The gang is back together again. That is, Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin.
It was announced Thursday night that Kiffin had hired Orgeron to LSU's staff as a special assistant to recruiting and the defense, marking the first time Orgeron has returned to football since he was fired in 2021, marking the end of a six-year stint that included a national title game appearance.
And with Orgeron's return comes some serious recruiting power, and the Tigers have three upcoming official visits from recruits that could reshape the recruiting landscape, with 5-star EDGE rusher Abraham Sesay, 4-star safety Adryan Cole, and 4-star wide receiver Amare Patterson all coming to Baton Rouge.
Kiffin knows the kind of impact Ed Orgeron can potentially have to recruiting high-value players like this.
“I’m excited to bring coach Orgeron back to LSU,” Kiffin said in part of a statement released by the university. “He brings us tremendous value with his ability to recruit elite players nationally, but especially the impact he can have for us recruiting the great state of Louisiana. Coach O understands my expectations and commitment to being a championship program.”
There's no denying the level of recruiting power Orgeron has as a native of Louisiana -- one who thoroughly understands the culture of Baton Rouge, the expectations that LSU has, and how to build a program of players capable of winning on the highest stage. After all, he was the head coach of the 2019 team, which many argue is the best to ever take the field in the sport.
Now, he's got a chance to build another monster with a coach he has deep ties with.
Three of LSU's upcoming visits could be huge wins for Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin
Orgeron and Kiffin have both been highly renowned for their wins on the recruiting trail. It was largely because of Kiffin's success in that area, especially within the transfer portal, where he earned the title of "Portal King", that Ole Miss was able to reach new heights as a formerly lowly SEC team.
Now, together, Orgeron and Kiffin will work to bring the nation's best players to LSU. And while LSU is a sought-after destination for many recruits, bringing some of the blue-chips over the line frequently involves flipping commitments or, at a minimum, turning the tide in a major way when a recruit is highly leaning toward one or two programs he has a much more established relationship with.
The duo has a chance to do just that as they prepare to welcome a handful of Class of 2027 targets on May 29. Those three visitors include five-star EDGE Abraham Sesay, three-star safety Adryan Cole, and four-star wide receiver Amare Patterson, to Baton Rouge.
Sesay, out of Downingtown East High School (Exton, Pa.), is currently listed by 247Sports as the No. 6 EDGE, No. 3 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, and the No. 27 overall player in the nation. According to On3 Sports, Sesay is strongly projected to join Notre Dame (87%), also listing Penn State (3%).
Then, looking at Cole, Kiffin, and Orgeron could give Georgia head coach Kirby Smart a run for his money. The No. 30 overall safety in America and 29th-ranked player in the state of Georgia for his cycle has been largely favored by recruiting analysts to Georgia and has a 90% chance of making his way to Athens. Smart and company do have the homefield advantage here, as Cole would only be moving a little over an hour away from where he currently plays out his high school football career at Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.)
Landing Patterson, who is next on the list, would give LSU a chance to bolster what has, at many times, been one of the best wide receiver rooms in the country. Patterson, out of Bluffton High School (Bluffton, Sc.), is the No. 25 wide receiver, No. 5 player in the state of South Carolina and the 179th-ranked prospect, regardless of position, for his respective class.
Like the others visiting on that date, Patterson's going to take some additional convincing as well, with On3 saying there's an 80% chance he joins the Florida Gators instead.
Do Orgeron and Kiffin have what it takes to snatch all three away in one day? It's going to take quite a show, but if anyone can pull off such a feat, it's these two.
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