Great information, and leads right into a point I want to make. This upcoming off season and season will be great defining moments in the character and strength of CLM. We know he can take a down program and make them relevant, as he did with OK State, we know he can manage a great program and keep it on its path for a couple of years, but can he bounce back after he has allowed the same great program to slip from greatness. Can he fix his mess? This will be the challenge that proves how great of a coach he is. When he does this, and he will it will solidify his staying power at LSU. Pointing to the one thing all the coaches you're pointing out have in common, they were/are at their programs for a very long time.
Sure about that? Seems many here don't know that. People said the same thing when he lost Russell. The same thing when he won the SECC. And then the same thing when he won the NC. Truth is, many here suffer from the "love the backup QB" syndrome, and that extends to the head coach. Also helps you to forget some of the deficiencies of the last coach, and just focus on the ones in the current coach. Threads like this are never gonna stop while Miles is here, regardless of how many games he wins. If he goes undefeated next year, but loses 2 games the following year, the same people will dog him out. Point being, expectations are beyond unreasonable. The bitching doesn't stop when we win, it just gets louder when we lose. There is no reasoning with these people.
I could call you a lot of names, as you did me, but you already know your shortcomings. Other than the ad hominem attacks, yours is actually a decent post. Your list of coaches who had down years and came back to win championships is good. Most, however, coached in a different era, when college football was about as popular as high school football is today and fans weren't so demanding. In 2008, for better or for worse, college football is a business, and the motto is What Have You Done for Me Lately? Also, there are countless more examples of coaches who had good years, then had a bad year and never recovered. You don't cite any of those, but I'll cite one: Gerry Dinardo: 1995 (7-4-1) 1996 (10-2) 1997 (9-3) 1998 (4-7) 1999 (3-8) By your rationale, LSU should have kept Gerry D around a few more years. I think most Tiger fans would disagree with you, though.
In this day and age in college football, would a coach be allowed the time to "turn it around"? Those four lackluster seasons for Bear Bryant in the late 60's, for instance, would likely have gotten him fired in the current coaching climate. Many have been calling for Paterno's head, as well. I hope that Coach Miles rights the ship, but as TheDude pointed out, Miles has been unduly criticized since he arrived in Baton Rouge. Why people cannot get past Nick Saban, I'm not sure, but the critics, though silenced for a while the past year, are back in full force with this year's disappointing season.
Miles certainly CAN right the ship. I have my doubts about whether he will or not, though. I see the same thing in this team that I've seen every year since Miles has been the coach. The difference between this team and past teams is leadership on the field. I think Dorsey, Flynn, Hester, Doucet, ect. were able to overcome some of Miles' shortcomings as a coach and keep some of the loose cannons in check. The loose cannons are now our leaders on the field and that's scary. Jefferson has a lot of promise and my question is why wasn't he playing earlier. Just from what I've seen, he couldn't have been worse than Lee and there's a good chance he would have been much better than Lee. The defense, though, that's another story. There's no inexperience to blame it on. Maybe in the secondary, but that doesn't explain the poorly performing defensive line and linebackers. The people on this thread just stirring are probably taking it a bit far, but some LSU fans don't see the problems as being as serious as they should.
I too hope CLM can get it going, but the lack of leadership, discipline and player development were evident this year. The circus stunts after plays on defense have got to go. Watching LSU Friday and Bama on Saturday were reason enough to know WHY people can't get past Nick $aban. Bama played with fire while LSU played school yard ball. I guess getting beat in triple OT last year was not enough to want to win this game. Very Sad!
Any coach can be let go with back-to-back losing seasons, especially a 4-win-season followed by a 2-win season. A 7 or 8-win season, however disappointing is a winning season and all schools have them from time to time. Les still averages over 10 wins a season at LSU. Big difference.
Look, I'm not saying fire the guy this year. I'm predicting that he's won his last championship (Division, Conference, National) at LSU and will be lucky to last through 2010. :milesmic:
LSU should win at least the SEC West over the next three years. Too much talent coming in...... If not then I would agree they should show Les the door but I predict they will be much more likely to end up naming a building after him.:grin:
