Ed ready to finish

Ed Orgeron will be out as LSU’s coach when the season ends, but until then he’ll continue to lead the Tigers.

Negotiations between LSU and Orgeron to buy out his contract were underway before the Tigers beat No. 20 Florida 49-42 last week.

LSU will have another chance to knock off a ranked team when Orgeron leads the Tigers against Ole Miss on Saturday.

It’s an odd arrangement considering LSU has five regular-season games and possibly will play in a bowl game.

Orgeron said at a Sunday news conference announcing his firing that he wants to coach in the bowl game if the Tigers qualify.

Usually when a coach is fired during the season, he’s out immediately. Sometimes he might coach one more game.

But five and possibly six games for a coach who is being let go?

“I feel good about it,” Orgeron said Wednesday during the SEC coaches’ teleconference. “This is our team and I want to finish out with them. Our athletic director [Scott Woodward] wanted me to finish out with them.

“The focus now is on Ole Miss. Really, not much has changed.”

Woodward, who conducted the Sunday news conference sitting alongside the coach he is firing, said the LSU administration asked Orgeron to continue in his position the rest of the season.

“We believe that gives our student-athletes the best chance for success this season,” Woodward said. “We believe it will help us in our recruiting efforts as well and I know Coach O will continue to give everything he has because that’s who he is and that’s what he’s always done for our state and for our university.

“His passion and pride for our football team and for our state are unrivaled and undeniable.”

Orgeron said he will continue to recruit for LSU.

“I tell them to come to LSU,” he said. “This is a great place. I recruited them to come to LSU. Why would I tell them any different now?

“They’re going to hire a great coach and you’re going to have great success here at LSU. My message to the recruits will not change.”

Orgeron is getting a $16.9 million buyout from LSU.

“I think I’m going to have enough money to buy me a hamburger every once in a while,” Orgeron said. “A double-meat cheeseburger.”

Orgeron said he won’t coach next season.

“I want to take a little time off,” he said. “I’m 60 years old. I’ve been coaching for 37 years.”

Orgeron didn’t rule out a return to coaching at some point.

“There’s a couple other things I want to get into, see if my career takes me on that path,” he said. “If it doesn’t, I’ll see [about possibly coaching again].

“I’m open-minded right now. But I do need to take a year off. I want to spend some time with my children.”