Ed Orgeron

Records Through 2020 Season
2021 is Sixth Season as Head Coach at LSU (Fifth full season)

Overall LSU Record: 45-14
Overall Collegiate Record: 61-41

• 2019 National Champions
• 2019 SEC Champions
• 2019 National Coach of the Year (AP, Eddie Robinson, Bear Bryant, George Munger, Walter Camp, Home Depot, AFCA)
• 2019 SEC Coach of the Year (AP, SEC Coaches)
• SEC Record 5 NFL First Round Draft Picks in 2020 (Joe Burrow, K’Lavon Chaisson, Patrick Queen, Justin Jefferson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire)
• Tied All-Time Record with 14 NFL Draft Picks in 2020 

When it comes to building a championship football program, there’s none better than LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron. A driven leader with a vision on how to achieve success, Orgeron needed only three seasons to fulfill a pledge he made at his introductory press conference on Nov. 26, 2016, when he vowed to “build a championship program at LSU.”

Orgeron did just that in 2019, earning numerous National Coach of the Year honors on his way to leading LSU to the most dominant season in college football history with a 15-0 record and the CFP National Championship.

But Orgeron’s definition of a championship program goes much farther than winning championships on the football field. It’s also about developing young men, both on and off the field; it’s about fielding a team of high-character players that are determined to compete at the highest level on the field, while pursuing an education off the field; it’s about players focused on the success of the team, not individual awards; it’s about players doing the right thing, all of the time. It’s known as the LSU Standard of Performance, not just on Saturday nights during the fall, but year-round.

And with that mentality, which starts at the top with Orgeron – a coach who never takes credit for his team’s success, but instead praises his staff and his players – LSU stormed its way to the 2019 national title, winning 12 of 15 games by double-figures and beating seven Top-10 opponents along the way. LSU had five wins over teams that finished the 2019 season ranked in the Top 10.

In 2020, Orgeron and the Tigers found a way to still have success despite losing their starting quarterback just three games into the season. Behind the play of true freshman quarterback Max Johnson, LSU capped 2020 on a high note, beating No. 6 Florida in Gainesville and wrapping up the year with a win over Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium to finish with a 5-5 overall mark. Of the 48 players who saw action in the win over Florida, 26 were either freshmen or sophomores with three true freshmen accounting for three of LSU’s four touchdowns in the victory.

Since taking over the Tigers four games into the 2016 season, Orgeron has guided LSU to a 45-14 mark. He’s also led the Tigers to five postseason victories – one in the SEC Championship Game, two bowl games and two in the College Football Playoff.

Of LSU’s 45 wins under Orgeron, 33 have come by double-figures and 13 have been over Top-10 teams. The 13 Top-10 wins rank as the second-most for any coach in LSU history, trailing only Les Miles who won 16 games over Top 10 opponents in 12 years. LSU has a 29-12 record under Orgeron against SEC teams, which includes a 37-10 win over fourth-ranked Georgia in the 2019 SEC Championship Game.

Under Orgeron, the Tiger program has produced 12 first-team All-Americas, four national award winners including the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Joe Burrow, and 39 NFL Draft picks including 10 in the first round. In the 2020 NFL Draft, LSU set an SEC record with five first-round picks and tied the all-time mark with 14 players selected during the seven-round event. In 2020, quarterback Burrow went No. 1 overall and LSU became the first school in the history of the NFL Draft to have a quarterback, running back (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) and wide receiver (Justin Jefferson) picked in the first round.

In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tigers saw another seven players selected, including the No. 5 overall pick in wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. LSU’s two-year draft total from 2020-21 stands at 21, the most for any school in college football over that span in the history of the NFL Draft.

When it comes to recruiting, there are none better than Orgeron and his staff who continue to assemble the best roster in college football with a focus that includes keeping the best players in Louisiana at home, while also attracting the top talent from coast to coast.

Now entering its fifth full season under Orgeron, LSU has used the “One Team, One Heartbeat” philosophy along with the ability to “block out the noise” to become the premier program in college football.

