LSU Football: Ed Orgeron briefly crossed paths with Bo Pelini in 2014
By Zach Ragan
Ed Orgeron hired Bo Pelini in January to replace Dave Aranda as LSU football’s new defensive coordinator.
When Ed Orgeron hired Bo Pelini to be LSU football’s new defensive coordinator last month, it appeared that the two coaches had never crossed paths in their professional careers.
Orgeron and Pelini have never worked together, but they have some shared connections (mainly Pete Carroll, who they both worked for at separate times).
But while Orgeron and Pelini have never coached together, their paths actually briefly crossed in 2014.
After Orgeron was passed over for the USC head coaching gig at the end of the 2013 season, he took a year off from coaching.
During that time, Coach O went to Pelini’s camp at Nebraska and was “so impressed” by the former Cornhuskers head coach.
Coach O on new DC Bo Pelini..
— Michael Detillier (@MikeDetillier) February 4, 2020
“ I knew Bo well as a coach and I did my own research on him. I went to his Camp at Nebraska the year I was out of football and was so impressed with him.
Pete Carroll told me that Bo has the most brilliant mind he’s been around for defense.”
I think it’s easy to see from Orgeron’s comments that he didn’t hire Pelini simply because he was the defensive coordinator at LSU from 2005-07. Coach O hired Pelini because he believes he’s the best person in the country for the job.
Orgeron saw first hand how Pelini coaches in 2014. Add that to the strong endorsement from Pete Carroll and it made hiring Pelini a no brainer.
(And yes, the familiarity with LSU and Baton Rouge is a plus as well.)
Orgeron has proved during his three full seasons as the Tigers’ head coach that he’s a master when it comes to building a coaching staff.
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LSU fans shouldn’t fret when a coach leaves the staff, because Coach O is probably going to nail the replacement hire.