The college football world is abuzz since LSU announced that former head coach Ed Orgeron would return to Baton Rouge as a special assistant to recruiting and defense for a hefty $100,000 fee. While the financial optics of bringing back a man paid a $17.1 million buyout just years prior are being heavily debated, Urban Meyer has offered an honest assessment.
Urban Meyer’s Honest Thoughts on LSU Re-Hiring Ed Orgeron
The former Ohio State head coach appeared on the latest segment of “Triple Option” and spoke on the lucrative, short-term reunion. His comments perfectly captured the chaotic brilliance that defines Orgeron’s legacy.
“I have known Coach O (Ed Orgeron) forever,” Meyer said. “And I use the term often, certified nut job, is what he is. I mean, rips his shirt off… But I’ll tell you what. He was arguably the best defensive line coach in the game. And then he was one of the great recruiters.”
But Meyer’s label isn’t an insult. In the high-stakes, hyper-intense world of SEC football, it’s a badge of honor. It refers to the legendary folklore of Orgeron, chugging energy drinks, screaming in his gravelly Cajun drawl, and literally ripping his shirt off during pregame speeches to fire up his players.
But beneath the viral memes and the eccentric persona lies one of the most lethal football minds of the modern era. Meyer, who went head-to-head with Orgeron on the recruiting trail and in the SEC trenches, knows that Coach O’s madness always came with a method.
Meyer noted, “For many, many years, I recruited against him, coached against him. So, this is a no-brainer.”
When Orgeron was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at USC (from 1998 to 2004), he helped build a dynasty. He secured the Rivals National Recruiter of the Year award in 2004, reeling in historic classes that featured future NFL stars.
Later, when he took over LSU, that recruiting prowess culminated in the 2019 Tigers. Widely considered one of the greatest teams in college football history, that squad went 15-0, averaging 48.4 points per game, and featured a roster that produced 14 NFL Draft picks in a single year, tying what was then the modern draft record.
While Orgeron’s tenure as LSU’s head coach ended sourly in 2021 after going 11-11 following his championship run, his fundamental expertise as a defensive line tactician has never been questioned. For an LSU program looking to fortify its identity in an increasingly brutal SEC landscape, Orgeron’s presence is a masterstroke.
So, Lane Kiffin is quietly putting together a staff, including Blake Baker, to win the national championship, and currently, PFSN’s CFB Playoff Meter gives the Tigers a 3.5% chance to win it.
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