UT release on Orgeron hiring
Tennessee sent out the following release this morning confirming the hiring of Ed Orgeron:
VOLS NAME ORGERON TO FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin announced Friday that Ed Orgeron is returning to college football as Tennessee's newest assistant coaching hire. Orgeron will serve as assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
The Larose, La., native spent last season as defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints following more than 20 years in the collegiate game. Included in that tenure was a three-year turn as head coach at Mississippi after successful assistant coaching stops at Miami, Syracuse and Southern California.
Kiffin and Orgeron were assistant coaches together under USC head coach Pete Carroll from 2001-04.
Orgeron long has been regarded as a premier defensive line coach and recruiter. He stockpiled talent during his three seasons at Ole Miss after playing a key role in the Trojans winning national championships in 2003 and 2004. Orgeron joined the USC staff in January 1998, took on the added responsibility of recruiting coordinator for the Trojans in 2001, and was then named assistant head coach in 2003. USC's 2002, 2003 and 2004 recruiting classes were ranked among the nation's top five, with the 2003 and 2004 groups listed by many as No. 1, and Orgeron was named the 2004 National Recruiter of the Year by Sporting News and Rivals.com.
In 2003, Orgeron guided USC's highly regarded defensive line as the Trojans led the nation in rushing defense. Kenechi Udeze was a consensus All-America first teamer and an NFL first round pick, while Udeze, Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson all earned All-Pacific-10 first team honors -- the most defensive line first teamers from any league school since Washington State also had three in 1994.
During his seven years at USC, the Trojans played in five bowls including BCS appearances in the 2003 Orange, 2004 Rose and 2005 Orange bowls.
Prior to joining the USC staff, Orgeron was defensive line coach at Syracuse from 1995-97. He came to the Orange from Nicholls State, where he was the linebackers coach in 1994.
Orgeron was also a one-year graduate assistant and then the defensive line coach at Miami from 1988-92, coaching eight All-Americas in that time including NFL first-rounders Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland and Warren Sapp. During his tenure at Miami, the Hurricanes won the 1989 and 1991 national championships while appearing in five New Year's Day bowls -- 1989 Orange, 1990 Sugar, 1991 Cotton, 1992 Orange and 1993 Sugar.
Orgeron got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State, his alma mater, in 1984 and also was a graduate assistant at McNeese State in 1985, working with the defensive line at both schools. He then served as an assistant strength coach at Arkansas from 1986-87.
After compiling an outstanding prep career in football, basketball and track at South Lafourche High School in Galliano, La., Orgeron went on to become a four-year starting defensive lineman at Northwestern State, captaining the Demons as a senior. Orgeron recently was named to Northwestern State's Top 100 Players in 100 Years of Demon Football.
Orgeron and his wife, Kelly, have three sons, Tyler, 16, and 10-year-old twins Parker and Cody.
ED ORGERON CAREER AT A GLANCE
Playing Career
1980-83 -- Northwestern State University, defensive lineman
Collegiate Coaching
1984 -- Northwestern State University, graduate assistant
1985 -- McNeese State University, graduate assistant
1986-87 -- University of Arkansas, assistant strength coach
1988-92 -- University of Miami, defensive line (graduate assistant 1988)
1994 -- Nicholls State University, linebackers
1995-97 -- Syracuse University, defensive line
1998-2004 -- University of Southern California, defensive line (recruiting coordinator 2001-04)
2005-07 -- University of Mississippi, head coach
2009 -- University of Tennessee, assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, defensive line
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