Ed Orgeron plans to work with defense and prep for former colleague Lane Kiffin
Ed Orgeron has a bit of history with Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
LSU’s interim coach and Kiffin worked together at USC in the early 2000s and for the one season Kiffin spent as head coach at Tennessee. Now the former colleagues are set to face off when the No. 19 Tigers host the No. 1 Crimson Tide on Nov. 5.
Due to his knowledge of Kiffin’s tendencies, Orgeron — a former defensive line coach — said he’ll work with defensive coordinator Dave Aranda as they prep for Alabama’s explosive offense.
“Those things I can mention are obvious things (to Aranda),” the coach said Wednesday during the SEC coaches teleconference. “I will help out with formations, but Dave is outstanding. Kiffin has brought Alabama to the spread offense, it’s all spread running the quarterback. Now he’s in the shotgun and pistol.”
The Alabama game will likely be Orgeron’s toughest hurdle of the season, which LSU athletic director has called an audition for the interim to become the Tigers’ full-time coach. It’s part of a final four-game stretch that ESPN’s Power Football Index shows is the hardest in the nation.
But Orgeron isn’t focusing on potentially winning the full-time gig.
“My mindset is to block it out. Take it day by day,” he said. “The next three or four weeks is going to happen…that’s all I can control.”