Newly named LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, in an interview Tuesday morning on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" show, talked about his efforts to attract coaches and recruits to "the greatest place in the country."
Questioned by hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, he said the notion that LSU is obsessed with Alabama is "totally false."
Listen to the full interview here (starting at the 41:40 mark).
Here are some highlights:
Once you got the job, what were some of the first things you wanted to do?
I wanted to thank our team, and thank the coaching staff, thank the Tiger family for being so supportive in the eight weeks I was the interim coach. I now know I'm in charge of building a championship program. I'm on the road recruiting right now to get the best players to come to LSU.
A football coach's hiring is always a breathless event, with people rushing to judgment on t…
Fans want to get the offense "fixed." What are the plans for the offense?
Well, we're looking at some of the best offensive coordinators in the country, obviously. We've got some work to do, we've got some recruiting to do. And I think the plans are all going to come together. We can bring an explosive offense to LSU.
What are you telling recruits and their parents about LSU?
Come play at the greatest place in the country. Great tradition. LSU Tiger Stadium. Come get a great education. We're going to prepare you to win championships, develop you to be a great NFL player. We've done that for years and years here.
How difficult is the process of attracting coaches that are on other staffs?
It's part of it. You have to compete to get the best coaches we can possibly. We're going to do that. The good thing is LSU attracts the top coaches in the country, and we believe we can get that done at LSU.
Ed Orgeron has delivered on his promise to keep defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.
How confident are you that you'll be able to get everyone on your staff that you want?
I feel good about it. I feel good that there are some great people out there and that we can go out and attract some of the best coordinators in college football. We have great speed, we have great skill. I know a lot of coordinators would like to have the talent that we have here.
We have a list five, six or seven deep at each position. We've ranked the guys. It's just like recruiting ... Obviously, we'll go after our top targets. We aim to get our first guy, and I think that we'll get it done.
Ed Orgeron's first full day as LSU's full-time football coach was a busy one.
There's a perception out there that maybe LSU is obsessed with Alabama and Nick Saban. What do you say when you hear that?
That is totally false on our part here at LSU... We know that they've done a good job, but it's all about LSU and our Tiger family. It'll never be about anybody else.
Isn't part of that that they have a target on their back and you have to knock them off to get where you want to be?
No question. We understand that they've done great things. But we're able to great things here at LSU, and we plan to do it.
How was your first meeting with players after you were named the head coach?
It was great. They were smiling; they were happy. And so was I. I thanked them. Because of the result of the work they did, I was able to become full-time coach at LSU and I'm grateful to this football team.
What's your relationship like with your players?
I just want to treat the players like my sons. I want them to be happy. I want to give them everything I can legally through the NCAA. I want them to be one family. As you know, you give a lineman a cookie, he's happy.
You've heard about the two binders LSU coach Ed Orgeron brought with him to his job interview.
