Once a contender for Syracuse job, LSU’s Ed Orgeron faces Orange in 2017

It sort of feels like decades ago now, given the Syracuse Orange football product we saw on the field this year. But not even 12 months ago, SU was in the middle of a head coaching search. The Orange chose Dino Babers, but there were plenty of other names floated around at the time. One of them was Ed Orgeron, the LSU assistant who was once a Syracuse assistant and expressed interest in the SU gig when it came open.

That same Ed Orgeron was named the LSU Tigers’ new head coach on Saturday. Which reminds us... Syracuse visits LSU down in Baton Rouge next September.

You see, life’s weird. We’ll never know just how far along in the process — if at all — Orgeron got in the job search process for Syracuse last year. But coaching the Tigers was his goal all along. If he had come up to Central New York in 2016, it’s entirely likely he’d have never had a chance to land the LSU job. But the Louisiana native ended up being in the right place at the right time when LSU tired of Les Miles. And then he turned things around in a hurry. The Tigers were 2-2 when he took over. They finished 7-4.

Saving the debate around scheduling LSU for another day, next September presents Orgeron with a look at what could’ve been for him at Syracuse. We’re all very happy with Dino Babers and the team’s progress in year one with him at the helm. After years of conventional choices and continued struggles, the Orange needed an unconventional makeover. Babers, more than Orgeron, was the perfect fit. If he didn’t know that already, Orgeron probably does now — especially given his own outcome.

It’ll be a minor storyline at best in the lead-up to what should be an interesting week for the uncommon non-conference opponents in 2017. But one that should at least provide some fireworks on the field. As part of his sell to LSU administrators, Orgeron talked about hiring Lane Kiffin (or another highly-qualified name) as his offensive coordinator. Babers, talking to media last week, also alluded to game four or so (this game on next year’s schedule) being the one where it all comes together for the Orange in his system.

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We probably aren’t beating LSU next year, but at least the game will be fun AND both fan bases will largely have what they want in a head coach at that point. Babers and Orgeron are both well-respected men around college football, and will be at their current posts for a long —

Oh, so he’ll be coaching the Buffalo Bills in 2021. Cool.