Les Miles Love Letter to Baton Rouge

When Dwight Eisenhower was president, he was frequently criticized for not being able to give a clear and concise answer. His intelligence was questioned. This was the man who engineered the largest amphibious landing in history, who was able to maneuver between diplomats and politicians of two countries, and manage egomaniacs like Montgomery and Patton.

It was only later that the pundits realized that Eisenhower CHOSE to obfuscate. It prevented his opponents from knowing what he was going to do and kept his options open. I believe Les is much the same. Upon occasion, when he believes the situation requires it, he can approach eloquence when speaking off the cuff.

However, it is also possible that he has an expressive language disorder. I don’t think this is the case, but, even if he does, learning disabilities have no correlation with intelligence. You can be a genius and still have an LD.

 

Agree with the BP post above. I can write fairly well if given time and a subject matter that interests me. Put me on the spot with a mic and national audience though and I probably sound like I belong on a short bus.

 

And so the great question of why Lee never went in is answered. A god damned bobble head made the call. Jesus H. Christmas

 

Hero? Like I said before, off the field. Most of their problems are off the field.
You posted about coaching 3-4 years then moving into the AD job. The same folks that wouldn't want him at HFC, wouldn't want him at AD.
Right now the big dog in the state is Mich St, kind of like the big dog in the state of Tx is no longer UT, A&M has taken that spot.
Les would have to rebuild the football program, and fight the internals of the Athletic Department. Oh yea, many would want Les, along with bring a Chief, Cam, Peveto, Wilson, Brick, etc. Some up there would rather fight the system to get their guy or just someone else in as HFC.

Look at what happened at UT, some wanted Mack to stay, some wanted him to move. Mack had clout, he knew nick was making waves about taking the job, nick wanted it quick and fast, one quick move. Mack kept dragging his feet, the press was getting word and asking nick, we've seen this one before. nick backed down, then UT was left looking for a coach. Some wants Strong, some do not. First big loss, will be an, "I told you so," moment.

I often talk about a good fit with coaches, Mich. will have to look real hard for that guy that fits and can somewhat satisfy most everyone, gonna be tough. Les is a good fit at most places, right now Mich, might not be one of those fits.

 

Tap, whats so hard about this one to figure out. Same with this year, 4 teams will play, the winner is NC. Oh a them that finished 5th or 6th might think they are better, so what, everyone agrees this is the system now and you play by those rules.

Kind of like 1984, BYU beats a 6-6 Mich in a bowl game to end up #1?

 

I understand Tap, but rebuilding is something that Les might not want to tackle at this time in his life. Like I said about some coaches thinking outside of football, Les is one of those.

 

A little more with Les..


Miles made his promise in interview years ago
9/3/2014 6:00:00 AM


By GLENN GUILBEAU
Tiger Rag Featured Columnist
HOUSTON – The Les Miles era at LSU all started about three hours from here in San Antonio, Texas, at the JW Marriott hotel.

It began its 10th year Saturday night at NRG Stadium as the Tigers escaped a disastrous start and 24-7 deficit in the third quarter to beat Wisconsin 28-24.

No sweat, right?

Miles was dressed in sweatpants as he had just finished a practice with his Oklahoma State team in preparation for the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29, 2004, against Ohio State, when he sat in a hotel conference room with then-LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman and LSU Board of Supervisors members Stanley Jacobs of New Orleans and Charles Weems of Alexandria.

Miles, then 51, may not have been dressed for success, but he oozed it as he had the Cowboys in their third straight bowl after inheriting a program before the 2001 season that had experienced one bowl season in the dozen previous seasons before his arrival. He had also twice slayed the hated Oklahoma in 2001 and ’02, and had interviewed for the Alabama job before the 2003 season. His star was rising.

"I remember he was in his sweats,” Weems, an attorney in Alexandria who still usually travels with the Tigers, chuckled last week from his home. "But he did great in the interview. He came across as such a personable guy and is as everybody knows. He was an easy interview — great to talk to. And he gave the right answers to everything we asked. He said he knew that LSU could continue to win big. And we all liked what he had done at Oklahoma State.”

Miles was not LSU’s first choice to replace Nick Saban, who would be leaving to coach the NFL’s Miami Dolphins after guiding the Tigers against Iowa in the Jan. 1, 2005, Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Bertman, Jacobs and Weems had already interviewed Louisville coach Bobby Petrino in Memphis while his team was at the Liberty Bowl, talked to Arkansas coach Houston Nutt in Dallas and attempted to talk to then-NFL head coach Jack Del Rio of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But Del Rio pulled out and pulled over at the last minute while driving to Orlando when he learned his contract barred such interviews. And Weems and the late Richard Gill, a former president of the Tiger Athletic Foundation and president of the Shaw Group in Baton Rouge at the time, interviewed LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher in Orlando.

But Miles was LSU’s final answer.

"He gave the perfect answer to a question I asked,” Weems said.

Weems and LSU’s search committee were concerned with the Michigan factor. Miles had played offensive guard at Michigan under legendary coach Bo Schembechler in the mid-1970s and coached under him and under Schembechler’s successor, Gary Moeller, early in his coaching career. Miles, an Elyria, Ohio, native, even talked like Schembechler, a Barberton, Ohio, native.

Weems asked him: What if Michigan called after he was at LSU?

"I’ll never forget what he said,” Weems said. "He had that twinkle in his eye as he often does and said, ‘Why would anybody leave LSU to go to Michigan?’ I knew we had our guy.”

Miles did not get the offer right there, and a 33-7 loss to Ohio State in the Alamo Bowl did not hurt his chances.

"We went back to Baton Rouge and talked about it,” Weems said. "We were all blown away by him. Skip called Les a few days later and offered him the job.”

That was on New Year’s Eve 2004. Miles accepted, and the news broke late that night and early on New Year’s Day before and during the Tigers’ 30-25 loss to Iowa.

Michigan, at the time, was at its second straight Rose Bowl under Coach Lloyd Carr, who had won just his fifth Big Ten title and had won the national championship in 1997. But LSU had just won the 2003 national title, and Saban had signed No. 1 recruiting classes in 2003 and 2004. National championship talent was waiting on the next LSU coach.

"Les knew what we all expected and what Nick’s performance in five years had proven,” Weems said. "And that was if a coach did what he needed to do in recruiting and coaching, LSU could be a monster. Les had seen what Nick had done and thought he could continue to win big, which he has. We just saw him as a great fit.”

Miles went 11-2 in each of his first two seasons, then won the national championship at 12-2 in the 2007 season. And along the way that year, he turned down interest from Michigan, canceling an interview that had been set up for the week after the Tigers’ victory over Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. Michigan later hired Rich Rodriguez.

After two seasons of 8-5 and 9-4, Miles was back at 11-2 in 2010 and turned down an offer to coach Michigan following that season, according to LSU board member Stanley Jacobs and other sources. Michigan then hired Brady Hoke.

Miles reached another national championship game as the 8-0 Southeastern Conference champions in 2011 at 13-0, but lost to Alabama and Saban, who had left the Dolphins after two average seasons.

Miles entered the 2014 season as one of the nation’s most successful coaches at 95-24 overall at LSU, with a 52-20 record in the SEC.

"He has been everything we could’ve wanted,” Weems said. "Other than a few glitches here and there that have been magnified mainly because of the coach he followed, he has been great. We couldn’t ask for more. He really fit in instantly, and I feel has continued to get better and better. He is more comfortable now and I believe will continue to win big.”