Ed Orgeron’s Coaching Comeback Has College Football Buzzing

Well, well, well. Look who’s dusting off the headset and getting ready to prowl the sidelines again. Ed Orgeron, the gravelly-voiced Louisiana legend who once led LSU to college football immortality, is officially catching feelings about returning to coaching.

After four years of what may be the world’s longest fishing trip mixed with some quality dad time, Coach O dropped a bombshell on Barstool’s “Pardon My Take” that has college football fans doing double-takes faster than a safety biting on a play-action fake. Where will he end up?

The Itch That Won’t Go Away

“I think it’s time,” Orgeron said, and you could practically hear the collective gasp from Baton Rouge to Oxford. “I’m feeling it a little bit. Haven’t made the decision totally, but I’ve got my boys settled, coaching football now. It’s been four years since I’ve been out. I’m getting the itch again.”

The itch. Every coach knows it. That burning desire to call timeouts at the worst possible moments, to pace the sidelines like a caged tiger, and to deliver motivational speeches that could make a grown offensive lineman cry tears of pure determination. 

Four years is an eternity in college football. The transfer portal has basically turned roster management into a full-time job for a team of accountants, NIL deals are flying around like confetti at a New Year’s party, and the playoff format has expanded more times than a waistband during the holidays. If anyone can adapt and thrive in this chaos, it is the guy who somehow convinced Joe Burrow to transfer to LSU and then watched him throw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns.

The 2019 Magic That Still Gives Us Chills

Let’s take a moment to appreciate what Orgeron accomplished in 2019. That LSU team wasn’t just good. It was a video game cheat code come to life. Burrow throwing dimes to Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase like he was playing catch in the backyard, a defense that showed up when it mattered, and Coach O orchestrating it all with the kind of swagger that made even Alabama fans grudgingly nod in respect.

That 15-0 season wasn’t just a championship run; it was a masterclass in how to peak at exactly the right moment. Sure, the wheels came off afterward faster than a shopping cart with a busted wheel, but for one glorious season, Orgeron proved he could coach with the best of them when everything clicked.

The Reality Check Nobody Wants to Talk About

Here’s the thing, though, and this might hurt some feelings.  Orgeron’s post-2019 tenure at LSU was rough. Two losing seasons in a row will get you fired from just about anywhere, but especially at LSU, where expectations are always high.

To his credit, Orgeron owns it. “Look, you can’t have two losing seasons at LSU – that’s the standard,” he said in a 2022 interview. “We set the standard at 15-0.” That is the kind of accountability you love to see, even when it stings.

Orgeron spent his time away getting his coaching sons settled in their own careers, reflecting on what went wrong, and probably watching more game film than a guy who promised his wife he’d retired should be watching. That kind of introspection could be exactly what he needs for a successful return.

Where Does Coach O Land Next?

The million-dollar question isn’t whether Orgeron can coach. It is whether he can adapt to the new landscape of college football. The sport has changed more in the last four years than it did in the previous 40. NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment that makes less sense than pineapple on pizza.

But Orgeron has something most coaches don’t: proven championship experience. In a sport where everyone talks about “championship DNA,” he actually has the ring to prove it. That counts for something, especially when you’re trying to convince boosters to write checks and recruits to commit.

The real question is whether he’s willing to start as an assistant somewhere or if he is holding out for another head coaching gig. At 64, pride might say head coach, but wisdom might suggest taking a coordinator job somewhere to get back in the rhythm.

The Verdict

College football is better when Orgeron is prowling the sidelines, barking out instructions in that unmistakable Louisiana drawl. Whether he ends up back in the SEC, takes a flyer on a rebuilding program, or surprises everyone with an NFL stint, one thing’s certain: whoever gets him is getting a coach who knows what it takes to reach the mountain top.