Ed Orgeron offers up fascinating take on state of college football

Former LSU coach Ed Orgeron believes there is a simple formula for success as a college football coach. In a Tuesday appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Orgeron said it all comes down to letting people do their job.

“I’ve been fortunate to be at places where the head coach has total control. I think that’s where it starts,” the coach said. “Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carrol, those guys had total control. When the head coach has total control of his program, I think that’s the key. I don’t know what’s going on at Auburn, but I know this: the NIL, more money is coming into play. More people are gonna have to give money and some will want control. I guess some of ’em are gonna want to coach. But the places I’ve been, it’s never trickled down to me. I’ve always had great relationships with those guys.

“But I learned this from Monte Kiffin: Coaches coach, players play, administration administrates and boosters boost. If we can keep it like that, I think that’s the way to have a great program.”

Orgeron was let go by LSU this past year after six seasons as the Tigers coach. He compiled a 51-20 record during that span, leading the program to a national championship in 2019. Prior to that he was a head coach at Ole Miss, as well as an assistant at both USC and Miami.

This is to say he has seen how things operate at some of the most prestigious programs in the country. With the introduction of NIL into college sports, Orgeron said that it could potentially change how programs operate, giving coaches less control. He alluded to the situation at Auburn, where coach Bryan Harsin’s job is in question after just one season.

Harsin lost 20 players and five assistant coaches this offseason after a 6-7 finish. Offensive coordinator Austin Davis, who was hired Dec. 18, resigned a little more than a month later leaving many to question the work environment first-year head coach created. It is quickly becoming clear how little control Harsin actually has as the university inches closer to firing him.

Asked what total control looks like for a college football coach, Ed Orgeron provided a simple answer.

“That’s your program and you make all the decisions,” he said. “Every one, whatever it means. The decisions you have to make, all those are on your part.”