Know the (possible) Oregon State football coaching candidate: Ed Orgeron

The Oregon State football coaching search is underway, and several names have been floated as potential candidates for the job. It is early in the process as the coaching carousel continues to spin across college football.

As the search rolls on, barring a major announcement or change in the search dynamics, The Oregonian/OregonLive will examine some of the potential candidates for OSU’s next head coach.

Next up is a national championship-winning coach who reportedly showed interest early on:

Ed Orgeron

Most recent job: HC, LSU

Age: 64

Head coaching record: 67-47

Why it works

Coach O is a big name with an even bigger personality, and would bring a flurry of media attention to Oregon State (or “Orgeron State”). The branding and merchandise opportunities alone are immense, and the hire would put the Beavers in the national spotlight.

Orgeron’s tenure at LSU ended on a low note in 2021, but he won a national championship with the Tigers in 2019 while coaching one of the greatest college football teams ever. He would likely elevate Oregon State’s recruiting success significantly from where it is now.

Entertainment factor and all the potential risks aside, this would be the kind of splash hire that injects some life into a downtrodden football program. At least temporarily. Fans have been all over this idea on social media.

Why it might not work

There is also a real chance hiring Orgeron would end up being a flash in the pan, or worse: a failed gimmick. Orgeron struggled through two straight .500 seasons before his dismissal at LSU and comes with some off-field baggage to answer for.

He’s also been out of coaching for four years. If he couldn’t make it work in the early days of NIL, at LSU of all places, who’s to say his name recognition alone is going to make up for the experience gap now? The last thing OSU needs is someone who doesn’t fully grasp the modern landscape, so the question would be whether Orgeron has both done his homework and can build a staff around him that makes up for potential shortcomings.

There is a fine line between an exciting risk and an off-the-rails sideshow. Other programs have sought the former and ended up with the latter (see: Arizona State under Herm Edwards). OSU is in a precarious place with its football program and has far less runway to recover from that level of possible failure.

Is he interested in Oregon State?

It seems like he is, but things might have changed. Early on in the process, Orgeron was one of the first names we heard. Credible reports indicated he was interested in the OSU job and would take it if offered.

But better jobs have opened up since then, including at LSU, where Orgeron has since publicly stated he’d be glad to return. That doesn’t exactly scream “all in” on the Beavers.

Whether OSU is even interested in taking this gamble in the first place is another matter. But Beavers fans have to be wary of the possibility that Orgeron is simply desperate for a return to coaching and using their situation as a springboard.

Know the other (possible) candidates:

Brent Vigen

Paul Chryst

Brennan Marion

JaMarcus Shephard

Kevin Cummings

Nick Rolovich

Oregon State (2-8) at Tulsa (2-7)

• When: Saturday, Nov. 15
• Time: 10:00 a.m. PT
• Where: H.A. Chapman Stadium — Tulsa, OK
• TV Channel: None
• Stream: ESPN+