Once again, news from Baton Rouge dominated the college football world when Lane Kiffin added former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron to his staff. Considering the magnitude of his personality and presence, the natural reaction to the news was to immediately dial into the exact nature of Ed Orgeron’s role at LSU. The proud head coach of arguably the best college football team of all time is returning as the special assistant to recruiting and defense.
Kiffin explained what Orgeron brings to the present-day Tigers when announcing the hire. “He brings us tremendous value with his ability to recruit elite players nationally, but especially the impact he can have for us recruiting the great state of Louisiana…I look forward to seeing him with recruits and his intensity working with our defensive players,” said Kiffin.
Orgeron is joining Kiffin for the fourth time after two separate stints at USC and one at Tennessee. Orgeron’s relatively modest salary of $100,000 suggests he’s returning to coaching mostly because of his love for the game and LSU. Either way, we expect him to play a valuable role at LSU.
Ed Orgeron’s Role at LSU
Orgeron on the Trail
LSU’s recruiting advantage over Ole Miss was one of the reasons Kiffin chose to eventually take the opportunity. Hiring Orgeron adds another mechanism to ensure he capitalizes on that advantage in a competitive league. Long before becoming a head coach, Orgeron earned a reputation as a top-tier recruiter. This will be a significant part of his role at LSU.
USC named Orgeron its recruiting coordinator, adding to his responsibilities as the defensive line coach in 2001. He’d go on to recruit two Heisman trophy winners in Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush (still a Heisman winner in our book), among several other first-round picks like Mike Williams and Mike Patterson. Orgeron recruited nationally at USC, closing on the best players regardless of birthplace.
When it comes to local talent, there aren’t many coaches who know Louisiana as thoroughly as Orgeron. He not only has the relationships that give him access to any school in the state, but also the ability to evaluate players who fly under the radar in some cases. While head coach at LSU, Orgeron offered current NFL star Justin Jefferson, who had only other FBS offers from Northwestern and Tulane.
Former LSU head coach Les Miles infamously recruited Ja’Marr Chase as a defensive back, which didn’t exactly go over well with the New Orleans native. Orgeron was able to eventually secure Chase’s commitment after becoming head coach and talked about his recruitment during the star receiver’s historic sophomore season. “I don’t know if Ja’Marr knows it, but Ja’Marr is coming to LSU. He was committed to Florida at that time.”
Orgeron’s Role at LSU: Defensive Line Dominance
Sure, we just mentioned a few likely Hall of Fame players who played on the offensive side of the ball for Orgeron. However, he initially earned his keep as a coach on the defensive line. It’s well established that he coached Dwayne Johnson, or “The Rock”, at Miami. It’s more impressive that he coached legendary defensive tackles Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland, and Warren Sapp at Miami. Kiffin expects defensive line development to benefit from Orgeron’s role at LSU.
Orgeron’s high energy and strong accent can often overshadow the fact that he’s a true technician on the defensive line. Beyond the brash, unedited trash talk and sound bites, there’s a high-level coach whose defensive acumen resulted in shots as a head coach at two different SEC programs. Orgeron’s role at LSU could be ideal for defensive linemen seeking consistency, such as Dominick McKinley.
LSU currently has Kevin Peoples coaching the defensive line and Sterling Lucas coaching the edge defenders. Still, it only makes sense to add such proven experience for a bargain if possible. In a coincidental twist of fate, Orgeron will get the chance to coach freshman breakout candidate Deuce Geralds at defensive tackle, whose father Orgeron recruited and coached at Ole Miss.
Culture Revival
The failure or unwillingness to connect to Louisiana and its unique culture is a recurring theme among those close to the program when discussing Brian Kelly’s failures during his time in Baton Rouge. The program had become stale, lost its identity, and its edge.
Conversely, Kiffin has been outspoken about his love for the state, its culture, and, of course, its athletes. It appears that Kiffin is smart enough to understand that the passion that resides within the state and the fanbase is part of what makes the LSU job special. What better way to ignite that local passion than bringing back one of its own who has led the program to the top of the sport?
Orgeron is more than a coach; he’s a native son. His presence is sure to stir the emotions, nostalgia, and support of a starving fanbase. Oddly enough, bringing in an old coach is the latest sign that this is, in fact, a new day at LSU.
Main Photo: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
