LOS ANGELES -- Fitting on Thanksgiving morning, USC interim head coach Ed Orgeron began his post practice presser by expressing his thanks.
He was thankful to the media for being "so kind" to him and the USC Trojans football team.
It was also the last time he'd address the media before Saturday's crosstown rivalry between his Trojans and Jim Mora's UCLA Bruins in the last regular season game for both teams.
It could possibly be the last regular season game for the faces of each program -- USC wide receiver Marqise Lee and UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley. Both are underclassmen but could elect to forego their eligibility and enter the NFL Draft at season's end, along with a number of others.
And then there's another underlying factor beneath all of that. Orgeron.
Saturday could mark his last game in the Coliseum as well.
Despite his 6-1 record, which includes winning all six of his games in Pac-12 play and an upset two weeks ago over then-No. 4 Stanford, USC has not given any indication that Orgeron will have his interim tag removed.
Aside from his comments when he was named USC's interim head coach in late September, Orgeron has shied away from all talk about the future and his chance to be named USC's head coach.
An example of that came up during Wednesday's practice. Nos. 1 and 43 were not allowed to be worn under former head coach Lane Kiffin.
On Wednesday, seniors wore their high school uniforms during practice. Wide receiver De'Von Flournoy elected to wear his No. 1 jersey from the 2009 Emerald Bowl. After Kiffin became the head coach, Flournoy was forced to change uniform numbers.
When asked if he would allow No. 1 and No. 43 to be worn if he were the head coach, Orgeron didn't offer a comment on the matter, refusing to answer.
Despite him being mum on any general conversation that relates to him being the head coach, there's no secret Orgeron wants to be the guy at USC next season and beyond. The players on the roster have expressed wanting him to be their coach, along with some parents, and former players including USC great Marcus Allen, who has been one of Orgeron's biggest backers. Allen was at practice Thursday morning and spoke to the team.
When it comes to Saturday possibly being the last game in the Coliseum for Orgeron, he says that's something he hasn't given any thought to at all.
"I know this: when we walk out of the stadium on Saturday night, I feel that this group of men -- these coaches and our players have given everything they possibly can just like we said we would," Orgeron said. "That's a satisfying feeling."
