GhenghisVol
August 7th, 2009, 01:12 PM
Orgeron's voice often rose above the rest this summer inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center, according to several sources in the program. And not just in the volume department.
A longtime colleague and friend of Kiffin's since they were potent 1-2 recruiting punchers for powerhouse Southern California, Orgeron has had a hand in several important decisions the past several months. The Vols hired wide receivers coach Frank Wilson and strength and conditioning coach Aaron Ausmus, who had similar responsibilities under Orgeron at Ole Miss.
And Orgeron unquestionably runs the recruiting program with the same passion so prominently displayed in Bruce Feldman's book, "Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting."
All-America safety Eric Berry said some days, a random person strolling through the UT complex could reasonably assume that Orgeron was the head coach.
"He is the sparkplug," Berry said. "No one wants to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning and run, but he's always excited to come do it, and he gets us woken up and ready to go to work."
Kiffin had a logical explanation for that early-morning energy.
"Ed's up at 4 and has his three Red Bulls by 4:20," Kiffin said.
Berry confirmed parts of Orgeron's Red Bull routine.
"He probably drinks about three in the morning," Berry said. "But the thing is he has coffee, too. That's what messes it up. When you have coffee and Red Bull, I don't think that's a good combination. That's the big thing.
"You can't stay away from him. You're going to hear him. He's going to be screaming somewhere."
Defensive linemen Dan Williams and Chris Walker struggled to contain smiles when describing their daily encounters with Orgeron.
"When you see Coach O in the hall or whatever, he doesn't shake your hand," Williams said. "He does a swim move on you."
Added Walker: "It takes a little while to get used to, but that's just how it is with Coach O. He's crazy. I love it."
But Kiffin quickly refutes any idea that Orgeron is all hat and no cattle.
"He's the best defensive line coach in the country -- NFL or college," Kiffin said. "And he is the best recruiter anywhere in the country, in any conference."
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/07/orgeron-a-dominant-presence-in-vols-program/?sports
A longtime colleague and friend of Kiffin's since they were potent 1-2 recruiting punchers for powerhouse Southern California, Orgeron has had a hand in several important decisions the past several months. The Vols hired wide receivers coach Frank Wilson and strength and conditioning coach Aaron Ausmus, who had similar responsibilities under Orgeron at Ole Miss.
And Orgeron unquestionably runs the recruiting program with the same passion so prominently displayed in Bruce Feldman's book, "Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting."
All-America safety Eric Berry said some days, a random person strolling through the UT complex could reasonably assume that Orgeron was the head coach.
"He is the sparkplug," Berry said. "No one wants to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning and run, but he's always excited to come do it, and he gets us woken up and ready to go to work."
Kiffin had a logical explanation for that early-morning energy.
"Ed's up at 4 and has his three Red Bulls by 4:20," Kiffin said.
Berry confirmed parts of Orgeron's Red Bull routine.
"He probably drinks about three in the morning," Berry said. "But the thing is he has coffee, too. That's what messes it up. When you have coffee and Red Bull, I don't think that's a good combination. That's the big thing.
"You can't stay away from him. You're going to hear him. He's going to be screaming somewhere."
Defensive linemen Dan Williams and Chris Walker struggled to contain smiles when describing their daily encounters with Orgeron.
"When you see Coach O in the hall or whatever, he doesn't shake your hand," Williams said. "He does a swim move on you."
Added Walker: "It takes a little while to get used to, but that's just how it is with Coach O. He's crazy. I love it."
But Kiffin quickly refutes any idea that Orgeron is all hat and no cattle.
"He's the best defensive line coach in the country -- NFL or college," Kiffin said. "And he is the best recruiter anywhere in the country, in any conference."
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/07/orgeron-a-dominant-presence-in-vols-program/?sports