2020

In a COVID-altered season, Orgeron led LSU to a 5-5 mark despite having to start a true freshman at quarterback for the final six games of the year due to the season-ending injury to Myles Brennan in week 3. In addition, the Tigers had five returning starters opt out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns leaving LSU with only six returning starters from its national championship team. Still, LSU, with a young and inexperienced roster, competed each week, beating South Carolina at home and Arkansas on the road.

Counting on many freshmen and sophomores, LSU won three of its final five games, including wins over No. 6 Florida in Gainesville and Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium to cap season on a high note. In the win over Florida, the Tigers started nine true freshmen and sophomores, including quarterback Max Johnson who earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week in what was his first career start. Johnson threw for 239 yards and three TDs and true freshmen accounted for three of LSU’s four touchdowns in the 37-34 victory. A week later against Ole Miss, true freshman Kayshon Boutte set the SEC record for single-game receiving yards with 308 on 14 receptions and Johnson passed for 435 yards and three scores in the 53-48 win. The back-to-back wins to close out the 2020 season set the stage for an outstanding spring for the Tigers as LSU returns 29 players in 2021 who have at least one career start to their credit.

LSU’s 2020 season wrapped up with the Tigers having seven players selected in the NFL Draft led by wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who was selected No. 5 overall.

2019

In 2019, Orgeron was consensus National Coach of the Year earning the honor from the Associated Press, Walter Camp, Eddie Robinson, Home Depot, George Munger and the AFCA. He was also named the SEC Coach of the Year.

Orgeron guided the Tigers to the most dominant regular season in school history with the Tigers posting a 13-0 mark and outscoring opponents, 621-275. LSU blew through the College Football Playoffs, beating No. 4 Oklahoma, 63-28, and then claimed the school’s fourth national title with a 42-25 win over No. 2 Clemson in the national championship game to finish with the first 15-0 record in the history of the SEC.

LSU went 8-0 in SEC play during the regular-season, winning six of the eight games by at least two touchdowns. LSU racked up 46 points and 559 total yards in a 46-41 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa and then followed that with 714 total yards in a win over Ole Miss in Oxford. LSU closed out the regular-season with a 50-7 win over Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium. LSU captured its 12th SEC title with a 37-10 win over No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

LSU trailed in only six games all season, just twice in the second half and never in the fourth quarter. The biggest deficit the Tigers faced all season was 17-7 against Clemson in the second quarter of the national championship game. LSU responded by scoring 21 unanswered points to take the lead for good at 28-17 just before halftime.

Overall, LSU went into the Clemson game riding a streak of 21 straight quarters without trailing an opponent, a streak that dated back to the Auburn game on Oct. 26.

LSU’s offensive success in 2019 was a product of the Tigers going to the spread offense and the play-calling of coordinator Steve Ensminger. During the 2019 offseason, Orgeron hired Joe Brady as LSU’s passing game coordinator, who installed the spread and the results followed. Burrow set nearly ever LSU and SEC single-season passing record as the Tigers led the nation in points per game (48.4) and yards per game (568.4) – both school records. LSU scored at least 40 points in 12 games and the Tigers went over the 50-point mark seven times and eclipsed 60 points three times.

Defensively, the Tigers allowed only 21.9 points per game and allowed a combined one passing touchdown in wins over Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson.

In addition to Burrow’s sweep of National Player of the Year Awards and the Heisman Trophy, LSU produced the winner of the Biletnikoff Award (Ja’Marr Chase) and the Jim Thorpe Award (Grant Delpit). LSU set a school-record with five first team All-America selections in 2019 (Burrow, Chase, Delpit, Damien Lewis, and Derek Stingley).

The Tigers capped the 2019 season by setting an SEC record with first players selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, led by Burrow who was picked No. 1 overall by the Bengals.

2018

In 2018, Orgeron guided a young and inexperienced LSU team to a 10-3 overall mark and a final ranking of No. 6 nationally. It marked LSU’s first 10-win season since 2013 and the highest final ranking for the Tigers since 2011. The Tigers capped the year with a 40-32 victory over No. 7 ranked Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl, LSU’s first New Year’s Six Bowl victory since the new format was put in place in 2014.

For the first time in school history, Orgeron directed the Tigers to four wins over Top-10 teams beginning with a season-opening victory over No. 8 Miami. LSU followed that with a road victory over No. 7 Auburn, a home win over No. 3 Georgia and the bowl win over No. 7 UCF. Overall, LSU had five wins over Top 25 teams, which also included a victory over No. 22 Mississippi State.

