Ed Orgeron discusses ties to USC: 'USC was a great place'

Louisiana is home for LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, but Los Angeles will forever hold a special place in his heart after 11 seasons coaching the USC Trojans.

Orgeron, born and raised in Louisiana, played one year of football for the LSU Tigers in 1979, but his journeyman coaching career took 31 years to get him back to LSU. Before his return, he coached at nine college programs and one NFL team, including two separate stints with the USC Trojans. Orgeron first arrived in California in 1998 by Paul Hackett and served as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach. The Trojans had plenty of success in Orgeron’s first stint, which spanned six seasons, but he was later hired to serve as Ole Miss’ head coach in 2005. Five years later, in 2010, Orgeron returned to USC as the defensive coordinator — his last stop before landing at LSU.

Now, Orgeron and the LSU Tigers are set to face the USC Trojans to open the 2024 season, and Orgeron appeared excited to be reunited with his former program.

“No question, spent 11 great years out there,” Orgeron said Thursday. “USC was a great place. My babies were raised there. We had a great time there. I lived there 11 years. I loved Los Angeles, I love the people of Los Angeles, I loved USC.

“I had a lot of great friends out there, but you know what, I’m happy, proud to be at LSU, which is home. To be able to go back into the Rose Bowl, we’ve had some battles in that place and it’s a tremendous place to play.”

USC and LSU have only faced off twice in football, splitting the series 1-1. Their first matchup, on September 29, 1979, the John Robinson-led USC Trojans won in narrow fashion, with the final score just 17-12. USC went on to finish the 1979 season with an 11-1 record and a Rose Bowl victory. Five years later, they faced again on September 29, 1984, and first-year LSU head coach Bill Arnsparger emerged victorious by a score of 23-3.

The 2024 matchup, which Orgeron discussed Thursday, will be the first time these two programs have faced in 40 years.

The LSU-USC will be televised on ESPN/ABC platforms, Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger reported.

LSU and USC both open up the 2021 season in the preseason AP top-25, as LSU comes in at No. 16, one rank behind No. 15 USC.