LSU's Ed Orgeron on getting back onto football field: 'Safety is the No. 1 priority for all our players'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LSU football coach Ed Orgeron said Wednesday that safety was the most important thing as he and the team prepare to defend their national championship this fall.
Orgeron told Fox News’ Sandra Smith on “America’s Newsroom” he cannot wait to start the season.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We are so excited the SEC allowed our players to come back,” he said. “The SEC has decided that the first day we can start is June 8. We are going to bring our players in June 1 for the proper protocol. Make sure everybody is safe. We’re gonna spend a week testing and then on June 8 they’re gonna start with our great strength coach Tommy Moffitt. … Safety is the No. 1 priority for all of our players.
“They’re going to tell us what we can do. We’re going to follow the proper protocols. But I do believe everybody is ready for some football if we can do it safely. We can’t wait to start the season.”
While the season is likely to start without fans in the stands, Orgeron predicted that things will go back to normal eventually.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I hope Death Valley is screaming. … It’s the best place in the world to play on Saturday night,” Orgeron said. “The safety of our players, the safety of our fans, and again we’ll follow all the rules, but I think eventually the fans are going to be in the stadium. Eventually, we’ll get back to normal. I can’t wait.”
Orgeron said football is an important part of Baton Rouge and the university and he couldn’t imagine not playing in the fall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The money we get from the TV contract, the money we get from the fans at the stadium, fuels everything around here,” he said. “Everything university. All the sports, all facilities, the best thing we can give our football players. As you know, Baton Rouge on a Saturday is hopping – the tailgating, the restaurants are full, the hotels are full, the economy is booming. So, it would be big blow to not only our university but the economy. I do believe we need football.”
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LSU will look to repeat as national champions. Though the team lost Joe Burrow to the pros, the Tigers are still bringing back wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. on offense.