LSU Tigers

LSU hires Matt Canada to be new offensive coordinator

Published Dec. 14, 2016 10:13 a.m. ET

Bruce Feldman

LSU has landed its new offensive coordinator. Pitt’s Matt Canada agreed Wednesday to a three-year deal to make him the Tigers new offensive coordinator. Word is LSU was very impressed with how innovative Canada is and also came away feeling like he'd be a good fit for the staff. Canada had three other Power 5 offensive coordinator offers that he declined in the past 48 hours in favor of the LSU job.

Canada was the only offensive coordinator to make the finalists cut this year for the Broyles Award honoring the nation's top assistant coach. The Panthers have compiled the highest season point total in school history (508). With a bowl game to go, the Panthers are averaging 42.3 points per game (10th in FBS), which would eclipse the all-time Pitt record of 40.7 set in 1904. They also improved their scoring output by over 14 points per game from last year. Pitt is the only Power 5 team in the nation to score at least 28 points in every game this season.

Under Canada, the Panthers led the nation in red zone touchdown percentage (82.7 percent). His QB, Nathan Peterman, has a 26-6 TD-INT ratio and led the ACC in QB rating — topping Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, as well as touted NFL prospects Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and Brad Kaaya.

Initially, new LSU head coach Ed Orgeron had been targeting his old USC colleague Lane Kiffin for the Tigers' offensive coordinator role, but Kiffin landed the FAU head coaching job Monday.

''We have a real opportunity under coach Orgeron to propel LSU football to another level,'' Canada said in a statement released by LSU. ''The chance to put together a high-powered offense with the athletic ability available at LSU and the leadership of Coach `O' is incredibly exciting. I've long-respected Coach Orgeron's ability to recruit, lead and motivate. What he did as head coach at LSU under difficult circumstances was really impressive.

''We're going to develop quarterbacks, score points and bring some excitement to the offense here at LSU,'' Canda added.

Canada's offenses — if you include his work at NC State last year — have scored 11 TDs in the past two meetings against very talented Clemson defenses.

"He does a nice job and is very creative," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said of Canada last month. "He did it when he was at Wisconsin and ran for 500 yards (539 actually) on Bo Pelini's defense (in a 70-31 win) in the (2012) Big Ten title game. I like what he does. I think it puts defenses in a bind."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.