Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer may have to contend with Ed Orgeron soon if a great suggestion from Death Valley Voice's Connor Grootenhuis comes to life.
Grootenhius pitched the UAB Blazers as a potential "Coach O" landing spot, correctly pointing out that Protective Stadium is one of The American's elite facilities in the process.
"The Trent Dilfer experiment in Birmingham has been an interesting one. Dilfer was given the head coaching job at UAB in December 2022 with zero collegiate coaching experience. He had spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, where posted an overall record of 44-10. Unfortunately, Dilfer's first college job has not yielded much success. He is just 7-17 overall and 6-11 in conference play through two seasons at the helm of the Blazer program," Grootenhuis wrote.
"The Dilfer hire was questionable to begin with, and if UAB decides to change course, going with a more proven, experienced, and successful college coach would make sense. Orgeron would bring life to a program that is trying to work its way back up to national relevance. Orgeron's hire would create national buzz and excitement that UAB is searching for. The Blazers also play at one of the finest facilities in the American, calling Protective Stadium home since its opening in 2021."
Trent Dilfer has been an abject failure in Birmingham. He didn't provide an immediate boost in recruiting upon his arrival in 2023, which was what the Blazers needed to compete in their step up to the American Conference from Conference USA.
Dilfer promised UAB becoming a competitor to AU in recruiting. So much for that.
Orgeron has a much better chance of achieving recruiting greatness than Dilfer in the seat. More recruits will remember LSU's 2019/2020 College Football Playoff National Championship run than Dilfer's Super Bowl XXXV win that most associate with Ray Lewis and the 2020/2021 Baltimore Ravens defense. The program's donor base will also remember that. Perhaps more Yellowhammer State recruits will stay home in the "Magic City."
Oregon's ties to Louisiana can also open up a crucial pipeline for the Blazers that can land them a few extra blue-chippers. In-state and out-of-state recruiting would be better with Orgeron in tow.
Orgeron might be able to do better than the Group of Five, though.
Grootenhuis gave a more realistic option than UAB: the Arkansas Razorbacks. The "Natural State" borders Louisiana and has more of a pipeline from the "Pelican State" already established. Orgeron may want to return to the SEC, too.
We'll see where "Coach O" goes. Freeze and DeBoer probably hope it's neither UAB nor Arkansas.