Ed Orgeron facts for kids
Orgeron at the White House in 2020
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 27, 1961 Larose, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1979 | LSU |
| 1980–1983 | Northwestern State |
| Position(s) | Defensive lineman |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1984 | Northwestern State (GA) |
| 1985 | McNeese State (GA) |
| 1986–1987 | Arkansas (asst. strength) |
| 1988–1992 | Miami (FL) (DL) |
| 1994 | Nicholls State (LB) |
| 1995–1997 | Syracuse (DL) |
| 1998–2004 | USC (AHC/DL/RC) |
| 2005–2007 | Ole Miss |
| 2008 | New Orleans Saints (DL) |
| 2009 | Tennessee (AHC/DL/RC) |
| 2010–2013 | USC (DC/DL/RC) |
| 2013 | USC (interim HC) |
| 2015–2016 | LSU (DL) |
| 2016–2021 | LSU |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 67–47 |
| Bowls | 4–1 |
| Tournaments | 2–0 (CFP) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
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| Awards | |
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Edward James Orgeron Jr. (born July 27, 1961), often called "Coach O", is a former American college football coach. He was the head coach for Louisiana State University (LSU) from 2016 to 2021. Before that, he coached at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 2005 to 2007. He was also the temporary head coach at the University of Southern California (USC) in 2013. Coach O led the 2019 LSU Tigers football team to a national championship, defeating Clemson in the final game.
Orgeron played football as a defensive lineman for LSU and Northwestern State University.
Contents
Early Life and Football Journey
Edward "Ed" Orgeron Jr. was born on July 27, 1961, in Larose, Louisiana. He grew up with his brother Steve in a town along the Bayou Lafourche. Ed is of Cajun descent, and his family worked as hunters, fishers, and cooks. Even as a child, he was very active. His mother, Coco, shared that he broke his leg in second grade but still learned to play football with crutches and a cast.
The Orgeron family loved LSU football but could not afford to go to games. Ed's father encouraged him to work hard, hoping he might play for the Tigers one day.
High School and College Years
Orgeron attended South Lafourche High School in Cut-Off, Louisiana. He played with future NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert. In 1977, Orgeron and Hebert helped their school win the Class 4A state championship. Orgeron earned a scholarship to play football at Louisiana State University. However, he left after two weeks because he missed home. He returned to Larose and worked on shrimp boats and dug ditches.
Soon after, he transferred to Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. There, he reunited with Hebert, who became his roommate. Orgeron continued to work on shrimp boats during summer breaks. During his junior year, he and a teammate caused some trouble in a dorm. Instead of removing them from the team, coach Sam Goodwin gave them another chance.
Coaching Career Highlights
Starting Out as a Coach
Orgeron began his coaching career in 1984 as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State. The next year, he coached at McNeese State. He then spent two years as an assistant strength coach at the University of Arkansas.
In 1988, he joined the University of Miami coaching staff. He worked under head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson. For four years, he was their defensive line coach. During this time, he coached many talented players, including future NFL stars. The Miami team won two national championships in 1989 and 1991. He even recruited a young Dwayne Johnson, who later became famous as "The Rock."
In 1992, Orgeron left the University of Miami coaching staff for personal reasons. He took a break from coaching to focus on his personal life. He stayed with his parents in Larose, who helped him get his life back on track.
Orgeron returned to coaching in 1994 as a volunteer linebackers coach at Nicholls State University. The next year, he moved to Syracuse University, where he coached the defensive line for three years. Orgeron has said that coach Paul Pasqualoni gave him a second chance and helped him grow as a coach.
Time at USC
In 1998, Orgeron was hired by Paul Hackett, the new head coach at USC (University of Southern California). He coached the Trojans' defensive line. When Hackett was fired in 2000, Orgeron was one of the few coaches kept by the new head coach, Pete Carroll. Orgeron and Carroll shared a passion for finding new talent.
During Carroll's time, USC was very successful, winning two national championships. Orgeron also became the team's Recruiting Coordinator in 2001 and assistant head coach in 2003. He was named National Recruiter of the Year in 2004.
Leading the Ole Miss Rebels
In 2005, Orgeron became the head coach at Ole Miss. He hoped to bring USC's style of offense to the Southeastern Conference (SEC). However, the team struggled on offense. In 2005, Ole Miss had a record of three wins and eight losses, their worst since 1987.
To improve, Orgeron made changes to his coaching staff. He hired new offensive coaches. His recruiting classes in 2006 and 2007 were strong, bringing in many talented players. Despite this, Ole Miss continued to struggle with wins. In 2007, they finished the season with no wins against other SEC teams and a 3–9 record overall.
On November 24, 2007, Orgeron was fired after a tough loss to Mississippi State.
NFL and Tennessee
After Ole Miss, Orgeron joined the National Football League's New Orleans Saints as their defensive line coach in 2008.