Individually, Orgeron’s 2018 team produced the school’s first Butkus Award winner in Devin White along with three first-team all-Americans in White, cornerback Greedy Williams, and safety Grant Delpit. Delpit became only the ninth unanimous All-America in school history in 2018. White was later picked with the No. 5 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. Overall, LSU had three players selected in the 2019 NFL Draft (CB Greedy Williams in second round by the Browns and TE Foster Moreau in the fourth round by the Raiders).

2017

In his first full season as LSU’s head coach, Orgeron led the Tigers to a 9-4 overall mark, a second straight appearance in the Citrus Bowl and a No. 18 final national ranking. While LSU came up just short in claiming a 10-win season, Orgeron and the Tigers gave plenty of reasons to show that the program is on the rise. A total of 20 true freshmen – the second-highest figure nationally – saw playing time for the Tigers in 2017 and the group of rookies combined for 44 starts.

After opening 3-2 through the first five games of the season, the Tigers won six of their last seven games to finish the regular-season 9-3 overall and 6-2 in league play.

LSU’s 2017 season saw the Tigers beat No. 21 Florida, 17-16, in Gainesville to open the month of October followed by one of the biggest comebacks in school history when the Tigers rallied from a 20-0 first half deficit to beat 10th-ranked Auburn, 27-23, in Tiger Stadium. LSU beat Ole Miss, 40-24 at week later for its third straight victory. Following a hard-fought loss to Alabama, the Tigers closed out the regular season with double-digit wins over Arkansas (33-10), Tennessee (30-10) and Texas A&M (45-21).

Following the 2017 season, LSU had seven players selected in the NFL Draft, including three second round picks in defensive back Donte Jackson (Carolina), running back Derrius Guice (Washington) and wide receiver DJ Chark (Jacksonville).

2016

In his first game as LSU’s permanent head coach, Orgeron guided the Tigers to a 29-9 win over No. 13 Louisville and its Heisman Trophy quarterback Lamar Jackson in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. The win over Louisville capped a remarkable turnaround for the Tigers under Orgeron, who assumed the role as interim coach of the Tigers a day after a disappointing 18-13 setback at Auburn. The loss to Auburn dropped LSU, a preseason favorite to contend for the national title, to 2-2 overall and out of the Top 25.

Orgeron’s first duty as interim head coach was to appoint veteran assistant and former LSU quarterback Steve Ensminger from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The move paid immediate dividends as Ensminger injected life into the Tigers offense by diversifying the play calling and brought a culture of inclusion to the offensive staff room.

Before Ensminger took over play-calling duties, LSU’s offense had scored only nine touchdowns and was averaging a paltry 18 points and 339.5 total yards per game.

In eight games under Orgeron and Ensminger, LSU improved drastically in every offensive category as the Tigers averaged 32 points and 464.9 total yards per contest during that span. LSU scored 38 or more points five times with Ensminger calling the plays, including 54 in a win over Texas A&M and 38 against both Arkansas and Ole Miss. The Tigers averaged 7.1 yards per play and converted 46-of-102 third-down opportunities during that eight-game stretch.

In his LSU debut, Orgeron led the Tigers to a 42-7 win over Missouri, a game that saw the LSU Tigers set the school record for yards in an SEC game (634) as well as time of possession (42:33). The 35-point margin of victory ranked as the second-largest for a LSU head coach in his Tigers debut.

In a 38-21 win over Ole Miss, Leonard Fournette shattered the school’s single-game rushing mark with 284 yards.

LSU concluded the regular season in record fashion, racking up 54 points in the Thanksgiving Night win over Texas A&M. In the win over the Aggies, running back Derrius Guice broke the LSU single-game rushing mark with 285 yards and four TD’s on 37 carries as the Tigers accumulated 622 total yards (298 rushing, 324 passing) in the win.

In eight games under Orgeron, LSU set offensive records for most yards in a SEC game (634 vs. Missouri), longest scoring play from scrimmage (Derrius Guice 96-yard TD run vs. Arkansas), and twice set the school single-game rushing record (Leonard Fournette 284 yards vs. Ole Miss, Derrius Guice 285 yards vs. Texas A&M).

