OK ...Another question for the LSU fans ...?

My premise is that LSU got in restaurant reservation terms " FIRST AVAILABLE" when it hired Les Miles on Jan 3, 2004...

Pay attention and follow this and tell me if you agree... (this requires you to put your Tiger passion in the closet for a minute)

Based on what I remember and doing a bit of research when LSU hired Les Miles he was the only D-1 coach who had any "big time" experience that was available at the time he was hired...

Looking back when Saban announced he was leaving the regular season had been over for 3 weeks and you were due to play Iowa in the Capital One bowl and ESPN announced on 12/24/2004 that Saban had been offered the Miami job. Miles was named coach on 1/3/05 (after having his a$$ handed to him by the Buckeyes in the Alamo Bowl).

My point is this... overall this was really BAD timing in terms of hiring a new coach because at that particular time all the big time openings had been filled with the available talent pool...positions that were open and then filled BEFORE Miles was hired include: Notre Dame, Florida, Stanford, South Carolina, Pitt, Washington, Syracuse, Ole Miss, Marshall, Indiana, Illinois, BYU...in fact the LSU job was THE ONLY JOB OPEN IN Division 1-A football at the time of his hire.

I think you guys got the "first available" D-1 coach and obviously Saban's timing really screwed you.

It has always been my opinon that Mr. Miles (all UM ties aside) is a very average coach who never did much at Okla St, plays with Saban's talent, and will be exposed eventually...basically in over his head at LSU ...

What do the LSU faithful think ?

 

Miles went 2-2 against Oklahoma. A larger, better known, and oft times dominant team throughout the late 90's early 2000's.

Miles coached at a mid level BCS school who fought the likes of OU, and Texas for recruits, yet still managed to 3 winnings seasons after taking over a sinking ship at Oklahoma State.

Although Miles may not have been the glamorous hire, as you have already stated, Saban's timing and the available coaching pool was low, so we took the best available candidate. But...

When LSU fired Gerry DiNardo in 1999, they went out and found a relative unknown from Michigan State named Nick Saban. There were many more glamorous names out there, but our University President Mark Emerrett knew that Saban had a good game plan.

Whether or not Miles would have been hired had Saban announced earlier is only a guess, but as far as Miles is concerned, he is a solid coach, who surrounds himself with the best coordinators, and pay them well. He puts a competitive team on the field every year and in his 3 years has nailed down two top 10 recruiting class, and may have a 3rd by mid-January.

Although LSU is not wildly in love with Miles like they were with Saban, I think many have started to respect him and what he is trying to accomplish at LSU.

 

Due to timing, we missed out on some big names for sure. I didn't know much at all about Miles at the time we hired him. And to be truthful, if not for the wonderful Christmas gift St. Nick gave us <sarcasm>, he probably wouldn't be here.

Some LSU fans feel the same way.

Personally, I like him as a coach. I don't pay "much" attention to what he did at Okla St. No way he was going to win any recruiting wars out there with the Big Dogs of the Big XII. Much like Saban was at Mich. St.

People keep bringing up "winning with Saban's players" They rarely mention the fact that most of these guys saw little if any playing time under Saban. They also fail to mention that Miles' recruiting classes are every bit as good as the ones Saban brought in. And of course people quickly forget that Saban only had one season here with fewer than 3 losses, while could be Miles' 3rd straight such season. He has been nothing but successful here, winning more games than any of his predecessors ever have. We have yet to lose to a team we "had no business losing to" under Miles, like we did in the past, and we destroy the cupcakes like we're supposed to now, which wasn't always the case.

 

Although I was initially tempted to unload with both barrels and suggest you don your asbestos lined suit, I'll be gentle and attempt to respond rationally.

(1) Agree that the timing of Nick's announcement hurt us.

(2) Miles & the Cowboys beat Stoops & the Sooners twice while he was at OSU.

(3) Won with Sabans talent = bullsh*t.

(4) I'm more than satisfied with Les's record in his first 3 seasons at LSU and I think the vast majority of the LSU nation would agree with me.

(5) In over his head? Come back and tell me that on January 8th.

You want more?

 

I think the 'saban's talent' bullsnit needs to stop! Stick around for a few years and watch 'THE HAT' kick ass with players that he recruits. I think he is a great coach. The only thing I find wrong with him is that he needs to discipline the players a bit more. Other than that...FEAR THE DAMN HAT!!!

 

What (if anything) Miles lacks in coaching ability is more that compensated by sheer guts and faith in his players....and in his players faith in him...if it were not for his play calling against florida on 4th downs we may have lost that game..not to mention the great calls on special teams.

Also Miles has a great supporting cast at LSU, co-ordinators to equipment managers are top notch.. Yeah some of our fortune is due to nick saban recruits but there are some of Les's guys making plays as well..and next year they will have even more of a role!

 

I think Miles was responsible for Demetrius Byrd being here, if I'm not mistaken.

That's all I'm sayin'.

 

First and fore most CLM is the perfect coach for LSU.

He has only lost 6 games in 3 years in the strongest conference in college football.

He has no OOC losses

The first coach in LSU history to post back to back to back 11 win seasons.

Two blow out bowl game wins.
He has an SEC Championship and will soon have a MNC :crystal:


If this is a very average coaches resume' then there are several average coaches in the SEC that is considered by many to have the best across the board coaches in college football. :huh:

 

if by exposed you mean losing 41-14 then no, Miles has never lost by that big of a margin at LSU.

however Les did win his BCS bowl game by that same score you got skull ****** soon after. Someone was exposed and it wasn't les.


your conference and Notre Dame if there were still any doubters remaining.

 

Others have already covered much of what I think about your question. I would add, that if indeed the timing was such that a big name wasn't available when Miles got the offer, well thank God if that made if possible for LSU to avoid a train wreck like Charlie Weis. (Not that he ever had an interest in LSU)

I hope that Miles has taken a look at what can happen when you go back to your alma mater the way Weis has, and realized what a great situation he has. As for his coaching, yeah, his team makes a lot of silly mistakes, but the intensity and passion he brings to his job are inspiring, and his kids will run through a wall for him. That counts for a lot.