LSU landed two of the top recruiters in the nation when head coach Les Miles announced that former Alabama inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele would become his team’s new defensive coordinator and former Ole Miss/USC head coach Ed Orgeron would become the defensive line coach for the Tigers.
Steele has worked for some of the top minds in pro and college football (Dom Capers, Nick Saban, Bobby Bowden, Johnny Majors and Tom Osborne) and was the head coach at Baylor University for a short stretch.
Orgeron is a former South Lafourche High School standout who helped lead his team to the state championship in 1977. He also played both high school and college football with Bobby Hebert at Northwestern State, and will replace Brick Haley as the LSU defensive line coach.
Orgeron has recruited and developed 10 defensive linemen who were selected in the first round of the NFL draft during his coaching career at Miami (Fla.), Tennessee, USC and Ole Miss. That number will increase to 11 in April as USC’s Leonard Williams is considered one of the elite players available for the 2015 NFL draft.
Orgeron also recruited Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Mike Williams and Lendale White while serving as the recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach at USC under Pete Carroll.“I am thrilled to be back in Louisiana coaching,” Orgeron said. “It’s a dream come true for me to coach at LSU. The coaches in the state know me and the players do also. I know what kind of talent is in this great state. It’s a one of a kind place to live and work.”
Longtime prep/college coach Don Rodrigue, now a liaison for Thibodaux Regional Hospital, says that Orgeron’s hiring has created a huge buzz in south Louisiana.
“In a short time I have spoken to eight to 10 high school coaches and every one of them are thrilled to see him at LSU, and it’s really about time,” Rodrigue said. “He’s a great coach and the best recruiter I have ever seen.”
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