The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Orgeron reveals what led to his ‘gritty’ nature
LSU coach Ed Orgeron is known for his grit and toughness. After hearing about more of his upbringing, it’s easy to see why.
Orgeron was the featured guest on a recent “Pardon My Take” podcast, and he revealed some of what made him who he is. Not surprisingly, it started with his parents.
“My parents always worked,” Orgeron said. “Every day my mom would get up at 4 o’clock in the morning. Cook breakfast. Clean the house. Have three meals on the table. And same with my father.
“And then in the summer they’d put me in a shrimp shed shoveling shrimp. And it was gritty. But I learned it. I learned the responsibility. I learned accountability and it made me a better person.”
From there, Orgeron became a star football player at South Lafourche High School and earned a scholarship from LSU. However, he left school after two weeks when he became home sick and coaches wanted him to switch from defense to offense.
After a summer of digging ditches back home, Orgeron eventually landed at Northwestern State University. He played out his career and then immediately went into coaching.
“I tried out with the Memphis Showboats. I didn’t make the team. I had to borrow my friend’s car, and I called my dad on the way back and said ‘I’m gonna start coaching.’ I went to the coaches (at Northwestern State) the next day and they said ‘I don’t have much.’ I took a cot out of the dormitory and I moved it into the visitor’s dressing room and I worked there for free for a year.
“They had a graduate assistant job come on open (the next year) and they picked someone else. So, I left with my coach Bill Johnson and went to McNeese State as a graduate assistant and I worked at a recreational complex from 5 to 9 to make my money.”
The following year, Orgeron finally landed a paying job at Arkansas as the assistant strength coach, where he says he was paid $25 every two weeks. Even by 1986 standards, that’s not much!
Eventually, he broke through. He was the defensive line coach on Miami’s staff from 1988-92 and won two national titles in that stretch. After stints at Nicholls State and Syracuse, he moved on to USC where he was the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator.
Now as the coach at LSU, the school he grew up rooting for, Orgeron is able to pass on the definition of grit that he’s compiled over the years.
“(Grit is the) relentless pursuit of what you’re after,” he said. “Having to focus on a goal. You know stuff is gonna happen. You’re going to face adversity. We say around here, you’ve got to block out the noise. Don’t listen to the people outside. Let’s focus on the task at hand and get it done.”
Florida, USF agree to three-game series
Florida football will soon have another in-state challenge on the schedule.
The Gators announced last week they have agreed to a deal for three nonconference games against USF, which will include a meeting at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa during the 2023 season.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to host South Florida twice in The Swamp and also play them in Raymond James Stadium,” Dan Mullen said via Florida release. “The Tampa/St. Petersburg area is an important recruiting footprint for us and our players will love playing another game in an NFL stadium.”
The Bulls, which are based in Tampa, play their home games in the home venue of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The other two games in the series will be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville during the 2022 and 2025 seasons.
“This is a unique scheduling opportunity that allows us to get three games against a quality FBS opponent, with two at home and one in a great venue in Tampa,” Gators Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said, according to Florida’s official release. “A lot of Gator fans will have the opportunity to attend that game and we are looking forward to being able to play a regular-season game in central Florida.”
The Gators last played USF, which is now coached by former Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, during the 2010 season. Florida won 38-14. It is the only time these programs have played since USF launched its FBS program in 1997.