Coach O’s potential return to the sidelines of LSU rests on the highly anticipated coaching decision that will soon be made by Lane Kiffin.
There’s no doubting that Ed Orgeron, also known as “Coach O,” was a great coach for Louisiana State University. Orgeron was the head coach from 2016 to 2021, and boasted a record of 51 wins and 20 losses during that time. One of those wins was the 2019-20 National Championship.
Some say that Joe Burrow led team, which went undefeated, is the best college football team that’s ever taken the field.
Coach O built up the LSU program quickly, and then it all came crumbling down just as fast. He was fired and his contract was bought out in 2021, which spawned Ed Orgeron’s famous “What time do you want me to leave and what door do you want me out of?” line.
Interestingly enough, Coach O mentioned in early October that he was ready to return to coaching after his pseudo-retirement. Why is he all of the sudden ready to jump back into it? Well, when the head coach agreed to walk out the door back in 2021, LSU said they’d pay him over $17 million in payments spread out across 18 installments.
Evan Cohen Radio reported that the last installment of that agreement is set to hit Orgeron’s bank account in December of this year.
So call it coincidence or convenient timing, but just as his buyout money is running out, Coach O is ready to come back to coaching college football. And is there a chance that he simply goes back to the LSU head coaching job? It just so happens to be open after Orgeron’s replacement – Brian Kelly – was fired four years after he was hired in 2021.
Coach O was asked if he’d return to LSU on ESPN’s UnSportsmanLike, and he can confirm that there’s at least some interest from his end:
“I’d love to. Are you kidding me? Hey, I’m one phone call away. I just gotta get in my truck; I could be there today.”
The only problem? Coach O isn’t the favorite to land the job. There’s a lot of buzz that Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin could move within the SEC and take the LSU head coaching gig. The Tigers are looking for a coach that can help them win now, and win a lot, and Kiffin hasn’t had a problem stacking up dubs in the SEC.
And even when Coach O was asked if he’d consider joining Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff if he were to be hired at LSU, Orgeron said he’d likely be game:
“Yeah, I’d consider it. I love LSU. I still got my home in Baton Rouge. I loved when I was coaching for Coach (Les) Miles being the defensive line coach. I love the Tigers, and if I’m getting back into coaching, for sure I’d consider it. No doubt.”
If Coach O is on board with joining Kiffin at LSU, that might be all that it takes, because it appears that the university itself is welcoming the idea of their national championship winner (that they sent packing) coming back to join Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff.
A source has told CBS Sports that if and when Kiffin decides to leave Ole Miss for LSU, a reunion with Coach O and the Tigers could be in order:
“If/when Lane Kiffin is hired as LSU’s head coach, LSU is open to former Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron being part of Kiffin’s staff, sources tell CBS Sports.”
So you’re telling me that we could hear Coach O say “Go Tigers” in his patented, Bayou accent again? Please let this happen.
Though we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves on this one. Lane Kiffin has been rather secretive and cryptic with his messaging when it comes to his coaching interests outside of Ole Miss. He’s undoubtedly one of the top college football coaching candidates in the country, and LSU and Florida are both aggressively pursuing him while he still coaches at Ole Miss (they’re currently 10-1 and ranked No. 5 in the country).
But if Lane Kiffin does decide to go to LSU… it could mean that we see Coach O in purple and gold again.
