No one in LSU's current position has made a better hire than LSU just did with Miles

It is interesting that the post with the fewest responses is the poll in which all of the naysayers are asked to actually declare who should be the LSU coach instead of Les Miles. Easy to complain, hard to solve.

So rather than dwell on those who offer only problems, without any corresponding solutions, perhaps what the fanbase should be looking at is the schools who've been in LSU's ACTUAL current position.

I don't mean schools who've hired a head coach recently. That's too general. People don't realize how uncommon LSU's hiring climate is. LSU is now in the relatively rare circumstance of having to hire a head coach while in excellent shape.

Think about it. Most schools have to find someone when they're 4-7, their facilities are subpar, and the recruiting trail is cold. Why else would you need a coach? We've already hashed out the number of "big time" schools who've hired other people's coordinators (OU, UGA, WVU), their own coordinators (Miami, Tenn, Mich) and mid-major head men (Tex., FL, Auburn). But those guys were "down" when they did it, and so weren't as attractive then as they are now (much like LSU now). So the relevant question for LSU is really, who have schools hired when their job popped open during a time when they were relatively "on top?" I submit to you that no school in LSU's hiring position has made a better hire than Les Miles, the sitting head coach at a BCS school who's gone to 3 bowls in a row and won at least 7 games each of those years (a boast Saban could not have made when he arrived).

Miami - Jimmy Johnson leaves for NFL; replaced with noted thug-coddler and proud owner of a .23 BAL reading - Washington State HC Dennis Erickson. Wazzu is essentially the Okie State of the Pac 10. Strong parallel to the Miles hire.

FL - Steve Spurrier leaves for NFL winning 9+ games a year, with several SECCG and a MNC under his belt despite declining recruiting and job dedication; replaced with a psychotic NFL assistant who had been demoted by UF itself during a prior tenure there. There is no good parallel here, but LSU hiring Wade Phillips may be in the ballpark.

Oregon - Rich Brooks bolts for the Rams after winning the Pac10 for the first time in school history. Replaced from within by Mike Bellotti. Obvious parallel would be to hire Jimbo.

NEB - Frank Solich is fired after winning 9 games. While the bloom had clearly fallen off of the Cornhusker rose, this was not a team in the amount of turmoil you usually see just before a coaching search. He is replaced by a caretaker NFL head coach who was so overwhelmed by the NFL experience that once called his team the "dumbest in America" on national television. NEB fails to qualify for a bowl for the first time since beer was a nickel. This would be like hiring Barry Switzer.


Keep one thing in mind - I have no idea how Miles will work out as coach. May be great, may fail. That's not my point. As I think I've shown above, the closest any program SIMILARLY SITUATED to LSU 2005 has EVER come to making a hire the caliber of Les Miles was UMiami when Johnson left, and the hire they made was, at best, a tie in terms of that coach's prestige at the time he was brought in. I believe I've demonstrated that, at minimum, no one's made an objectively BETTER hire than the one Skip will announce tomorrow at noon.

So those of you who think LSU made a "second rate" hire? Those of you who think Skip panicked and "settled?" Those of you who are certain LSU could have done better yet refuse to provide a list of better coaches LSU COULD ACTUALLY HAVE GOTTEN (this means you, Spurrier faction)? I issue you two challenges.

First, please provide a list refuting mine above, in which a top-notch college job came open, and that job was filled by a coach HIGHER in stature than the one Les Miles enjoys right now. With as much rancor as has been seen on this board, that shouldn't be hard, right?

Second, please provide a list of coaches (actual people, not the unsupported assertion that the ever-popular "half the coaches in America" would KILL to coach at LSU), with comments and the reasons they'd leave their great jobs for LSU, who Skip Bertman should have hired instead of Les Miles.


I think anyone who gives either of the above an honest effort will find that whether Skip made a good or bad hire, he'll have made as good a hire as has ever been made under the circumstance.

 

Well the way I see it...He wasn't the first choice by Skip. Therefore he is 2nd rate. I'm still gonna support him. We'll take on any suckers in the country!!!!!!!!

 

I can give you two names right off the top of my head whom Skip should've at least interviewed, but didn't: Romeo Crennel and Mike Nolan. Both longtime
NFL assistants, both defensive coordinators for top caliber NFL defenses, both very well thought of in the coaching profession as great defensive minds, both ready to make the move to a HC position at some level...and maybe, most importantly of all, both available to interview this week.

