Finishing 2nd

It's well known that everything rises to it's level of incompetence. This applies to man, process, machines, teams, everything. There is a ceiling. When you reach that ceiling you have maxed out current capability. In order to break the ceiling of incompetence change is required. Nothing will push you through that ceiling but change. You can't continue to do the same things harder. You can't hope for the ceiling to break. You can't continue along the current path. To advance you must change.

Based on his inability to or refusal to change, Miles' ceiling is a few inches above Saban's floor. He will continue to finish 2nd behind Nick. Will there be a win in there somewhere? Possibly. Everyone stumbles once in a while. Unfortunately that stumble occurred during the Ole Miss game for Saban's Tide. We weren't in the right place at the right time. Maybe next year.

Or maybe not.

Miles is going to have to change or LSU will have to make a change to advance the height of our ceiling. This is not critical of Miles. Miles is a good coach and has done a respectable job of running this program over the last 11 years. I'm grateful for his approach, his character, his dedication and the way in which he has represented the Tigers. If he can change and elevate his ceiling, great! The evidence, however, would suggest otherwise. After sitting in a cold, wet stadium watching a replay of the 2011 NC Game play out on the field (doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results) it was painfully evident. Miles has been bouncing against his level of incompetence and can't break through. Better said, he won't break though. He has the want just not the commitment. I'm not bitter or angry. This is not a response to one loss to a very good Bama team. We are who we are. I can live with 10-2 and 9-3 seasons. But if LSU has dreams of hoisting a championship trophy again then a change is needed to advance that level of incompetence a little higher.

Given the history ... it might be time to start looking for new leadership.

 

we still can have a great season, just win out and we need some help from miss st. But we shouldnt be in this position right now its whats killing me.

 

The thing that really needs to be looked at is precedent. What happens when teams fire their coaches that win 9 games a season. Nebraska and Texas come to mind and neither have been able to recover.

1. The junior exodus has to be addressed, it's absolutely killed LSU's depth.
2. I'm willing to let Steele and Orgeron have a chance to start bringing in their guys to see how the defense will change. Chavis was all about the smaller linebackers and smaller defensive linemen. That's not what Steele and O do. Steele will recruit the 240 250 lb linebackers. This game was lost in February on the recruiting trail. We don't have the depth or the players on defense to compete with Alabama. Hopefully that will change.
3. Philosophy. Les Miles has to change. It's painfully obvious Les' best vs Saban's best isn't good enough. Is Les too pigheaded to realize that you have to adapt. Or is just beating everyone else and being 2nd best in the West good enough for him.
4. If not like Red said, who do you get?

 

This is true but they won't fire Miles, so I'll play

How?

Yep, lets see what they do, I think our Defense, for all its shortcomings is holding up quite well. Still a bend don't break sort of thing but its working. Its ugly but it works.

This is the pipe dream of all pipe dreams. I have heard stories of boosters at various programs around the country having the coaches ear, I would have to say they are just urban legend because there is NO WAY someone hasn't gotten to Les and said "yo, big fella, time to do things a little different" Nope, I'm afraid we will continue with square peg / round hole as maddening as it is.

Ahh the old "who do we get" question. This is like trying to elect a President. They all have flaws but there are plenty of very good coaches out there. More than a few.

 

I understand the ramifications of firing Miles. I do not feel that is the solution. However I do feel he needs a stern talking to, that his teams must come in better prepared. That Miles has to adapt during the game to what is working and not what he wants to work.

This is not a LSU DL we have right now. Our starters would typically be second stringers on most LSU DL's. LSU has not done a good job of bringing in the right players or coaching them up. I think Coach O has done a good job, but I think we need to bring in better players. I hope O stays because he will change that. I do quesiton Steele as a DC though, because his players or not, the man does not change a thing when it is not working.

The OL was supposed to one of, if not the best in the country. Far from it. All season they have been inconsistent, either blowing up big holes or nothing at all. Also far too many false starts.

Ultimately a big issue with LSU is QB play. I think Harris played well enough, had he had more opportunities against Bama to have better results but Miles was hell bent on running. That being said, Miles has to commit to running a more spread like attack or his beloved power I. Whatever you decide, recruit the correct players. We can't keep having these issues of bringing in spread QB's and trying to run a power I. I will say that you need diversity to beat Bama. The power I is not going to do it.

I am sick of losing to Bama, but for me it is the lack of preparation we often see under Miles. I'm also concerned about LSU giving up sat night. We didn't see any fire. We watched a team that felt they were going to lose. That is not a LSU football team. I don't believe in firing Miles but I do feel that honestly this trend is the norm.

 

what you are forgetting is, we have the players now to beat this team. So dont put this on the right players. This is all coaching end of story.
We had no game plan or no adjustments to be made. We were in the game in the 2nd quarter because Harris finally settled the fuck down and threw a strike. He missed bad on other passes. The interception was bad, however, we should have kept throwing the ball on every fucking down, every down because the box was stacked and Bama's secondary is not even on Par with Florida's secondary.
Les Miles is not going to change, no matter how many times we say it. Its not going to happen.

 

I dont know why we have to start with firing Miles. Alleva can do better to allow Miles to get better assistance and Alleva can also but a boot in his ass.

When I say it starts at the top, I dont think our AD cares about much more than a certain number of wins. We don't have a championship mentality.

It is like we got to the top and were satisfied.

 

Good pint.

We have said it all year that Miles needed to give our QB more opportunities for the easy throws. But what do we do? We throw deep on everyone. There is no rhythm or connection with our WR's. Timing is everything.

 

That would be nice if true. Read the analysis people. It gives lie to the simplistic answer that keep getting spouted. Alabama didn't always stack the box. In fact they did on less than half the running plays. Additionally the line couldn't protect Harris enough to pass. Look at the play where our O line was pushed back 3+ yards. Alabama only had 6 in the box. Is that anything but a physical beating?
This was the team's worst performance of the year. Much falls on Miles and coaches but as much falls on the players. If they fail to execute the same things they were doing well the previous games the coaches didn't cause the players screw ups.
Again READ THE ANALYSIS. It provides specifics and shows detailed examples. TAKE YOUR EMOTION OUT OF THIS. We got our asses kicked and the players as well as coaches share the blame.