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We all know LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is unique. The Louisiana native whose voice has the enchanting charm of Cajun drawl and talking too quickly while eating a bunch of gumbo has a flair for the dramatic. For example, he once helped himself to a recruit’s mother’s rice and beans during an in-home visit. Apparently, before LSU games, Da Coach O has some unconventional pregame tactics:
”He walked in there and said it’s time to set your jaw,” former Tigers offensive lineman K.J. Malone said via AL.com. “And started punching himself in the jaw.”
Another former LSU player expanded hilariously:
“It’s a real serious punch,” said Toby Weathersby, another ex-LSU offensive lineman who spoke with AL.com at the NFL Combine. “Then he’ll look at us and start growling. He’ll give us a growl and you know what time it means. It’s time to go win a ball game.”
And former LSU quarterback Danny Etling, who is now with the New England Patriots, added that Orgeron would drink an entire Red Bull before taking off his shirt and punching himself in the jaw.
This reminds us of the glorious time when then-Ole Miss head Coach O nearly fought our very own Steven Godfrey when he was a reporter for a newspaper at Mississippi:
The staff’s new athletic director for football external affairs, a former high school coach named Hugh Freeze, tried to calm Orgeron.
”Uh Coach, this is the reporter that …” Freeze started.
”FUCK THAT MOTHERFUCKER.”
”Coach, I’m …” were the only words I managed. Orgeron walked down a hallway and through a staff-only entrance to the football offices.
Freeze made one last attempt. Orgeron swung and faced me.
”FUCK! WE ARE NOT GONNA LET THIS PROGRAM BE SABOTAGED!”
In that same profile of Orgeron by Godfrey, one of his former Ole Miss players referred to him as an “asshole” when describing a moment when Orgeron challenged members of the team to a fight.
But to be fair, those Orgeron days are long gone. He has softened quite a bit since his Ole Miss days. His relationship with the media has drastically improved, and you could see the difference in his demeanor even when he was USC’s interim in 2013.
At the very least, this latest story about Coach O just adds to the funny uniqueness of Coach O.