Ed Orgeron facts for kids
Orgeron at the White House in 2020
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| Biographical details | |
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| 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 (LA) |
| 1985 | McNeese State (LA) |
| 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) is a famous former American college football coach. He was most recently the head coach for the LSU Tigers from 2016 to 2021. Before that, he coached at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 2005 to 2007. He was also an interim (temporary) head coach at the University of Southern California (USC) in 2013.
Orgeron led the LSU Tigers to a national championship in 2019. They beat the defending champions, Clemson, in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship. As a player, Orgeron played college football as a defensive lineman for LSU and Northwestern State University.
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Ed Orgeron's Early Life and Education
Ed Orgeron was born on July 27, 1961, in Larose, Louisiana. His parents were Edward Sr. and Cornelia Orgeron. He grew up with his brother Steve in Larose, a town near the Bayou Lafourche.
Ed is of Cajun descent. His family worked in various jobs like hunting, fishing, and cooking. His mother, Coco, said Ed was an active child. He even learned to play football with crutches and a cast after breaking his leg in second grade.
The Orgeron family loved LSU football but could not afford to go to games. Ed Sr. encouraged young Ed to work hard. He hoped Ed might play for the Tigers one day.
Orgeron went to South Lafourche High School in Galliano, Louisiana. He played with Bobby Hebert, who later became an NFL quarterback. Orgeron and Hebert were on the school's state championship team in 1977.
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. There, he reunited with Bobby Hebert, who became his roommate. Orgeron continued to work on shrimp boats during his summer breaks.
During his junior year, Ed and a teammate faced trouble. Their coach, Sam Goodwin, gave them another chance instead of removing them from the team. Orgeron has always been thankful to Goodwin for that opportunity.
Coaching Journey
Starting His Coaching Career
Orgeron began coaching in 1984 as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State University. 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. He worked under head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson. He was their defensive line coach for four years. During this time, he coached many talented players.
The Miami Hurricanes won two national championships in 1989 and 1991 while he was there. He also recruited a young Dwayne Johnson, who later became famous as "The Rock."
In 1992, Orgeron left the University of Miami coaching staff. He took time to focus on his personal life. He stayed with his parents in Larose, who helped him get his life back on track. He later said this break was important for him.
Orgeron returned to coaching in 1994 as a volunteer coach at Nicholls State University. The next year, he moved to Syracuse University. He coached the defensive line there for three years. Orgeron thanked coach Paul Pasqualoni for giving him a second chance in major college coaching.
Coaching at USC
In 1998, Orgeron was hired by Paul Hackett, the new head coach at USC. He coached the Trojans' defensive line. After Hackett was fired in 2000, Orgeron was one of the few coaches kept by the new head coach, Pete Carroll.
Orgeron and Carroll connected over their shared love for finding new players. During Carroll's time, USC had great success, winning two national championships. Orgeron became the Recruiting Coordinator in 2001. He was named assistant head coach in 2003. In 2004, he won the National Recruiter of the Year award.
Head Coach at Ole Miss
In 2005, Orgeron became the head coach at Ole Miss. He wanted to bring USC's style of offense to the Southeastern Conference (SEC). However, his team struggled on offense.
In 2005, Ole Miss had a record of three wins and eight losses. This was their worst record since 1987. Orgeron tried to improve the offense by hiring new coaches. But in 2006, the team's offense still struggled.
Orgeron's recruiting classes were successful, bringing in many talented players. Despite this, Ole Miss had only two wins against teams with winning records during his time there. The university's leaders supported him, understanding he faced a tough challenge.
In 2007, Ole Miss finished the season with no wins against other SEC teams and three wins overall. This was their first winless conference season since 1982. On November 24, 2007, Orgeron was fired after a close loss to Mississippi State.
NFL and Tennessee
On January 23, 2008, Orgeron was hired as the defensive line coach for the National Football League's New Orleans Saints.
On December 31, 2008, he accepted a job at the University of Tennessee. He worked under former USC assistant coach Lane Kiffin. Orgeron was the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, and defensive line coach.
Second Time at 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 his conference.