Defensively, LSU held opponents scoreless for 15 of 32 quarters under Orgeron and limited the opposition to an average of 15.3 points per game over the eight contests. In 12 games, LSU allowed only 16 touchdowns all season, which led the nation. The Tigers also gave up just 1.3 TD’s a contest, also first nationally.

Overall, LSU’s defense finished in the top two in the SEC in points allowed (15.3) and rushing yards per game (117.2) and were No. 3 in the league in total defense (314.4) and pass defense (197.2).

LSU’s 2016 team featured four first team All-Americans in defensive back Jamal Adams, center Ethan Pocic, defensive back Tre’Davious White and running back Derrius Guice.

LSU had eight players from its 2016 team selected in the NFL Draft, including three first round picks in Fournette (No. 4 overall by Jacksonville), Adams (No. 6 overall by the New York Jets) and White (No. 27 overall by Buffalo).

The Coach O Way

A native of LaRose, Louisiana, Orgeron developed a passion for the Tigers at an early age, becoming a fan of some of the all-time LSU greats in the 1970s. Players like Bert Jones, Ronnie Estay, Tommy Casanova, Charles Alexander and of course, coach Charles McClendon, ignited a purple and gold fire under Orgeron that still burns today.

Orgeron has reunited the current roster with former players, making them an integral part of the program and he’s leveraged his passion and love for LSU into a determination and drive that sees him spend nearly every waking moment focused on LSU football and his vision for the program.

With the “One Team. One Heartbeat” motto, the Tigers seemingly became a different team overnight when Orgeron was elevated to interim head coach on Sept. 25, 2016 and the results that LSU sought soon followed.

As the head coach of the Tigers, Orgeron said he was going to “flip the script” and he assigned a theme for the daily practices. The purpose of the descriptive practice themes for each day during the week is one of the ways that Orgeron and his staff hold the players accountable and focused both prior to and during the workout. The daily practice nicknames are as follows: Tell the Truth Monday, Competition Tuesday, Turnover/No Turnover Wednesday, No Repeat Thursday, and Focus Friday.

Orgeron has also opened the doors for former LSU players to come back and be active in the program. Having former players actively involved is a way for the current Tigers to get a better understanding of who helped build the foundation for the program, while also letting them see first-hand what it means to be an LSU Tiger and the responsibility that goes along with it. Orgeron routinely has former Tigers speak to the team, attend practices and be involved with the organization. He also invited former Tigers to come back on gamedays and be part of the “Tiger Walk” as they lead the current team down “Victory Hill” on their way to the stadium.

Coaching History

Orgeron, who has also served as head coach at Ole Miss and Southern Cal, is 45-14 at LSU. His career mark as a collegiate head coach is 61-41, however he’s 51-16 over his last 67 games. Orgeron went 6-2 as Southern Cal’s interim head coach in 2013, taking over a USC team that stumbled to a 3-2 mark over the first five games of the year. Orgeron rallied the Trojans as USC closed out the regular season with wins in six of its final eight games.

Orgeron originally joined the Tiger staff in 2015 as defensive line coach, before adding the title of recruiting coordinator in the spring of 2016.

Prior to joining the LSU staff, Orgeron’s last coaching stop came at Southern Cal where he served as recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach for the Trojans for four years (2010-13). Orgeron was elevated to interim head coach at USC for the final eight games of the 2013 season.

Orgeron served two stints at Southern Cal, the first as the Trojans’ defensive line coach from 1998 to 2004. Orgeron coached under Paul Hackett at USC for three years from 1998 to 2000 and was one of just a handful of coaches retained by Pete Carroll when he took over as the Trojans’ head coach in 2001.

Orgeron left USC in 2005 to become the head coach at Ole Miss, where he went 10-25 in three years with Rebels from 2005-07.

Orgeron spent the 2008 season coaching the defensive line for the New Orleans Saints and then joined Tennessee as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator in 2009. He returned to Southern Cal following the 2009 season.

Orgeron made a name for himself as a top defensive line coach at the University of Miami from 1988-92, where he coached eight All-Americans, including NFL first-rounders Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland and Warren Sapp. In 1988, he was a graduate assistant at Miami, working with the defensive line.

