What Austin Thomas Will Bring to the LSU Football Program
General managers in college football are a relatively new concept but on Wednesday the Tigers made it official by announcing the signing of Austin Thomas as general manager. The reunion of Thomas at LSU had been reported on for close to a month but LSU made it official this week.
Thomas is no stranger to the LSU program, being a member of the staff from 2013-17 and was promoted to the general manager position by Ed Orgeron in 2016, becoming the first GM in SEC history. It's a title that carries plenty of weight to it as Thomas was instrumental in the day-to-day activities around the program and a major influence on recruiting during his tenure the first time around.
He would go on to a take a job at Texas A&M for two seasons as the associate athletic director for football personnel. A resume rife with excellences, Thomas played a major role in recruiting, helping the Tigers sign back-to-back top five classes in 2014 and 2015. That figures to be a role he continues in his second stint while also helping Orgeron manage the program.
"It's great to have Austin back with us," Orgeron said in a statement. "He's bright, understands what it takes to be successful at the highest level of college athletics and will work closely with me to ensure that everything we do is geared towards winning more championships."
Managing the program will be something Orgeron will need some help with in 2021 as the Tigers welcome a practically brand new coaching staff including Jake Peetz, DJ Mangas and Daronte Jones. LSU returns a relatively veteran group on the field and with many of the younger players receiving ample playing time in 2020, it should make for a competitive offseason in the weight room and on the practice field.
Some of the off the field reporting last year also hinted at some disconnect between the players and the coaching staff so having Thomas back to help bridge some of those difficulties is important as well.
While most of the coaching decisions have already been made, the Tigers have reportedly settled on a linebackers and defensive line coach another area where Thomas could've been of use. In the end, recruiting appears to be the main area that Thomas will have control and spend the majority of his time focusing on.
"I am greatly looking forward to working and growing alongside Coach Orgeron, the LSU coaching staff, players and support staff to accomplish our goals as an organization," Orgeron said. "I do not take this responsibility lightly and I look forward to upholding the 'LSU Standard of Performance' in order to make Louisiana proud of its flagship institution."
The Tigers have completely revamped the coaching staff and culture within their program with these various hires. It's what many expected after an underwhelming season but the improvement shown on the field will be the ultimate determining factor.
