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Ed Orgeron, one of the most popular assistant coaches in USC history, returned to the Trojan staff in January of 2010 as the defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
He left USC after 7 seasons there to become the head coach at Mississippi for 3 years (2005-07), where he went 10-25. He then was the defensive line coach with the NFL's New Orleans Saints in 2008 and spent 2009 as Tennessee's assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
Orgeron was USC's defensive line coach from 1998 to 2004. He took on the added responsibility of recruiting coordinator in 2001 and then was named assistant head coach in 2003. USC's 2002, 2003 and 2004 recruiting classes were ranked among the nation's top 5 (the 2003 and 2004 groups were listed by many as No. 1). He was named the 2004 National Recruiter of the Year by The Sporting News and Rivals.com.
He coached All-American first team defensive linemen Kenechi Udeze (2003), Shaun Cody (2004) and Mike Patterson (2004), all future NFLers. The Trojans led the nation in rushing defense in 2003 behind the highly-regarded "Wild Bunch II" defensive line and were second in 2004. USC won the 2003 and 2004 national championship and played in 5 bowls games when he was on the staff: 1998 Sun Bowl, 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl and 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game).
Orgeron, 49, has 25 years of coaching experience. Before coming to USC, he was Syracuse's defensive line coach for 3 seasons (1995-97) and the Orangemen played in a bowl game each year (1996 Gator, 1996 Liberty and 1997 Fiesta).
He came to Syracuse from Nicholls State, where he was the linebackers coach in 1994.
Before that, he was the defensive line coach at Miami for 4 seasons (1989-92), where he coached 8 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. During his tenure, the Hurricanes won the national championship twice (1989 and 1991), finished second in the AP poll once (1988) and third twice (1990 and 1992) while appearing in 5 New Year's Day bowls (1989 Orange, 1990 Sugar, 1991 Cotton, 1992 Orange, 1993 Sugar).
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 2 years (1986-87). The Razorbacks were in the 1987 Orange Bowl and 1987 Liberty Bowl. He worked in private business in 1993.
He was a 4-year starting defensive lineman at Northwestern State, captaining the Demons as a senior. He received his bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Northwestern State in 1984.
He starred in football, basketball and track at South Lafourche High in Galliano, La.
Born July 27, 1961, he and his wife, Kelly, have 3 sons, Tyler, 18, and 12-year-old twins Parker and Cody. He played himself in the 2009 Oscar-nominated movie, "The Blind Side."
ORGERON SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: July 27, 1961
FAMILY: Wife, Kelly; Sons, Tyler, 18, Parker and Cody, 12 (twins)
HIGH SCHOOL: South Lafourche HS, Galliana, La.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, liberal arts, Northwestern State, 1984
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: South Lafourche HS, Galliana, La.
Northwestern State, defensive lineman, 1980-83
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 25 years
| YEAR | TEAM | POSITION | BOWL |
| 1984 | Northwestern State | Graduate Assistant | -- |
| 1985 | McNeese State | Graduate Assistant | -- |
| 1986 | Arkansas | Assistant Strength | Orange |
| 1987 | Arkansas | Assistant Strength | Liberty |
| 1988 | Miami | Graduate Assistant | Orange |
| 1989 | Miami | Defensive Line | Sugar |
| 1990 | Miami | Defensive Line | Cotton |
| 1991 | Miami | Defensive Line | Orange |
| 1992 | Miami | Defensive Line | Sugar |
| 1994 | Nicholls State | Linebackers | -- |
| 1995 | Syracuse | Defensive Line | Gator |
| 1996 | Syracuse | Defensive Line | Liberty |
| 1997 | Syracuse | Defensive Line | Fiesta |
| 1998 | USC | Defensive Line | Sun |
| 1999 | USC | Defensive Line | -- |
| 2000 | USC | Defensive Line | -- |
| 2001 | USC | Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator | Las Vegas |
| 2002 | USC | Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator | Orange |
| 2003 | USC | Asst. HC/Def. Line/Recruiting Coord. | Rose |
| 2004 | USC | Asst. HC/Def. Line/Recruiting Coord. | Orange |
| 2005 | Mississippi | Head Coach | -- |
| 2006 | Mississippi | Head Coach | -- |
| 2007 | Mississippi | Head Coach | -- |
| 2008 | New Orleans Saints | Defensive Line | -- |
| 2009 | Tennessee | Asst. HC/ Def. Line/Recruiting Coord. | Chick-Fil-A |
