If you’ve been following the news, you’ll notice it’s been pretty quiet lately on the Ed Orgeron (Coach O) front. Having enjoyed that roller-coaster ride at LSU, he’s largely out of coaching lights, enjoying some well-earned downtime and, in his own words, relishing the $17.1 million buyout from his LSU deal. Whispers of him considering the UNLV position were dispelled when he clarified his current lack of interest in coaching. In Baton Rouge, though, he remains a legend.
In 2016, he replaced Les Miles, recruited Joe Burrow, and in 2019, led a historic college football season: a 15-0 record, national title, and multiple Coach of the Year awards. LSU’s offense during that season was a behemoth, and Orgeron was the mastermind who assembled the right staff and personnel to create it. Following that enchanted season, business turned bad. LSU was a mere 9-8 after winning the championship, and the program couldn’t sustain the momentum.
Best coaches in the 21st century per the New York Times. pic.twitter.com/xkkAqcmJen
— College Football Alerts (@CFBAlerts_) May 24, 2025
Even after that amazing 2019 stretch, Ed Orgeron did not appear on the New York Times’ list of the greatest coaches of the 21st century. Orgeron’s peak was undeniable, but the crash came quickly, and oh boy, it was steep. Experts rate him as one of the greatest coaches in LSU history—number five, to be precise—but when you take the broader view, both nationally and with the long-term view, his resume just can’t compete, in the same way that a guy like Nick Saban or Dabo Swinney would. The Times, as much as many other major publications, prizes coaches who not only make it to the mountaintop but who can remain there, year in and year out.
Would you believe if I said Brian Kelly made his cut? Brian Kelly’s résumé is sound. He took Notre Dame and built them into a playoff team, and now he’s at LSU attempting to keep the Tigers purring. But for many LSU fans, there’s something that feels strange about having Kelly’s name on that list when Coach O, the man who brought a national championship back to Baton Rouge, is omitted.
Orgeron’s 2019 season was the stuff of legend, but things were bumpy in the years that followed. The team had trouble on the field, key personnel departed, and suddenly the program needed a new path. It’s one of those ‘what have you done for me lately?’ moments of college football. But hey, LSU fans are out here demanding justice for Coach O, asking how the man who brought them one of the greatest seasons in history can’t even get a small NY Times mention.
Fans demand recognition for LSU legend
The LSU faithful aren’t particularly pleased. Because if there’s one thing they do well, it’s rallying behind their own. Since the New York Times released their list of the top coaches of the 21st century and Ed Orgeron’s name wasn’t on it, Tiger fans have cried loud and long, calling for justice for Coach O. “No Coach O? Blasphemy,” how do you omit the guy who guided LSU to a flawless season and one of the greatest championship performances in history? Another user chimed in, “If a coach won the natty, and isn’t on this list, the list is worthless”. Coach O was not just a face man; he was the voice, the energy, and the heart of that team. Fans to this day remember his legendary postgame press conferences and the way he energized the entire state.
Another comment states, “Ed Orgeron not being number 1 is criminal.” Just consider that 2019 LSU season—nobody ran over the competition like Coach O and his Tigers did. They defeated Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Clemson, all within the same year! That offense was unstoppable, and Coach O was the genius making it all happen. He brought swagger, heart, and a lot of ‘Geaux Tigers’ mojo to college football.
Another comment said, “Funny how Ed Orgeron coached the greatest team of all time and he’s not on the list.” It was followed by comments like “Lmao. This is laughable.” The LSU team was a highlight reel each week, shattering records left and right and running over each powerhouse that stood in their way. Ed Orgeron introduced that raw energy, passion, and fire that made LSU football legendary, particularly during that crazy 2019 season. He wasn’t coaching; he was breathing with the team every step of the way. To exclude him from the best coaches list seems like a major fault in the system. Fans recognize he’s more than a coach—he’s a legend who provided them with memories they’ll never be able to forget.
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