Ed Orgeron is set to make a comeback to Baton Rouge, marking a notable return to LSU.
The university announced on Wednesday night that Orgeron, who famously led LSU to a national championship in 2019, will be rejoining the team as a special assistant focusing on recruiting and defense.
Orgeron has been absent from the coaching scene since his departure from LSU in 2021, after achieving a 51-20 record over six seasons. He is best remembered for the undefeated 15-0 2019 LSU team, often hailed as one of the greatest in college football history. This team featured standout players like quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
Orgeron’s return is not just a reunion with LSU but also reconnects him with first-year LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, with whom he shares a long-standing professional relationship.
Their collaboration dates back to 2001 when they both worked under Pete Carroll at USC, securing two national championships. After Orgeron left USC in 2004 to take up the role of head coach at Ole Miss, he attempted to recruit Kiffin as his offensive coordinator. Kiffin eventually took the reins at Ole Miss in 2020, serving as head coach for six seasons before joining LSU last December.
During Kiffin’s controversial one-year tenure at Tennessee, he brought Orgeron on board as his recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach. Known for his exceptional recruiting abilities and dynamic motivational skills, Orgeron complemented Kiffin’s quieter, more analytical style perfectly. Orgeron’s energetic and passionate approach, including his legendary pre-game shirt-ripping antics, has endeared him to players throughout his coaching career, adding to his appeal and effectiveness as a coach.
Orgeron went with Lane back to USC for three-and-a-half seasons and succeeded him as the interim head coach after Kiffin was famously fired at a Los Angeles-area airport tarmac. He went 6-2 in 2013 as Kiffin’s replacement but was upset when he didn’t get the permanent job and left the program.
While Orgeron’s title is ambiguous, recent NCAA rule changes allow for him to get out on the road and recruit for the Tigers if Lane wants him to — which he obviously should. Coach O knows and loves LSU and can authentically sell its merits to both Louisiana natives and others around the South. Lane has mastered the art of transfer portal recruiting as the “Portal King” but could use someone like Coach O. Orgeron’s bread-and-butter was going into family homes and selling parents and grandparents, a critical skill in a state like Louisiana.
“I’m excited to bring Coach Orgeron back to LSU,” Kiffin said. “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. Coach O understands my expectations and commitment to being a championship program. I look forward to seeing him with recruits and his intensity working with our defensive players.”
