LSU has decided to bring back a familiar face in Louisiana native and former national championship-winning head coach Ed Orgeron. This time around, Orgeron’s role will be as a special assistant for recruiting and defense under current head coach Lane Kiffin.
Orgeron and Kiffin have an extensive working history together. Orgeron served on Kiffin’s staff at USC and at Tennessee.
“Important to note in this hire, the changes in recruiting rules mean that Orgeron will be able to go on the road and recruit for LSU,” SI’s Pete Thamel wrote on X. “He’s an all-time greater recruiter, and he has deep familiarity with LSU and Kiffin to pitch them to recruits.”
Orgeron’s prowess as a recruiter is well-known. In the 2000s, he nearly got highly touted recruit Joe McKnight to de-commit from USC and go to Ole Miss, where Orgeron was coaching at the time.
A not-so-modest near-achievement, as USC was a far better program at the time than it is now.
The former LSU head coach made headlines in December of last year during an interview on Bussin’ with the Boys, where he was asked point-blank about paying players cash in the pre-NIL days, and he essentially admitted to doing it.
Orgeron noted that in the past, they had to make “back door” deals for players, while teams are now allowed to “walk through the front door with the cash.”
Of course, Orgeron will find the recruiting landscape much changed now in that all teams are allowed to pay. But at least LSU won’t have to worry about any allegations of financial improprieties.