Why Would LSU Hire Ed Orgeron if Lane Kiffin Leaves Ole Miss to Sign HC Contract?

After previously expressing a desire to return to LSU, Ed Orgeron could get his wish if Lane Kiffin ends up being hired as the head football coach.

Per CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz, LSU is "open" to adding Oregon to the coaching staff if Kiffin decides to leave Mississippi for Baton Rouge.

"Kiffin and Orgeron have a longstanding relationship," explained Zenitz.

Kiffin has been frequently mentioned as a top candidate for the openings at Florida and LSU. There was speculation that Ole Miss has given him a deadline to inform them of his future plans before the annual Egg Bowl on Nov. 28, though he has denied that.

"That's absolutely not true," Kiffin said when asked about it during an appearance on Tuesday's episode of The Pat McAfee Show. "There hasn't been anything like that at all."

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported on Tuesday that LSU could potentially extend an offer to Kiffin worth $13 million annually, which would tie Georgia's Kirby Smart as the highest-paid head coach in the country.

Dellenger also noted the Tigers' offer would likely include a guarantee of almost $30 million for the roster between revenue-share and NIL funds.

Orgeron said last month on ESPN Radio's UnSportsmanlike show that he's "one phone call away" when asked if he would be interested in returning to LSU as head coach, but he would also be open to an assistant role if Kiffin got the main job.

The two previously worked together at the University of Tennessee in 2009. Kiffin was the Volunteers head coach, with Orgeron on his staff as associate head coach and defensive line coach.

Orgeron briefly played for LSU as a defensive lineman in 1979. He returned to the program in 2015 as the defensive line coach on Les Miles' staff.

After Miles was fired in September 2016, Orgeron took over as interim head coach and earned the full-time job with a 6-2 record in eight games.

The Tigers went 51-20 in six seasons with Orgeron from 2016 to '21, including a 15-0 mark and a national title in 2019.

Brian Kelly, who replaced Orgeron, was fired by LSU on Oct. 26 after a 5-3 start this season. His final game was a 49-25 home loss against Texas A&M.