2 Major Reasons Why Lane Kiffin Brought Ed Orgeron Back to LSU

Lane Kiffin shook the LSU and College Football with the hiring of Ed Orgeron.

Oct 23, 2021; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron leads his team onto the field prior to their game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin didn’t need to do much convincing to bring Ed Orgeron back to LSU. The two share a friendship spanning decades, Orgeron already has a house in Baton Rouge, and after several days of conversation, the fit was undeniable.

Orgeron will join Kiffin’s staff as special assistant to recruiting and defense, a similar role to the one he held when the two previously worked together, but one that plays directly to his strengths.

He talked about the decision at SEC’s media time at the conference’s annual meeting.

A Long-Standing Relationship

Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron monitor their players during practice at Haslam Field on Thursday. Utpractice06 Sy | SAUL YOUNG/Knoxville News Sentinel

Kiffin and Orgeron’s bond goes back to their time together at Tennessee, and it never faded. The two previously worked together at USC and Tennessee, last collaborating at USC in 2013. 

When Kiffin took the LSU job, reconnecting with Orgeron was never far from his mind. He even called him on his first trip to Baton Rouge at the helm of the city’s team. 

"I rolled down the window, and I yelled, 'Geaux Tigers!' to the fans," Kiffin said about his first ride through the streets of Baton Rouge when he was hired. "So then, I called Ed, and I was like, 'I don't know what's going on, man, but I'm feeling you right now.'"

But the decision to bring him on staff was easy to feel as well. 

“I feel the comfort of having him on the staff 17 years ago here as a Tennessee coach,” Kiffin said. “Knowing that when he’s on your staff, certain things are taken care of.” 

The trust is there, the connection is too, but most importantly Orgeron’s connection to Louisiana is there. 

Recruiting Edge

Nov 27, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron sings the school alma mater for the final time after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The NCAA recruiting rules will allow Orgeron to go out on the road to recruit for the Tigers as long as he’s one of LSU’s 10 coaches to go out and recruit. Kiffin will likely choose him for that.

He’ll have a chance to sell two things he knows well: LSU and Kiffin. That combination is a powerful one in a state as talent-rich as Louisiana, especially in the 2027 cycle. 

“That’s of tremendous value,” Kiffin said. “Value anywhere, let alone in the state of Louisiana. So I’m excited about it.” 

Kiffin recognizes that Orgeron brings tremendous value with his ability to recruit elite players nationally too. 

For a program trying to reclaim its status as the premier destination for the state’s best players after a rough patch of football, having Coach O knocking on doors again could make all the difference.

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