recruiting miss by the longtime offensive line coach. I’m sure moving on from Cregg wasn’t easy for Coach O — especially since the two coaches have an extensive history together. But Orgeron isn’t in this business to make friends. He’s in this business to win games and championships. And sometimes that means tough decisions have to be made. NEXT: The Arik Gilbert saga finally ends...again Orgeron clearly doesn’t believe that moving forward with Cregg as the Tigers’ offensive line coach is in the best interest of the program. That’s why he made the tough decision to go ahead and make a change. It’s the type of move that elite coaches make. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Leader of the pack... https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/coache/brad-davis/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Davis has been hired. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Hmmm. 24 hours, that was fast. I wonder how that works. In industry it could not take place that fast. People are not that quick to make relocation decisions. There are interviews. I hope this is not another, I didn't interview him, I just took someone else's word for it. Or did they tell Cregg a week or two ago to start looking for a job, conduct their search and interviews, and announce Cregg after Davis had already accepted? Technically I was laid off when I retired, but I asked for it if I could get the severance package, they said yes, then they asked me to stay an additional month to finish the project startup justification I had been working on. I said yes, never opened my mouth, and when they announced my leaving, it was a "retirement" which is also true since I didn't go to work anywhere else. The point of that is, you CAN keep a move like that secret. On the other hand, most athletic departments do not appear to be good at keeping secrets (I guess unless you are Les Miles or Derrius Guice, they kept those pretty good, so it can be done). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Here is part of the reason it happened so quickly: Quote LSU is set to host a trio of key offensive line official visitors this weekend and Davis could make it in time for the visits. Five-star Humble (Tex.) Summer Creek offensive tackle Kelvin Banks makes his way to Baton Rouge, where the Tigers will get to make their pitch to the family as Texas and Texas A&M battle it out as well. The Aggies are the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite. https://247sports.com/college/lsu/Article/College-Football-LSU-hires-Arkansas-OL-coach-Baton-Rouge-native-Brad-Davis-recruiter-166072862/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Quote from an interview last year: Quote “My wife would like to go on more vacations,” he said. “Vacation, to me, is going back to Baton Rouge or sitting out in the back. You know what I mean? With my parents drinking coffee and hanging out and talking. She wants to go somewhere with blue water and all that stuff. That’s just not my thing.” https://theathletic.com/2631874/2021/06/03/lsu-expected-to-hire-arkansas-o-line-coach-brad-davis-would-replace-james-cregg/ Well there are "beaches" in Louisiana, none of them have blue water though. Mostly ... brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 If folks haven’t noticed, LSU moves quickly with some of these things, now that Woody has taken over. Kim Mulkey, was quick. This one also. Brads name has come up a number of places. It was known that he wanted to come home. Brad graduated from Belaire High in BTR. Played at Oklahoma. We have a number of linemen coming in, they want to know their position coach. Many coaches I know, have lists of replacement coaches, now with the analyst position, it makes things easier, continuing the transition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 Looks to have another addition! New offensive line coach Lee Grimes found family atmosphere at Kansas by Carlos Peterson Feb 4, 4:11 AM It took almost 20 years, but Kansas coach Les Miles and newly hired offensive line coach Lee Grimes have crossed paths once again. When Grimes was an offensive lineman coming out of high school, it was Miles, the Oklahoma State coach at the time, who first offered Grimes the chance to play college football. Grimes ultimately chose to play his college football at Texas A&M, where he became a two-year starter and a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2009. Grimes was also named to the Texas A&M all-decade team for the 2010s. Upon introducing Grimes at the Jayhawks' signing day media session, Miles — who did not take any questions from media before leaving — raved about the credentials of the Jayhawks’ new offensive line coach. He also said Grimes is no stranger to the position or its demands. “[He] is a guy that understands development and what goes into developing a student-athlete because he was one,” said Miles. “He played with and coached with Josh Eargle at East Texas Baptist and what he’ll be able to do is impart what will be natural for him: the right steps, the ability to contact and focus his eyes on his target. He will be special as a teacher because he’s