On December 31, 2008, he accepted a position at the University of Tennessee. He worked as an associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, and defensive line coach under former USC assistant coach Lane Kiffin.
Return to USC
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Orgeron returned to USC as an assistant coach on January 12, 2010. This happened after Lane Kiffin left Tennessee to become USC's head coach. Orgeron was one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the Pac-12 Conference.
On September 29, 2013, after Lane Kiffin was fired, Orgeron became the interim head coach for the rest of the 2013 season. He decided to try a different, less aggressive coaching style this time. He aimed to treat his players "like my sons."
Under Orgeron, the Trojans had a 6–2 record. They finished the regular season with nine wins and four losses. However, USC chose Steve Sarkisian as the permanent head coach. After not getting the permanent job, Orgeron resigned from USC.
Leading the LSU Tigers
On January 14, 2015, Orgeron was hired as the defensive line coach at Louisiana State University (LSU).
2016 Season
On September 25, 2016, after LSU's head coach Les Miles was fired, Orgeron was named the team's interim head coach. He made several changes, including promoting Steve Ensminger to offensive coordinator. He also shortened practices and spent more time watching game films. He brought in a "theme of daily practices" inspired by coach Pete Carroll. These practices had fun names like "Tell the Truth Monday" and "Turnover Wednesday."
Under Orgeron, LSU finished the 2016 season with a 6–2 record. On November 26, 2016, LSU officially named him their full-time head coach.
2017 and 2018 Seasons
In 2017, LSU started strong but lost early games. However, they finished the year with a 9–4 record. The 2018 season began with exciting upset wins over Miami and Auburn. LSU climbed to No. 5 in the rankings. They later pulled off a surprising upset against No. 2 Georgia.
LSU finished the 2018 season with a 10–3 record. They were ranked sixth in the nation. Many people did not expect LSU to have such a good season. This success earned Orgeron a contract extension through the 2022 season.
National Championship in 2019
The 2019 season was incredible for Orgeron and LSU. They went undefeated in the regular season, including a big win over Alabama. This was their first time in the SEC Championship Game since 2011.
The team's offense was amazing, scoring over 48 points per game. Quarterback Joe Burrow set new records for passing yards and touchdowns. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson were also standout players. Burrow later won the Heisman Trophy and set an NCAA record for touchdown passes.
Orgeron's Tigers defeated Georgia in the 2019 SEC Championship Game to win their first SEC title since 2011. They were named the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. They beat Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl.
After the regular season, Orgeron won several awards, including the AP College Football Coach of the Year Award. On January 13, 2020, Orgeron won his first national championship as a head coach. LSU beat the undefeated defending champions Clemson 42–25, finishing the season with a perfect 15–0 record. They won the national title in their home state, in New Orleans.
2020 and 2021 Seasons
The 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LSU played a ten-game, all-SEC schedule. They started ranked No. 6 but finished the season with a 5–5 record. They had three different starting quarterbacks due to injuries.
The 2021 season began with high hopes, but LSU had a tough start. Despite a thrilling win over No. 20 Florida, LSU administrators announced on October 17, 2021, that they had agreed with Orgeron for him to leave the program at the end of the season. His last game was a victory against Texas A&M, which made the Tigers eligible for a bowl game. Orgeron did not coach in the bowl game. Brian Kelly became his successor.
Personal Life
Ed Orgeron is known for his strong, gravelly voice and his intense coaching style. He is of Cajun descent.
Orgeron has been married and divorced twice. He has three sons with his second wife, Kelly. They divorced in 2020. Orgeron is Catholic.
Coaching Record Summary
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss Rebels (Southeastern Conference) (2005–2007) | |||||||||
| 2005 | Ole Miss | 3–8 | 1–7 | T–5th (Western) | |||||
| 2006 | Ole Miss | 4–8 | 2–6 | T–4th (Western) | |||||
| 2007 | Ole Miss | 3–9 | 0–8 | 6th (Western) | |||||
| Ole Miss: | 10–25 | 3–21 | |||||||
| USC Trojans (Pac-12 Conference) (2013) | |||||||||
| 2013 | USC | 6–2 | 6–1 | T–2nd (South) | |||||
| USC: | 6–2 | 6–1 | |||||||
| LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (2016–2021) | |||||||||
| 2016 | LSU | 6–2 | 4–2 | T–2nd (Western) | W Citrus | 14 | 13 | ||
| 2017 | LSU | 9–4 | 6–2 | 3rd (Western) | L Citrus | 18 | 18 | ||
| 2018 | LSU | 10–3 | 5–3 | T–2nd (Western) | W Fiesta† | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2019 | LSU | 15–0 | 8–0 | 1st (Western) | W Peach†, W CFP NCG† | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2020 | LSU | 5–5 | 5–5 | 4th (Western) | |||||
| 2021 | LSU | 6–6 | 3–5 | T–6th (Western) | Texas | ||||
| LSU: | 51–20 | 31–17 | |||||||
| Total: | 67–47 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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