Big Ten Roundup (July 13): Ed Orgeron "Would Have Interest" in Northwestern Coaching Job

Former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron's name swirled in rumors for the Northwestern football head coaching vacancy following Pat Fitzgerald's firing, while Purdue's Zach Edey was named a semifinalist for the James E. Sullivan Award, and Wisconsin flipped 3-star Dillan Johnson from Northwestern.

Ed Orgeron was reported to have interest in the Northwestern football head coaching vacancy late Wednesday afternoon. However, it was not reported that he heard anything from Northwestern University, and the initial report was later disputed by The Athletic's Bruce Feldman. 

The Purdue men's basketball team announced that center Zach Edey was named one of 25 semifinalists for the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award, which each year is given to "the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States."

Amidst Pat Fitzgerald's abrupt firing during the fallout of the Northwestern hazing scandal, Wisconsin and coach Luke Fickell flipped three-star lineman Dillan Johnson to the Badgers. 

Ed Orgeron 'Would Have Interest' in Northwestern

In one of the most unlikely bits of breaking news the college football world has ever seen, it was reported Wednesday by Bradley Locker of Inside NU that former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron 'would have interest' in the Northwestern head coaching vacancy, according to a source.

JUST IN: former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron "would have interest" in coaching at Northwestern, but has not yet heard from the school, per source.

The full story here: https://t.co/ryr0p8BceO

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) July 12, 2023

Though Locker also included in the report that Orgeron had not yet been contacted by the school. Later Wednesday night, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported that he had spoken to Orgeron, and that the former LSU head coach did not.have interest in the job at Northwestern. 

Orgeron coached the LSU Tigers from 2016-21 and won the national championship with players Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase in the 2019 season. Orgeron was dismissed from his job in Baton Rouge just two seasons after winning the championship. 

Edey, Other Big Ten Players Up For Sullivan Award

Although Zach Edey lost out to USC's Caleb Williams Wednesday night in the battle for the best college athlete in men's sports at the ESPY's, the 7-foot-4 center from Purdue is up for another coveted honor. 

© Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 25 semifinalists for the James E. Sullivan Award were announced yesterday, and given to "the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States." Fan voting for the award has opened, and Edey made the cut, alongside two other Big Ten stars in Iowa's Caitlin Clark and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon. 

Fan voting for the Sullivan Award can be found at this link here.

The award is presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) each year, and has been awarded every year since 1930. The last Big Ten athlete to win the award was Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott in 2014. 

Edey won all six National Player of the Year awards in the 2022-23 season, which includes the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the AP National Player of the Year, the National Association of Basketball Coaches National Player of the Year and the Sporting News National Player of the Year. 

Edey announced earlier this offseason that he would be using his additional fifth year of eligibility to return to Purdue for one last season, forgoing the 2023 NBA Draft. 

Wisconsin Flips Dillan Johnson

Everyone expected Northwestern to lose current players and incoming recruits during the fallout of a hazing scandal that has become the biggest news in the entire college sports world. 

It turns out that the wheels are already turning, as Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell flipped three-star defensive lineman Dillan Johnson to the Badgers. 

Heading North! @HilltoppersFB @JCAwrestling @rudysgymjoliet @BadgerWrestling @WisFBRecruiting pic.twitter.com/cUuM8Hmtay

— Dillan M Johnson (@DillanMJohnson1) July 12, 2023

The three-star defensive lineman is from Joliet Catholic Academy in Illinois and had originally committed to Northwestern back in May. 

Johnson, 6-foot-2, 287-pound two-sport athlete, will also be wrestling for the Wisconsin Badgers

Johnson now becomes Wisconsin's 19th overall commit in the class of 2024, a class which ranks as the 18th best in the entire country, according to 247 Sports. 

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