Ed Orgeron Shares Conversations He Had With Lane Kiffin Amid Ole Miss Exit For LSU

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin remains in headlines this month after departing the Ole Miss Rebels for the job in Baton Rouge.

In a move that sent shockwaves across the college football landscape, Kiffin made the decision to step away from the Rebels amid a significant postseason run.

Now, as he prepares for the next chapter in his head coaching journey, the ex-Ole Miss shot-caller has had conversations with another former Rebels head coach - Ed Orgeron.

Orgeron, who earned a National Championship as the decision-maker of the LSU Tigers in 2019, was the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels for three seasons beginning in 2005.

“The car drives by as we’re going to the office, and you drive by Tiger Stadium. It’s lit up, and you’re like, ‘I absolutely made the right decision,’ and it all went away,” Kiffin said.

LSU Tigers Football. — Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

“...Actually, we were going by Tiger Stadium, and I called one person—I called Ed Orgeron. And I said, ‘Hey, man. All I can do—this place just makes me want to talk like you right now.’ I did!

“We were in the car. The kids were in there ... the coaches asked me, ‘What are you doing?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know, I’m channeling Ed right now. I’m feeling him right now.’

"I rolled down the window, and I yelled, ‘Geaux Tigers!’ to the fans. 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.’”

Would Orgeron join Kiffin in Baton Rouge on his staff as he eyes a return to the sidelines?

Orgeron hopped on Bussin' With The Boys Podcast recently where he revealed the talks he's had with Kiffin and what he's looking for:

“He had asked me, he called last year, he was going to get (another) job, and he wanted to know if I wanted to (join him on staff). I said: ‘You know what, I’m not ready yet,'” Orgeron told Will Compton and Taylo Lewan.

“He had called (recently), he said: ‘What do you think about LSU?’ And I gave him nothing but rave reviews. But it never came through, like he never called and said, ‘Do you want to come?’

"I never called him and said, ‘I want to go.’ He knew I was planning to get back into coaching. Would LSU be a good fit with him (as the head coach)? Do I think so? Yes.

“But as a head coach, when you’re going into a situation like that, you’ve got to feel out the lay of the land and do what’s best for you. So, he’s got his defensive staff. He hasn’t called me, which is good. I wish him the best of luck.”

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