Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Athlon Sports recently released their rankings for all of 130 College Football Head Coaches for 2017 and pegged LSU's Ed Orgeron far down the list at No. 81.

Here is what they had to say about Coach O:
quote:

81. Ed Orgeron, LSU
Orgeron is getting a second chance as a head coach in the SEC after a solid 6-2 stint as LSU’s interim coach last season. LSU is a dream job for the Louisiana native, and the Tigers are banking on Orgeron filling the CEO role, with well-paid coordinators Matt Canada (offense) and Dave Aranda (defense) essentially serving as head coaches on their side of the ball. The offense was a weakness under former coach Les Miles, but this unit played better after Orgeron loosened the reins last season, and the addition of Canada should pay immediate dividends. Orgeron’s first tenure in the SEC (2005-07) at Ole Miss did not go well. The Rebels were just 10-25 under his watch and won only three SEC games in that span. However, after a 6-2 run as USC’s interim coach in 2013, along with the stint last season, it seems Orgeron has learned a lot since the three-year run at Ole Miss. Orgeron should be better prepared for this stint at LSU, but is he the right hire to help the program close the gap on Alabama?
Here is Athlon's Top 25:

1. Nick Saban, Alabama
2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State
3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
4. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
5. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
6. Chris Petersen, Washington
7. David Shaw, Stanford
8. Bill Snyder, Kansas State
9. Gary Patterson, TCU
10. Bobby Petrino, Louisville

