A tumultuous year defending its College Football Playoffs championship is ending with LSU again making significant changes to its assistant coaching staff.
Multiple sources have told FootballScoop across the past week and again Monday that Ed Orgeron is not retaining defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, after just one year with Pelini in charge of the Tigers' defense in Pelini's second stint in Baton Rouge.
Orgeron hired Pelini shortly after the Tigers' 2019 CFP title when then-defensive coordinator Dave Aranda ascended to the head coaching post at Baylor.
As it struggled to a 5-5 season, coming on the heels of losing double-digit NFL Draft picks as well as wunderkind offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the NFL's Carolina Panthers, LSU battled a porous defense and a quarterback carousel in its 10-game, SEC-only schedule.
The Tigers, under Pelini this year, yielded 35 points per game and struggled especially in pass defense, where teams threw for more than 320 yards per game.
Said one source with knowledge, “I know Pelini knew he was out before the last game.”
Pelini's contract was $2.3M per year for three years (so roughly $7 million) fully guaranteed.
Sources indicated to FootballScoop that additional changes also are expected to the LSU staff.
Ross Dellenger has shared, and we can confirm we've been told the same, that defensive line coach Bill Johnson is expected to retire and safeties coach Bill Busch is not expected to return.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest coaching news.