On September 29, 2013, Lane Kiffin was fired. Orgeron was named the interim head coach for the rest of the 2013 season. He decided to try a different approach this time. Instead of being intensely aggressive, he tried to treat his players "like my sons."
The Trojans had a big upset win against Stanford under Orgeron. However, they lost badly to their rival UCLA. This hurt Orgeron's chances of becoming the permanent head coach.
The Trojans finished the regular season with a 9–4 record, with Orgeron leading them to 6 wins and 2 losses. On December 2, 2013, Steve Sarkisian was chosen as the new head coach. Orgeron then resigned from USC.
Becoming LSU's Head Coach
On January 14, 2015, Orgeron was hired as the defensive line coach at Louisiana State University (LSU).
2016 Season
On September 25, 2016, LSU's head coach Les Miles was fired. Orgeron was then named the team's interim head coach. Orgeron wanted to "flip the script" for the team.
He promoted Steve Ensminger to offensive coordinator. He also brought back Pete Jenkins to coach the defensive line. Orgeron shortened practices and spent more time watching films. This helped keep players fresh.
He also brought back the "theme of daily practices" from his time with coach Pete Carroll. These practice days had fun nicknames like Tell the Truth Monday and Turnover Wednesday. Under Orgeron, LSU finished the season with a 6–2 record. On November 26, 2016, LSU officially named him their full-time head coach.
2017–2018 Seasons
In 2017, Orgeron hired Matt Canada as offensive coordinator. The season started with LSU ranked high, but early losses caused them to drop. However, they won 7 of their last 9 games, finishing 9–4.
The 2018 season began with upset wins over Miami and Auburn. These victories helped LSU climb to No. 5 in the rankings. After a loss to Florida, they pulled off a shocking upset against No. 2 Georgia.
LSU then beat Mississippi State. These wins pushed LSU to No. 3 before playing top-ranked Alabama. After losing to Alabama, LSU won against Arkansas and Rice. They then had a long 7-overtime game loss to Texas A&M.
With a 9–3 record, LSU played UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. UCF had not lost a game in two seasons. On New Year's Day 2019, LSU gave UCF their first loss since 2016. LSU finished the 2018 season with a 10–3 record. Many thought it would be Orgeron's last season, but his success earned him a contract extension.
2019 National Championship Season
The 2019 season was amazing for Orgeron. After a home win, his team had a big road win against Texas. They went undefeated through the regular season. This included a 46–41 victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
A win over Arkansas secured their spot in the 2019 SEC Championship Game. This was their first appearance since 2011. LSU's offense was incredibly strong, averaging over 48 points per game. Quarterback Joe Burrow led the team, setting new records for passing yards and touchdowns.
Burrow later won the Heisman Trophy. Orgeron's Tigers defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, winning their first SEC title since 2011. On December 8, 2019, they were named the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
They crushed Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl semifinals, 63–28. After the regular season, Orgeron won the AP College Football Coach of the Year Award. On January 13, 2020, Orgeron won his first national championship as a head coach. His team beat the undefeated defending champions, Clemson, 42–25. LSU finished the season with a perfect 15–0 record. They won the national title in their home state, in New Orleans.
2020–2021 Seasons
The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LSU played a ten-game schedule, all against SEC teams. They started ranked No. 6 but finished the season with a 5–5 record.
LSU used three different starting quarterbacks that season. Myles Brennan started, then T. J. Finley, and finally Max Johnson. Johnson led the Tigers to upset wins over No. 6 Florida and Ole Miss to end the season.
In 2021, LSU had high hopes but started 3–3. They lost several games they were expected to win. Despite this, Orgeron’s Tigers upset No. 20-ranked Florida.
The day after the Florida victory, on October 17, 2021, LSU announced that Orgeron would leave the program at the end of the 2021 season. His last game was a close win against Texas A&M at home. This win made the Tigers 6–6 and eligible for a bowl game. Orgeron announced he would not coach in the bowl game.
Personal Life
Ed Orgeron is known for his strong, gravelly voice and Cajun accent. He is also known for his intensity as a coach.
Orgeron has been married twice. He met his second wife, Kelly, on a blind date in 1996. They have three sons. Orgeron is Catholic.
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