LSU hires longtime NFL offensive coordinator Scott Linehan

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- LSU has hired longtime NFL offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to replace Joe Brady as its passing game coordinator.

Tigers coach Ed Orgeron confirmed the hire Tuesday morning during an interview on the Off the Bench radio show on 104.5 ESPN. Sources told Sports Illustrated Linehan signed a two-year deal worth nearly $800,000 annually.

Linehan will work in tandem with Tigers offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, who helped LSU have the best offense in college football last season.

"Let's face it: we have a great package here," Orgeron said. "We're going to continue to do the things that we know how to do here.

"I think Steve Ensminger's done a great job of running this offense. He's going to help Steve in the third down game planning and the red zone and perhaps call some third down, some red zone. We'll see how he and Steve work. I think it'll be a great combination."

The Carolina Panthers hired Brady as their offensive coordinator in January. Linehan, 56, coached was an offensive positions coach and an offensive coordinator for several college football programs before becoming the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator in 2002. He worked at Idaho, UNLV, Washington and Louisville before entering the NFL coaching ranks.

Linehan left the Vikings after the 2004 season to become offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. He was head coach for the St. Louis Rams from 2006 through 2008. He also served as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. Linehan's Cowboys offense ranked 22nd in points in 2018, before he was fired by the NFC East franchise in 2019.

The Tigers host the University of Texas at San Antonio in their first game of the 2020 season Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. Myles Brennan, Peter Parrish, Max Johnson and T.J. Finley are the remaining quarterbacks on the LSU roster, after Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow left for the 2020 NFL Draft. Brennan is the frontrunner to take over for Burrow.

"He sat patiently and we believe that he is very talented," Orgeron said of Brennan.