Lane Kiffin officially landed in Baton Rouge on Monday, and in true Kiffin fashion, his introductory press conference was anything but dull. The new LSU head coach brought a mix of humor and nostalgia to the podium, even channeling a familiar Tiger voice from the past - none other than Ed Orgeron.
As Kiffin told it, he couldn’t help but feel the LSU spirit as he passed by Tiger Stadium. “We were going by Tiger Stadium, and I called one person - I called Ed Orgeron,” Kiffin said with a grin. “And I said, ‘Hey man, this place makes me want to talk like you right now.’”
The moment turned into a full-on Coach O tribute. “The kids were in the car and the coaches were like, ‘What are you doing?’
I said, ‘I don’t know. I am channeling Ed right now, I am feeling him.’
I rolled down the window and went, ‘Go Tigers!’ to the fans.”
That call to Orgeron wasn’t just for laughs. It was a nod to the man who once led LSU to the mountaintop - and a reminder of the passion that pulses through Baton Rouge.
According to Kiffin, Coach O didn’t miss a beat. “Ed said, ‘Coach, you are at the best place in America.’
And I feel that.”
It’s a fitting connection between two coaches who share more than a few career intersections. Orgeron, of course, was the architect of LSU’s unforgettable 2019 national championship run - a perfect 15-0 season that remains one of the most dominant in college football history.
Over six seasons in Baton Rouge, Orgeron compiled a 51-20 record, including a strong 31-17 mark in SEC play. But after back-to-back .500 seasons in 2020 and 2021, LSU moved on.
Before that, Orgeron had a rocky stint at Ole Miss from 2005 to 2007, finishing 10-25. That’s a path Kiffin now mirrors in reverse - coming to LSU after his own time in Oxford.
And let’s not forget the twist of fate back in 2013, when Orgeron stepped in as USC’s interim head coach after Kiffin was fired midseason. Orgeron led the Trojans to a 6-2 finish but was ultimately passed over for the full-time job in favor of Steve Sarkisian.
Now, years later, it’s Kiffin who’s stepping into the LSU spotlight, embracing the culture, the expectations, and even the accent. He’s already leaning into the moment, and if his early energy is any indication, he’s ready to make Baton Rouge his own.
One thing’s clear: Lane Kiffin knows the stage he’s stepping onto. And if he’s already shouting “Go Tigers!” out the car window, LSU fans have to like what they’re hearing.