I'll stand squarely behind Les Miles now that he's the coach...I'm an LSU fan, I have very little choice. I hope he leads us to another NC next year, I really do. But the way this thing was rushed thru, you'll never convince me that someone high up wasn't putting the heat on Skip to hurry up and hire someone, anyone.....not when you had candidates like the two I mentioned available to interview a whole 10 days before the Jan. 12th deadline that Skip himself imposed.

 

Yuo choose assistants who have never been head coaches in college or the pros as better choices? Weak.

 

You make some good points. And the thing is, there were MANY who back in 99 weren't thrilled about the Saban hire. I'm sure there were many Miami fans who weren't thrilled with the Coker hire, and I GUARANTEE there were Ohio State fans who cringed when they brought in Tressel, a 1-AA coach. Its appears to have worked out for them. I believe the negative reaction is due primarily to the fact that when the last great coach to leave LSU walked, it took us 15 years to get back to the Sugar Bowl. Plus the difference between now and 99, is that we were coming off consecutive losing seasons, where practically anyone would have been an improvement. Let's face it, we haven't had to deal with this in a while.

Only one thing about this bothers me...what's the hurry? Seemed like Skip threw this Jan 12 date out there. So why did we have to make a decision now? Will our recruiting suffer THAT much in ten days? As I told some friends yesterday, I don't care if we bring somebody in on September 1...it's worth a bad recruiting year to get the right guy in here. I would be willing to suffer one down recruiting year in order to get a guy in here who would be great for 10 years.

 

OK, Ace, look at it from this standpoint: You're The Next Big Thing coming out of high school. Everybody and his brother is recruiting you, you can have your pick of where you want to go. Who's going to be more impressive to you in your living room: The guy with the big ass Super Bowl ring on his finger, who everybody at the top of his profession thinks is a genius? Or the guy who just got drummed 33-7 in the friggin' Alamo Bowl? You do the math.

 

Great points, Obi-Wan (Damn, the force really is strong with you!)

People are SCARED. And, they should be. We always fear the unknown when similar situations in the past yielded bad results.

But, Miles is legit. He is proven as a near-miracle worker in a big conference. He played and earned his keep at a big time school (Michigan). He even coached in the NFL (Dallas). He is a "positive energy guy" who has fielded excellent, balanced offenses.

Look, this guy is ready for this job. and, he will stay here long term. He wants to be a champion and make big money. He will do both. And, he will be even more endearing to LSU fans than Saban because he will win and actually be likeable and enthusiastic.

Look, before anyone whines about defensive concerns, let the guy complete his staff. I have a strong feeling he will run a pro-style defense here. Will it be Muschamp? Who knows?

But, the "much maligned" DC he is bringing with him also beat up LSU's offense in Saban's first year (13-10 loss) and produced 1st and 2nd round draft picks at UAB. I think Miles knows what he is doing. Wait and see. And, for LSU's sake, BE POSITIVE until there is reason not to be.

 

one thing for sure. Most of us can argue this till our fingers bleed, BUT les Miles is the coach and only TIME will tell if he is LSu Glory or Stinking Rotten Or somewhere in between. Look at it this way, we've had some GREAt years recruiting and we may win BIG this year if everything falls just right! :lsup: :lsug: :thumb: :rofl: :geaux: :helmet: :helmet: :tigerhead :tigerhead :tigerhead :tigerhead :tigerhead

 

Ok, Pal. I think those wrecruits are going to choose playing for a coach with a great track record, positive attitude, and super SEC program that can (and has) won the MNC. Look, Miles is a proven college HC who won at a school that had ONLY won (as in, winning seasons and bowl games) the last few DECADES before his arrival when they had Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.

Our new head coach should be called "More with" Les Miles for what he did at a really crappy program in a state lacking much talent.

And, by the way, the NEXT BIG THING named Ryan Perriloux is likely going to end up as a Tiger because Miles' offense is a proven winner.

 

Martin Blank:

You make some good points, and your post is very well-written. You obviously put a great deal of time into it.

I have been critical of this hire, but I'd like to direct my disappointment towards the PROCESS that Skip utilized to find/hire a replacement, rather than say that I'm disappointed in Coach Miles personally (which I'm not).

Some sports commentators said that LSU was the best college coaching job in the country. Well, it seems to me that the PROCESS that Skip used to find/hire a replacement for Saban was NOT appropriate for the best college coaching job in the country. It appeared rushed, hurried, fast, not well thought-out, not willing to wait until Monday, 3 Jan 05 open up consideration to NFL coaches, panicky and confined to about two serious candidates (Petrino and Miles) and, frankly, a little silly (you don't even bother to interview Jimbo?). In short, the PROCESS used to find/hire Saban's replacement was an embarrassment.