Katrina effected us the whole season, and you are wrong if you dont realize it. The players were still very mentally and emotionally drained coming off the win against ASU and going into the Tennessee game. We also played 10 straight weeks going into the SECCG against Georgia. Our players were banged up for not getting a week off. Im not saying we would have gone undefeated if Katrina hadnt happened, but you can link both losses with it. I think Miles handled the situation very well and I think most coaches would not have had that much success after a disruption as big as the worst natural disaster in the history of this nation.
I wouldnt want Spurrier. Im sure he would do amazing here, but he would not stick around long. I want a coach that will stay here for a decade, at least. I have heard many people asay Rodriguez would walk all the way from WV to coach here, but i am doubtful. He is a WVU alumni and is having great success there. I think Petrino would be a good choice. If he gets fired the same year Les leaves(if he does) I think he would come here.
katrina is used as an excuse way too much by some lsu fans. my only two complaints of les miles was the way the coaching staff cost us the game vs. tenn and his trip to dallas rather than game planning for georgia. like tirk said, when it's all said and done he'll be judged on championships, sec and mnc's...
I watched that entire UGA game (twice), and I don't think the lack of a plane trip to Dallas would have much difference. They handed it to us that night, much like we did to them in '03. They just weren't gonna lose. Period.
Also, it wasn't just Katrina that had an impact on the Tenn game in '05, it was also RITA. Athletes are very much creatures of habit, and disruptions to their routines often throw them way out of whack. The players were completely off of their routine for a couple of weeks with Katrina, then Rita came along and further disrupted it. It was clear how exhausted they were in the second half, and I've heard that numerous players had to come out due to muscle cramps. It's foolish to believe that such massive disruptions to their routines and then playing for, what, 10 consecutive weeks wouldn't have had an impact on those games. We didn't let UGA walk all over us because we weren't prepared (in terms of game planning), we did so because we didn't have any fuel left in the tank. If you don't believe me, just look at the stark contrast in performance between the SECCG and the Peach Bowl.
You can't substantiate that Miles trip anywhere did anything to the teams prep. We lost. It could have been for any of a bunch or reasons, or for several reasons combined, you don't know and neither does anyone. The team was tired. They didn't show up to play that night. If a coach checking out for a day would cost the team a game, then Pokey checking out before the NCAA tournament should have sunk the women this year but it didn't. The head coach was out for a week before the big game, and the assistant handled a difficult situation (much more difficult than Les flying to Dallas for a day), and they won the next couple of games. It can be done, there is NO absolute cause and effect relationship there. Can you say if Les had stayed in Atlanta we would have won that game? I don't think so. We can't go do it over, but most on this thread seem to agree with me that the trip was not the major determinant in that game.
He has 1 job longer than 3 years in the last 20 years; either he is gittin while the gittin is good or he is good enough that he is in demand, and it looks like the BYU HC (only his second job as HC) to Oregon OC is the only step backward..... In 98, his cursed third year at La. Tech, where he started this trend doing horrible as HC, 4 of his 6 L's were to schools who are perennial doormats to juggernauts like La Tech: Nebraska Central Fl TAMU Auburn http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=748627&Q_SEASON=2007 1982 BYU (student assistant) 1983-86 Snow Junior College (secondary, 1983; offensive coordinator, 1984-86) 1987 Western Illinois (passing game coordinator) 1988-90 New Hampshire (offensive coordinator) 1991-93 Boston College (quarterbacks) 1994 Georgia Tech (co-offensive coordinator) 1995-98 Louisiana Tech (offensive coordinator, 1995; head coach, 1996-98) 1999-2000 Chicago Bears (offensive coordinator) 2001-04 BYU (head coach) 2005-06 Oregon (offensive coordinator) 2007 LSU (offensive coordinator)
Miles was punked by Richt, Saban was punked by Richt. I don't agree with the Cotton Bowl lobbying whether or not it had anything to do with the outcome of the game. It was a weak move IMO.