You can see the the complete list here.
Filed Under: LSU Football
46 Comments
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blueboy82 months
Given his resume, this seems about right.
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INFIDEL82 months
This. I still can't believe Aleva hired him. It makes zero sense and, barring a miracle, will go down as one of the worst coaching hires in history.
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Mouche33782 months
INFIDEL: I would say the worst hire. I think Canada will have the offense humming because of the sheer talent he has. He did more in Pitt with less talent. Aranda has already proven he is arguably the best DC in the country. O has already stated that he will allow Canada and Aranda to run their sides of the ball on game day and will only provide motivation to the players. If he is true to his word, which I believe he will be, LSU can and will make some noise this upcoming season. I do agree Alleva is an idiot though and should have been shown the door with Miles.
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Mouche33782 months
Wouldn't*
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KennabraTiger82 months
Yeah but he's ranked #1 in head coaches who speak like us
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Blob Fish82 months
Respect is earned
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Whynotme82 months
At least Coach O is smart enough to hire smart coaches.
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Lexman182 months
That's the key, Whynotme. Even Les won a NC with good coordinators/coaches. A HC is basically a facilitator and PR man. I think Coach O will excel in that capacity.
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BigTimer2382 months
"Basically a facilitator and PR man" I think that's grossly undervaluing the role of a Head Coach
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Mouche33782 months
Coach O will get the last laugh when he hoisting the NC next year!
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semjase82 months
LSU is "Close" but as we stand currently, the program does not have the Offensive Line talent to win an SEC or National Championship. You have to put the cart before the horse. Grimes seems to think you can win championships by recruiting OL's from Louisiana that are "UL-L, UL-M, McNeese, Small School" caliber guys. Have to go more Regional/National for Championship level OL's!
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Spankum82 months
Not shown a lot of love because he hasn't really shown results yet.
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BayouTiga82 months
6-2 when program was circling the drain. U R Dumb!!!
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INFIDEL82 months
He hasn't shown results . 6-2 is what he can do with someone else's program. When left to his own "program building" devices he failed miserably. Anyone that doesn't look at this hire with a raised eyebrow is dilusional.
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blueboy82 months
6-2, losing to the only 2 good teams they played. Not impressive.
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brewhan davey82 months
Harbaugh at 3?? And ahead of two coaches who have won national titles in the last 4 years??
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toratiger82 months
10. Bobby Petrino, Louisville? Eaux make him look silly already.
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AustinTigr82 months
Hard to argue with that Top 10. We're cheering for you, Coach O. Nothing I want to see more than a good Louisiana man succeed in living his dream.
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LSUinMA82 months
Nothing I want to see more than just LSU kick people's arse, and if that happens I don't care if the head coach is from Louisiana or Latvia or Los Angeles. Who gives a frick?
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jayboy50482 months
Well O dang for sure out coached Bobby Petrino
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Pepe Lepew82 months
Well O dang for sure out coached Bobby Petrino This!!!!! Does CEO know how to ride a motorcycle?
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Mike da Tigah82 months
This is nothing but a track record listing of current head coaches and their accomplishments to date, and we all know that Oregon failed at Ole Miss. Yes, we are all aware of the fact that Orgeron failed at Ole Miss. Everyone is very aware that Orgeron failed at Ole miss. Some things I've learned about failings. People who attempt great things fail. People who don't are safe. Failings are an opportunity, not a destination. It's an opportunity to learn, and Coach O has learned a lot from it. He is not trying to micro manage this team, but rather hire well, and let his assistants do their job. That's what great managers do, and he is doing just that. Let's give the guy a year or two at least before we pass sentence upon his, shall we?
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eugene1928LSU82 months
Well Said COACH O has already knocked out 4 of the top 30 coaches on this bogus list, including #10 B Petrino. Lincoln Riley at OU hasn't even coached a game come on. Pleeze. Bielema is less than mediocre at best.
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saint tiger22582 months
Coach O is the perfect guy for an interim role. He can "rally the troops" and keep a team together with the kind of person he is. However, manning the ship is a completely different task at hand, obviously, and that's what he previously failed to prove he can do. Hopefully, he can put that stint at Ole Miss behind him, allow his coordinators to work their magic and stay out of their way. I hope he can put some good, winning seasons together and climb up that list. I have my doubts and hated the hire, but now that he's our coach, I'll be supporting him just as I would have supported anyone else they may have hired. I just think he has a shorter "leash" with the fans because of how horrible the hire was and fans are already waiting for him to mess up, just so some can say "told you so". Well, at least some of the rantards are licking their chops waiting on him to fail.
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Space Cowboy82 months
Damn...if Orgeron is only 81, I wonder how low Les Miles was?
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INFIDEL82 months
Miles built a maintained a program that was at the top of college football for many years. He had his flaws, but to suggest that O should be ahead of him is just asinine.
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baobabtiger82 months
This goes to show how bad the perception nationally is of him being hired at LSU. It's crazy that LSU is at a spot that it hired a guy who couldn't crack the top 30 coaches in the country. I'm sure there are a handful of coordinators who have no head coaching experience ranked above him. I hope he proves them all wrong.
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STRIPES82 months
No this shows how one worthless rag views coaches. Tell me again how accurate they are on predictions? Pre-season magazines are pathetic drivel from a time gone by. Anyone who puts faith inwhat these morons think is nuts.
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mark65mc82 months
This is their ranking of LSU's coach going into last season. I am going to pass on their assessment at this point in time. "25. Les Miles, LSU Miles might be the toughest coach to rank in the SEC. He’s won 112 games in 11 seasons, guided LSU to the 2007 national championship and a No. 2 finish in 2011. However, Miles was nearly fired at the end of 2015 and the Tigers have not finished higher than No. 13 in the Associated Press poll over the last four years. That’s not ideal for a program that has the No. 4 roster in the nation and averages a 6.2 finish in signing classes over the last five seasons. Additionally, LSU is just 14-10 in SEC play in the last three years. With Leonard Fournette and a strong defense returning, the Tigers could win it all in 2016. However, after last year’s bizarre coaching drama and recent finishes, LSU – just like its coach – is one of the hardest teams to figure out this offseason."
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BayouTiga82 months
Luv the Udawg label.........Geaux Coach 'O'! Frick the doubters!!!
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1982 months
Everyone getting their panties in a wad over an article in an off-season porn mag. Besides, ranking O in the middle of the pack is a pretty safe bet for them and nothing to be offended by.
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redbullwings82 months
LOL at David Shaw at #7! Bill Snyder at #8, he is still alive?
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Whynotme82 months
Yea David Shaw at #7. He's only the 2 time pac 12 coach of year who's at Stanford where most top players wouldnt qualify.
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Whynotme82 months
Correction. 3x pac 12 coach of the year with a 64 -17 record. What's Coach O's record as a head coach again?
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StrangeBrew82 months
Print the shirts
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Rakim82 months
Good let us fly under the radar. We got 2 of the best Coordinators in country so O is doing something right.
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