The O.C. Register sat down for a two part interview with USC's defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron.
When asked why he decided to come back to USC with Coach Lane Kiffin, Orgeron responded:
We feel that USC is the best job in the country. I always felt that way. No doubt about it. I was here when Coach Carroll was hired. Lane and I were on the ground floor with Coach Carroll. We feel like USC is a very powerful place. You’re in the hotbed of recruiting. It’s a private institution. The weather, the people, the support, the tradition. I’ve never been to another university as powerful as USC. Nothing has ever come close.
Click on the links for Part 1 and Part 2 of the interview. And please enjoy this old commercial with Coach O from his head coaching days at Ole Miss.
Taking a look at what to watch for as teams head into spring practices, officially ringing the bell on preparations for the 2010 season. Arizona Spring practice starts: March 5 Spring game: April 10 What to watch: The new coordinators: The Wildcats lost two outstanding coordinators -- Sonny Dykes on offense and Mark Stoops on defense -- and decided... more »
Now that Ed Orgeron is settled in as an assistant coach, has he brought back the dry-erase board he punched a hole into when he took a swing next to former linebackers coach A.J. Christoff's head?... more »
University workers remove a Red Bull cooler from the administrative offices in the University of Tennessee Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010. Former Defensive-line coach for UT Ed Orgeron is well known for his love of the Red Bull drink.
Lakewood, quarterback Jesse Scroggins is on board. His father told USA Today’s Jim Halley:
"Tennessee and USC were in his final three when had to make a difficult decision back in August. I sort of have the almost-perfect marriage. The only thing that would have been more perfect would be if Pete Carroll was still coaching too. Because the offenses are so similar, those were in our final three, along with Florida. Lane wanted us so bad and Pete wanted us so bad. Both of them said Jesse was perfect for their offense. Lane's offense is similar, just a little bit more up-tempo and it's just perfect for Jesse. We love Lane Kiffin, we love Monte, we definitely love Ed Orgeron, but we get to stay home."
(Photo of Kyle Prater by Icon Sports Media)
Wide receiver Kyle Prater told ESPN:
“I'm 100 percent committed to USC and will be enrolling next week."
And now a govolsxtra.com is reporting that Ed Orgeron is contacting UT recruits that were set to enroll in classes today and encouraging them not to so that they can enroll at SC. Whether there is any truth to this, who knows. We will have to wait until signing day to see if we can actually rip any recruits from the Vols.
*Sports Agent Gary Uberstine was extremely influential throughout this coaching search. Uberstine is the agent for Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Ed Orgeron. He was also indirectly involved in the Jack Del Rio negotiations even though he doesn’t directly represent him. Once negotiations broke down with Del Rio Monday evening, Uberstine and his coaching clientele were USC’s fall back option.
Uberstine immediately went to work on both Kiffin and Sarkisian with the caveat from the powers that be at USC that a top tier staff be assembled around whoever gets the job. Kiffin was the logical choice due to the type of staff he could assemble and his tireless attitude regarding recruiting.
*Orgeron/Chow on board before Head Coach hired?: Over the weekend, Ed Orgeron pretty much knew he would be back at USC. Whoever was named the head coach was told that Orgeron would be on the staff.
The minute Pete Carroll resigned from USC, Norm Chow’s son (his agent) contacted USC and told them that Norm was interested in coming back. He really enjoyed the culture at USC and didn’t know if UCLA would be able to afford him now that the Tennessee Titans no longer have to pay the majority of his contract. USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett is a big fan of Chow and was always frustrated by the rift that developed between Carroll and Chow.
A strong mutual interest exists in having Chow back at USC. In fact, Norm Chow felt confident enough to tell UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuheisal this weekend that he would be moving on.
It is very plausible that USC already had handshake agreements with both Chow and Orgeron before the Kiffin announcement.
*More on Chow, Recruiting and Kiffin after the jump...
SCENE: Los Angeles, CA. The USC Campus. A room of reporters wait for Lane Kiffin. AD MIKE GARRETT paces nervously in the background. An AIDE waits with him. Aide: What do you want me to do? Garrett: Stall. Just stall them a little longer. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Just tell them Orgeron bit a raccoon and... more »
The obvious early answer to this ball of insanity. Lane Kiffin will assume the role vacated by Conan O’Brien, use the show as a recruiting vehicle, and Ed Orgeron will play the part of the Masturbating Bear whether you like it or not. Since he’s attempting to reunite the USC crew from THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND, it’s really the... more »
There appear to be two initial reactions to the Lane Kiffin hire at USC. First, fans and media -- particularly around Tennessee -- are outraged. And the media reaction in LA isn't exactly a warm hug. But one place where Kiffin landing at USC is seemingly being met with great cheer is recruiting. At least on the Trojans' end... more »
There's no doubt the Kiffin move was crazy. He didn't seem to be on anybody's short-list to fill the Carroll void. Hell, he didn't even appear on the radar. Oregon State's coach Mike Riley turned the job down without ever having to say a word. Jack Del Rio had three years left on his contract. And Jeff Fisher, well he was just too comfortable over in good ol' Tennessee. Lucky for USC, Kiffin didn't feel the same.
Dan Woike has reported that Norm Chow is coming back to USC as the offensive coordinator.
Ed Orgeron is already in LA with Brennan Carroll, pounding Red Bulls, securing recruits.
Top WR recruit Kyle Prater plans to enroll on Monday.
Tim Davis is coming back to the O-Line.
***EDITOR'S UPDATE*** UCLA, UCLA fan sites, and an LA Times blog are fervently reporting that no deal has been struck between USC and Norm Chow, but we hear that it was a package deal (O and Chow) originally offered to Gruden, but Gruden wanted to bring on his own coordinators. USC is prepared to pay Chow the money or else the Kiffin announcement (offer) probably would not have been made.
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