LSU Coach Ed Orgeron Wants Alabama Game Rescheduled

The Tigers head coach used the words "We want to play Alabama" as his team continues to battle positive COVID-19 tests

After Alabama football’s upcoming game at LSU was postponed on Tuesday due to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases among the Tigers’ roster, LSU coach Ed Orgeron spoke with the media on Wednesday morning and provided some details regarding his team’s current situation.

Orgeron started off his segment on the SEC Coaches Teleconference by saying he believes his team is handling the situation with their heads held high.

“I think our team has handled this week very well,” Orgeron said. “At the beginning of the week we were going to Arkansas. We didn’t think the Alabama game would happen and then we thought maybe it could happen so we went back to Alabama and then we found out yesterday for sure we weren’t playing but I want to commend the SEC for doing the right thing for the safety of our players. We knew this season would be unlike any other — the SEC is prepared. It’s a good rivalry for us. They’re a great football team and we want to accept that challenge.”

Several times throughout his availability Orgeron reiterated how he and his team wanted to play Alabama and were disappointed that they would be unable due to the coronavirus.

“Listen, we want to play Alabama so whatever happens we’re going to be ready to play,” Orgeron said. “I understand [SEC commissioner] Greg Sankey’s position. This is a fluid deal but I think those guys have done a tremendous job of getting us to play. I’m happy with playing. We knew this stuff would happen this season so we just got to be ready to go. Whatever they tell us to play, we’ll be ready to play.”

When Orgeron announced that several his several of his players had contracted COVID-19, a rumor began circulating that the players had come into contact with the virus at a Halloween party the weekend prior. The rumor began to grow as more players began to contract the virus.

However, Orgeron vehemently denied the rumors on Wednesday morning.

“No I know nothing of that,” Orgeron said. “I heard it but not from any of our players. I can’t ask them and obviously I told them yesterday that if that is going on I don’t want them at any parties. We have a rule of no more during the season. I think they guys want to go to parties but they gotta be comfortable.”

In fact, Orgeron later clarified that he believes his players contracted the virus through contact tracing.

“The majority of our players that are out is because of contact tracing,” Orgeron said. “You just gotta roll with the flow, man. Listen to some Claude Rich, Keep on Rollin’ with the Flow. Just gotta keep on going, man. Next man up. We don’t blink. Guys have stepped up, Zach Von Rosenberg is playing second-team quarterback, defensive linemen are snapping, young guys are getting more reps so it’s an opportunity for guys to grow.”

Regardless of how his players contracted COVID-19, the bottom line is that those players that have fallen ill are now quarantined and his team is now preparing for Arkansas due to the postponement of the Alabama game.

Orgeron is confident that his sick players will be back in practice next week in time for his team’s matchup in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks.

“You cannot be confident in anything in this fluid situation,” Orgeron said. “From what I’m told our quarantined guys will be back sometime next week and we’ll have a lot more players at practice next week than we do this week. I think Tuesday or Wednesday we’ll have an answer to that and right now it looks positive.”

Regarding if the Alabama game will be rescheduled is another story. As it sits right now on Wednesday, LSU is currently slated to play Florida on Dec. 12, the only week that Alabama has free on the current schedule. There have been rumors that the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19 could potentially be pushed back if more games are also postponed.

As of Wednesday morning, four games for this upcoming Saturday have been postponed. Those games are Auburn-Mississippi State, Texas A&M-Tennessee, Alabama-LSU and Georgia-Missouri.

For Orgeron, he has no idea when or if Alabama will be added back onto their schedule at a later date.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Orgeron said. “I’ve heard a lot of things which I don’t know but whatever they tell us to play we’ll be ready to play.”