Notebook: Orgeron's focus -- for now -- is USC
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Ed Orgeron's hectic month is winding down, and soon he'll begin to devote every bit of energy toward his new responsibilities as Mississippi football coach.
For now, however, Orgeron insists that he has a single focus -- helping top-ranked Southern California win the national championship.
Orgeron wears the titles of defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach at USC, which plays No. 2 Oklahoma on Tuesday night in the Orange Bowl for the Bowl Championship Series title. He was hired at Ole Miss last month, but opted to remain with USC for the championship game.
"I feel this is the best football team we've played since I've been at USC and my focus has been strictly on beating Oklahoma," Orgeron said Saturday.
It took the 43-year-old Orgeron two decades as an assistant before the chance to be a head coach came along; he was part of Jimmy Johnson's staff at Miami in 1988 as a graduate assistant, before moving into a four-year stint as defensive line coach the following year. Orgeron still lists Johnson and USC coach Pete Carroll as the two largest influences on his coaching style.
Under his leadership, USC has lured some of the nation's top-ranked recruiting classes.
"I know he's been preparing for a long time to be the head guy," said USC defensive end Shaun Cody, who was recruited by Orgeron.
How long? "I've been preparing for this since I was 6 years old," Orgeron said.
Hype watch
Players on both sides have been asked repeatedly over the last few days whether they expect this No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup to go down as a college football classic.Oklahoma's players said Saturday that they expect nothing less.
"This is awesome. I think it's the greatest national championship ever," wide receiver Mark Clayton said. "I don't think there's ever been like four (Heisman) finalists in the same game together. A lot of explosion, a lot of excitement, a lot of great players will be there Tuesday night."
Indeed, it is the first time four Heisman finalists will share a field. USC's Matt Leinart won this year's Heisman, ahead of Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson (second), 2003 winner Jason White of Oklahoma (third) and USC's Reggie Bush (fifth).
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