Monday evening update> Jane Slater is now reporting the Saints might not let Nielsen out of his contract..... Oh boy.
Original article> LSU is set to hire Ryan Nielsen as its next defensive coordinator, according to NFL Network. FootballScoop first reported on the possibility of Nielsen's hiring on Monday morning. Nielsen is an Orgeron guy through and through. He played defensive tackle under USC D-line coach Orgeron in the late 90's and early 2000s, then volunteered under Orgeron in 2002. When Coach O got the Ole Miss job in 2005, Nielsen served as his defensive line coach. Nielsen remained with Orgeron all three seasons until the staff was fired after the 2007 campaign. Mentor and mentee went their separate ways, as Nielsen remained in the college game before taking the New Orleans Saints defensive line job in 2017, where he remained until today. He will inherit a unit that hit rock bottom under Bo Pelini in 2020. After finishing 29th in yards per play en route to the 2019 national title, LSU ranked 125th of 127 teams, permitting 7.26 yards per snap in Pelini's one season. As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.