Former LSU HC Ed Orgeron explains why Florida is a better job than Ole Miss, and the reason why says everything

It should be obvious, but it needs to be said.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
September 22, 2007; Oxford, FL, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Ed Orgeron (white shirt) cheers on his players during the game against the Florida Gators in the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Gators defeated the Rebels 30 to 24.
Dale Zanine USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2007 Dale Zanine

The Florida Gators have one of the best jobs in the entire country.

Yes, the wins haven’t been there in recent memory, especially since Billy Napier took over as the head coach for the 2022 season. However, this is a program with all the resources you could ask for and is in a great location, not to mention three national championships in the last 30 years.

Don’t let the on-field success cloud your judgment when it comes to the head coaching job, because there are a lot of layers to this conversation.

Ed Orgeron explains why Florida is a better job than Ole Miss

When it comes to judging what schools have the best head coaching jobs, what better source to look to than a head coach. Former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron understands what it’s like to coach in Oxford and the landscape of the SEC. He talked about the biggest differences with the jobs in Oxford and Gainesville with one big difference: recruiting.

Orgeron is right, the recruiting bases for Mississippi and Florida are considerably different. The question is obviously due to the fact that Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin continues to be linked to the Gators job for a multitude of reasons, but mostly due to his connection to the program.

“He [Lane] told me ‘I’m never going to make decisions based on money. I’m going to make decisions based on everyday happiness.’ And you can tell he’s really trying to prioritize his family and his kids in this one,” said McGrath on Sports Center one day before the Rebels took on the Oklahoma Sooners. “But I will say, Kiffin really idolizes Gators former legendary coach Steve Spurrier, and when I covered Ole Miss’ game at Florida last year, Kiffin pulled me aside and said, ‘This is a really special place for me and for my family. It’s where he had his first date with his children’s mother.’ So this is a nostalgic place for the Kiffin family, so perhaps that will play a role into it.”

There is a massive recruiting base in Florida that makes it easier to find star players and convince them to stay in state. Plus, Florida’s facilities are now among the best in the nation, which is a huge draw for both the head coach and also the players who get to use them.

Even with that, Kiffin is going to be selecting where he coaches based on more than just the school, but it certainly helps when you have that going for you as well.

Related Articles