After being a part of two dynasties as an assistant coach Ed Orgeron is back in the national championship game on Monday night. Orgeron began his long journey in coaching on the Miami football coaching staff from 1988-92.
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron began his long journey as a college football coach as a defensive line coach for the Miami football program from 1988-92. Orgeron worked under Jimmy Johnson in 1988 and stayed in Coral Gables on the staff of Dennis Erickson when Johnson left for the Dallas Cowboys following that season.
In those five seasons with Miami, Ed Orgeron coached many great Miami Hurricanes defensive linemen. Some of those names include Cortez Kennedy, Russell Maryland, Warren Sapp and superstar actor Dwayne Johnson.
Miami Hurricanes Football
Several future college football head coaches were on the staff of Johnson and Erickson at Miami in the 1980s and 1990s. Ed Orgeron is a character and no coach in the country probably personifies the school he represents more.
The gravelly voice boss of the Bayou Bengals grew up in LaRose, Louisiana with former New Orleans and Falcons quarterback Bobby Hebert. Ed Orgeron and Hebert later roomed together at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La.
While Hebert was imitating an airplane following touchdowns, Orgeron worked as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State and rival McNeese State for one year each as a graduate assistant. Orgeron left McNeese to become the assistant strength coach for two seasons at Arkansas.
Orgeron left Fayetteville for Coral Gables. The names on the 1988 Miami Hurricanes staff are legendary. Future Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt was the defensive coordinator and Gary Stevens who would later hold the same job with the Dolphins was the offensive coordinator.