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Ed Orgeron on SEC paying players before NIL: 'We used to walk through the back door with the cash, now we walk through the front door'

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh9 hours agogriffin_mcveigh

Few recruiters in college football worked harder than Ed Orgeron. No matter which school he was representing, Orgeron did a great job bringing in some great talent. However, most of his work came in the pre-NIL era, meaning he could not, technically, use money in the process.

So when talking about how he would adapt with NIL now legal, Orgeron hilariously said there would just be a slight difference. He does not have to be subtle about the aspect of giving certain recruits a bag to help gain a commitment.

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“You know what?” Orgeron began on Bussin’ With The Boys. “They say, ‘Hey, coach. You know, you’ve been out of coaching for a while. How are you going to adjust to NIL?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s a minor adjustment.’ They said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Back then, we used to walk through the back door with the cash. Now, we just got to walk through the front door with the cash.'”

The question began by specifically mentioning SEC programs. Orgeron has worked for four of those throughout his career, one of which likely involved zero recruiting. His first job within the SEC came at Arkansas as the assistant strength coach. But as Orgeron climbed up the ladder in his career, prominent roles became available.

None more memorable than being LSU‘s head coach from 2016 through 2021. Everyone remembers the famous national championship in 2019, led by Joe Burrow, and backed by one of the best rosters college football has ever seen. Orgeron was also in charge at Ole Miss beginning in 2005, lasting three seasons.

Lane Kiffin employed Orgeron as the assistant head coach, defensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee in 2009. Everyone knows how that ended, infamously leaving for USC, only for Orgeron to follow him.

Getting back to the present — reports indicate Orgeron might be interested in getting back into the coaching world. He has not held a position since getting fired by LSU, making it four seasons now. One even suggested Orgeron might be a candidate to link back up with Kiffin in Baton Rouge.

If something does come to fruition, a great recruiter will be joining the program. Orgeron is one of the best, even when paying players was not totally legal. But now, his job is a whole lot easier with a direct parth through the front door.