LSU's coaching search didn't last long.
Following a week of numerous reports that LSU was in negotiations with Houston coach Tom Herman to be its next head coach, the Tigers announced on Saturday that they have instead promoted interim coach Ed Orgeron to the full-time position. The Advocate first reported the news.
Orgeron took over head-coaching duties from former coach Les Miles when the latter was fired after LSU's 2-2 start that featured losses to Wisconsin and Auburn. Under the interim coach, the Tigers finished with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 conference record, going 5-2 down the stretch with losses to Alabama and Florida.
"We understand LSU, what it means to Louisiana, and winning championships. My goal is to build a championship program fast. Very fast," Orgeron said at his introductory news conference. "We have some great coaches on our staff right now, led by Dave Aranda. He's the best coordinator in football. We plan on him being with us, I spoke to him this morning."
Asked about recruiting, Orgeron said the Tigers would focus first on in-state prospects, as Louisiana is one of the nation's most talent-rich states. But he added: "We're going to go outside of our border to get first-round draft picks."
Buffalo Bills RB Reggie Bush, who played at USC during Orgeron's time as an assistant coach there, expressed his approval of the hire via social media:
Orgeron's only head-coaching job came at Ole Miss where he went 10-25 during a three-year stint from 2005 to 2007. He has fared better in his two interim gigs, going 6-2 after replacing Lane Kiffin at USC in 2013 and 5-2 after replacing Miles this season.
"I don't think there's a person I've met that has a bigger heart and a bigger desire to succeed than Coach O," said LSU athletic director Joe Alleva. "... He's going to assemble the finest group of assistant coaches in the country."
The Advocate also reported that LSU is expected to make a run at Kiffin, who worked on two separate USC staffs with Orgeron and currently is the offensive coordinator at Alabama, and also hopes to keep defensive coordinator Dave Aranda in house after his one year in Baton Rouge.
This decision also sets in motion Herman becoming Texas' next head coach. The Longhorns fired coach Charlie Strong on Saturday.
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