Orgeron also was a graduate assistant at Northwestern (La.) State, his alma mater, in 1984 and McNeese State in 1985, working with the defensive line at both schools, then was an assistant strength coach at Arkansas for two years (1986-87).

Louisiana Roots

Born July 27, 1961, he has three sons, Tyler, and twins Parker and Cody and a grandson Emmett. Parker and Tyler are both member of the LSU football coaching staff, while Cody is the starting quarterback at McNeese. Cody, who still have one year of eligibility remaining, earned his undergraduate degree from McNeese last May. Parker was a two-year starter at wide receiver for McNeese and is currently pursuing his degree at LSU.

Away from the field, Coach O has taken up the sport of boxing and trains three times a week at a local gym. He also teamed with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to educate and inform the citizens of Louisiana during the Covid-19 pandemic. Coach O appeared on commercials and other mediums to support the wearing of masks during the pandemic.

He’s also been heavily involved in many community service efforts in the Baton Rouge area, including “Basket of Hope”, which has the mission of giving hope to children diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness through the delivery of a Basket of Hope filled with toys, games, craft items, stuffed animals, gift cards, and other items. Coach O makes several trips to local hospitals each year to hand deliver these baskets and to spend time with the children and their families.

Ed Orgeron File

Ed Orgeron File

Year at LSU: Sixth (fifth as head coach)
Birthdate: July 27, 1961, in Larose, La.
Children: Tyler, Parker, Cody
High School: South Lafourche High School (Galliano, La.)
College: Northwestern State (La.), 1984

Playing Experience
1981-84 Northwestern (La.) State (defensive line)

Coaching Experience
1984 Northwestern (La.) State (graduate assistant)
1985 McNeese State (graduate assistant)
1986-87 Arkansas (assistant strength coach)
1988-92 Miami (Fla.) (graduate assistant, 1988; defensive line 1989-92)
1994 Nicholls State (linebackers)
1995-97 Syracuse (defensive line)
1998-2004 Southern Cal (defensive line, 1998-2002; recruiting coordinator, 2001-04)
2005-07 Ole Miss (head coach)
2008 New Orleans Saints (defensive line)
2009 Tennessee (defensive line/recruiting coordinator)
2010-12 Southern Cal (defensive coordinator/defensive line/recruiting coordinator, 2010-13; interim head coach, 2013
2015-16 LSU (defensive line; recruiting coordinator, 2016 interim head coach, Sept. 25, 2016)
Nov. 26, 2016 – Present – LSU (head coach)

BOWL EXPERIENCE

Season, Bowl, Team, Opponent, Results
As Assistant Coach
1986, Orange, Arkansas, Oklahoma, L, 42-8
1987, Liberty, Arkansas, Georgia, L, 20-17
1988, Orange, Miami, Nebraska, W, 23-3
1989, Sugar, Miami, Alabama, W, 33-25
1990, Cotton, Miami, Texas, W, 46-3
1991, Orange, Miami, Nebraska, W, 22-0
1992, Sugar, Miami, Alabama, L, 34-13
1995, Gator, Syracuse, Clemson, W, 41-0
1996, Liberty, Syracuse, Houston, W, 30-17
1997, Fiesta, Syracuse, Kansas State, L, 35-18
1998, Sun, Southern Cal, TCU, L, 28-19
2001, Las Vegas, Southern Cal, Utah, L, 10-6
2002, Orange, Southern Cal, Iowa, W, 38-17
2003, Rose, Southern Cal, Michigan, W, 28-14
2004, Orange, Southern Cal, Oklahoma, W, 55-19
2009, Chick-fil-A, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, L, 37-14
2012, Sun, Southern Cal, Georgia Tech, L, 21-7
2015, Texas, LSU, Texas Tech, W, 56-27

As Head Coach
2016, Citrus, LSU, Louisville, W, 29-9
2017, Citrus, LSU, Notre Dame, L, 21-17
2018, Fiesta, LSU, UCF, W, 40-32
2019, Chick-fil-A Peach, LSU, Oklahoma, W, 63-28
2019, CFP National Championship, LSU, Clemson, W, 42-25

Ed Orgeron’s Head Coaching Record