It’s not often you see someone go from an assistant coaching job to an offensive coordinator gig in less than a year, but that’s what Joe Brady pulled off when he left the New Orleans Saints for a larger role with the LSU Tigers. His success brought LSU a National Championship Game victory, and earned him a spot on the rebuilding Carolina Panthers staff with first-year head coach Matt Rhule. So it makes sense that LSU coach Ed Orgeron would look for a similar spark from other ex-Saints coaches.
Per a report from Garland Gillen of FOX 8 New Orleans, former Saints assistant Carter Sheridan has joined Orgeron’s squad as an offensive analyst. However, Tigers fans shouldn’t expect the same impact Brady brought to their team. NCAA rules stipulate that analysts cannot directly coach players; their responsibilities are usually limited to film study and game planning, working alongside the coaching staff but not within it. So Sheridan’s influence will be felt behind the scenes rather than seen on the sidelines during LSU games.
But who is Sheridan? He previously assisted Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson before leaving in 2015, following Johnson to Tulane and taking on the wide receivers coach job. But when Johnson’s tenure ended at Tulane a few years later, Sheridan returned to his alma mater, St. Augustine High School, and worked as an assistant coach until Orgeron called him up.
Time will tell how important this hire will be for LSU, but as we said, Sheridan’s direct influence may be hard to see. Still, it’s just another branch (however far-flung) growing out from the Sean Payton coaching tree. For now, the biggest concern for Saints fans is how significant Brady’s presence will be with the NFC South-rival Panthers.
