How it happened: LSU examined 10-12 candidates for head coaching job

Ross Dellenger of the Advocate first reported the news Saturday morning.

The 55-year-old Louisiana native was originally promoted to serve as LSU’s interim head coach after the school elected to fire Les Miles back in September. Louisiana native Ed Orgeron is now interim head coach at LSU.

Orgeron went 5-2 at LSU under the interim tag.

Reports connecting Houston’s Tom Herman to the LSU head coaching position surfaced before the Aggies and Tigers even kicked off and what ensued was a flood of reports that seemed to match each LSU touchdown, though none were confirmed by the school. It appears that Herman’s heart was always in Texas, just like Orgeron’s never left Louisiana, no matter where else he coached.

Orgeron is expected to finalize a contract with LSU that will earn him $3 million a year.

One thing is certain, multiple sources said: Friday’s 48-44 loss at Memphis was likely Herman’s final game with the Cougars. Granted, you can only beat who’s on your schedule, but it’s hard to know what LSU’s expectations were for him to keep his job relative to what happened. He declined to mention candidates, even when specifically asked about Kiffin, an old friend who is now the offensive coordinator at Alabama.

“I’ve been treated like the head coach here on a daily basis”. James Smith of the Times-Picayune reported Friday the Tigers were focused on Herman after they weren’t able to get Jimbo Fisher to leave Florida State.

Around 5:30 a.m. Orgeron missed a call from LSU athletic director Joe Alleva asking if Orgeron could make it in for a meeting. “We need somebody like Coach O to lead us out there”.

Orgeron was recruited to play for LSU after winning a state championship at South Lafourche High School, where he was teammates with quarterback Bobby Hebert, who would go on to an National Football League career, notably with the New Orleans Saints. Asked what he knew about his future when it came to the job, Orgeron said “I don’t know anything”.

But after Thursday’s win, Tigers players have come out in full support for Orgeron, who was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-07.

Texas chose to fire Strong following shocking 24-21 overtime loss to Kansas last Saturday, according to multiple reports.

What we did get through was a high-powered offensive football game with big plays all over the place. “I understand the expectations at LSU and I invite them because I have the same expectations of myself and my staff”, Orgeron said Saturday, via ESPN.