Ed Orgeron’s success since taking over as head coach at USC has made him a very well-known name across the world of college football. He is earning the respect of players, fans and opposing coaches.
UCLA coach Jim Mora Jr. went so far as to disclose to the media that he voted for Orgeron as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year when he was asked about what has been different for the Trojans since Coach O took over.
“Enthusiasm and passion,” Mora said. “It looks like they’re having a lot of fun playing football. Confidence. He gave them a real spark. When you come into a situation like that where you’re an interim head coach and the likelihood of you being retained from the outside perception, it really frees you up to go after it. Coach O, I think everybody that knows him knows he has an infectious personality. You see it in the way his team plays.”
That’s some serious praise from a coaching colleague from Mora to Orgeron. While high profile names like Kevin Sumlin and Jack Del Rio have been linked to the USC job for next year, Orgeron has certainly legitimized himself as a candidate.
His 6-1 record speaks for itself.
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