Stoker called it

News of the day: NSU graduate, four-year Demon letterwinner, Top 100 Demon Football Player Ed "Be-Be" Orgeron -- better known as the recently deposed Ole Miss head coach, and the highly regarded defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator previously at Southern Cal -- was hired Wednesday as defensive line coach of the New Orleans Saints.

Demon head coach Scott Stoker told me so.

Soon after Orgeron's ouster at Ole Miss, Stoker predicted he would wind up in the NFL, as Be-Be's Demon teammate and former college coaching colleague Bill Johnson (Denver) did eight years ago.

The relative anonymity of being an NFL assistant coach has to be appealing to Orgeron, whose colorful background and personality made him a prime target for parodies and more vicious attacks from the comically-inclined to the sick and twisted segment of college fans.

Ed chuckled at some of the parodies, but the nature of some internet sites and content went far over the line. When the Demons played at Ole Miss in 2006 -- the first of a two-year deal, requested by Orgeron, netting $650,000 to his alma mater's athletic department -- he told former Demon teammate Britt Brittain that his kids showed him the funny parody video of a song composed by a Memphis disc jockey making fun of his thick Cajun accent. They were laughing, and he did, too.

There were many other examples, both on the internet and in person, where there was nothing to laugh about. Overzealous fans left decency at the curb and the exposure to that abuse no doubt pointed Orgeron in the direction of the NFL.

Anybody who coached with him raves about his football knowledge, especially as a defensive line coach, a role in which he helped Miami and USC win national championships. The same passion and energy that made him a prime target for comedic parody enhances his coaching ability, and despite what some skeptics will think, it will serve him well in the NFL.

There were a lot of LSU fans who were intrigued by the possibility of one of the nation's top recruiters joining the Tigers' staff. There should be a lot of Saints fans who are pleased to have one of college football's best defensive line coaches now working with the Black and Gold.

Congrats, Be-Be!

Doug Ireland, SID