played it.” Sign up for Phog.net VIP access and get your first month for just $1! Eargle, of course, was one of the biggest culprits in bringing Grimes to Lawrence. As mentioned by Miles, the two spent three years on the staff of East Texas Baptist from 2013-2015, where they eventually won a conference championship in 2015. Eargle was the head coach at the time while Grimes served as the team’s offensive line coach. In trying to sell Grimes on Kansas, Eargle was a huge advocate of Miles. Had it been needed, his message would have fallen on open ears. But Grimes didn't need to be sold on the KU coach. There was another aspect he cared about. “The camaraderie of the staff was big,” Grimes said. “Josh, that was one of his major selling points; it’s almost like a family-feel atmosphere around here. That was a big sell for me having a wife, having a little one. ... So we want to be a part of that family atmosphere. And Josh [added of the] personnel: ‘We've got good kids here. We can win at Kansas.’” Grimes was not the only football coach introduced on Wednesday. He will be paired with new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord. The plan, as stated on Wednesday, is for the staff to collaborate to build the Kansas offense. Want the latest KU football headlines sent to your inbox? Click to sign up for Phog.net's daily newsletter! At the time of Grimes' hire last December, he was expecting to work with then-offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon, who left to take the offensive coordinator job at Middle Tennessee. However, he did say that coming in with a new coordinator could end up working to benefit himself as well as the rest of the offensive staff. “That part of it is good for me because [it’s a] level playing field,” said Grimes “Either way is fine, but this way is ideal because everyone is learning at the same pace. You can really go through the intricacies of the offense and answers you have for everything and it’s not just assumed someone picks it up and knows it.” Grimes continued. “All of us are on the same page,” the new O-line coach said. “That way when we’re going into spring ball and we’re installing all this stuff, everyone’s speaking the same language. So I think that’s huge.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 LSU reportedly adding another offensive line coach as analyst Ed Orgeron appears to be addressing James Cregg’s in a big way. On Thursday it was widely reported that LSU is hiring away Brad Davis from Arkansas as its new offensive line coach. It appears Davis won’t be the only offensive line coach heading to Baton Rouge. College football insider Bruce Feldman is reporting , per a source, that Lee Grimes is joining the LSU staff as an analyst. Grimes had been hired as the offensive line coach at Kansas in December 2020. Kansas has since had a head coaching change. A former lineman at Texas A&M, Grimes has been coaching since 2012. He got his start coaching offensive line for Lubbock Estacado High S chool. He then made the jump to college, holding the titles of run game coordinator and offensive line coach at East Texas Baptist University from 2013-15. He then went to Minnesota as a grad assistant for 2016 before returning to his alma mater. Grimes was on staff at Texas A&M from 2017-19 as a grad assistant and senior offensive analyst. In 2020, he took the offensive line coaching position at UNC Charlotte. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 Brad Davis Hired as LSU’s Offensive Line Coach LSU hires a bright up and coming coach to lead the offensive line By Zach Junda@ZacharyJunda Jun 3, 2021, 8:06pm CDT Less than 24 hours after it was announced James Cregg would be leaving the LSU coaching staff, Ed Orgeron has found his new offensive line coach. The Athletic’s Brody Miller reported late Thursday afternoon that Arkansas offensive line coach Brad Davis was the pick to fill the vacant space on Ed Orgeron’s staff. A Louisiana native, Davis graduated from Belaire High School and has spent the past four seasons coaching in the SEC. In addition to coaching at Arkansas in 2020, Davis was at Missouri in 2018 and 2019 and at Florida in 2017. During his playing days, Davis won a national championship in 2000 at Oklahoma. Davis, 41, appears to be a much better recruiter than Cregg was. According to 247, Davis helped Arkansas land four-star guard Marcus Henderson in the 2020 class and is credited as the lead recruiter for a pair of four-star verbal commits in the Hogs’ 2022 class. The hiring couldn’t have come at a better time as LSU is set to host a trio of elite offensive line recruits this weekend: Kelvin Banks, a five-star tackle from Humble, Texas; Kam Dewberry a four-star guard also from Humble, Texas; and Julian Armella a four-star tackle from Fort Lauderdale. As for the here and now LSU got a boost for its prospects in 2021 when all five starting offensive linemen elected to return to school for an additional season. Now it’s on Davis to get that unit back to the Joe Moore Award winning levels LSU enjoyed in 2019. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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