One of the more interesting sub-plots to this weekend’s epic LSU-Alabama clash revolves around the job status of interim head coach Ed Orgeron.
Many believe that the school is prepared to remove the interim tag if he were to beat the No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide and a report from Fox Sports on Friday said even a 3-1 stretch in the final month of the season could be enough to get him the job on a permanent basis.
This isn’t the first time Orgeron has been in position to become the head coach after taking over a team on a temporary basis however. He was the interim coach at USC when Lane Kiffin -- coincidentally the Alabama offensive coordinator now -- was fired back in 2013 and led the Trojans to a 6-2 record. While many clamored for ‘Coach O’ to get the job as a result of that stretch run, he didn’t and was so disappointed that he bolted on the team prior to their bowl game at the end of the year.
It turns out that the veteran coach still harbors a little bit of resentment at what happened back in Los Angeles and how the school ultimately passed on giving him the job in favor of Steve Sarkisian.
“I’m better off at LSU, I’m with my people,” Orgeron told the Russillo and Kanell radio show. “Maybe I’m not the country club they wanted and, you know what, to hell with them.”
The Louisiana native is certainly more country than country club but it is interesting to hear him say such a thing about a place like USC, which helped him rehabilitate his coaching image after a disastrous tenure at Ole Miss. He’s definitely a better fit at the flagship school in his home state and if he can keep things rolling in Baton Rouge (he’s 3-0 so far since taking over for Les Miles), there probably won’t be similar comments coming out about LSU down the road.