Let's Set Odds: Where Will Ed Orgeron Coach Next After LSU Separation?

Reports came out today that Ed Orgeron won’t be returning as head coach of the LSU Tigers football program next season. Signs indicate that he’ll finish out the year at LSU, but there’ll be a new face of the team starting in 2022.

The news comes less than two years after Coach O led LSU to a national championship. The 2019 edition of the Tigers boasted one of the best offenses in college football history, but LSU has struggled since that season. The Tigers are just 7-7 since winning the national title.

This won’t be the last we’ll see of Orgeron, so let’s set some odds for where he’ll end up next.

USC +250

Could we see a third time reunion between Ed Orgeron and the USC Trojans? Orgeron was initially the defensive line coach for the Trojans back in 1998, and eventually left the team to be the head coach of Ole Miss in 2004.

Orgeron than returned to the club in 2010 as an assistant coach and took over as interim head coach after Lane Kiffin was fired in 2013. He resigned from USC after being passed over for Steve Sarkisian as the new full-time head coach.

USC will not be looking for a new head coach after the season after firing Clay Helton. Maybe it’s finally time they give Coach O a chance to be the full-time head coach?

Miami +500

Another Florida school that could be looking for a new head coach by the end of the season is the Miami Hurricanes. Manny Diaz has only gone 16-14 since overtaking the program in 2019, and the team has been one of the most disappointing in the country this season, sitting at 2-4 and 0-2 in the ACC.

Orgeron already has history at the University of Miami, serving as its defensive line coach from 1988-1992. He could be a perfect fit to bring a winning culture back to the Canes.

Florida State +725

Florida State has yet to fire Mike Norvell, but he’s only 5-10 halfway through his second season as head coach and the program fire Willie Taggart after going 9-12 in two seasons, so you have to think Norvell’s leash is a short one.

National championships are what’s important for the storied program, so hiring Orgeron would be a perfect culture fit for the program.

Virginia Tech +1100

Ed Orgeron doesn’t have any personal connection with Virginia Tech, but the Hokies could be looking to move on from Justin Feunte after two straight seasons of regression after going 8-5 in 2019. They are now 1-1 in the ACC and 3-3 overall in 2021.

If they decide to move on from Feunte, expect Orgeron’s name to be in the mix of who they’ll be looking to hire next.

An NFL Team +2000

I’m going to throw in all NFL teams together for this one. It’s unlikely, as Orgeron is much more fit to coach in the college ranks, but don’t completely cross it off as a possibility. The Jacksonville Jaguars took a shot on Urban Meyer this past season, so there are certainly NFL teams that don’t mind hiring coaches who have won national championships in college.

The Las Vegas Raiders are the only team without a full-time head coach at the moment after Jon Gruden resigned, but more will get added to the list by the time the offseason comes around.