Les Miles celebrated several victories Saturday night, then revealed a few of his emotions as rumors swirled about his future at LSU. Late in the game a boisterous crowd, in watching LSU snap a three-game losing streak to SEC West foes, chanted, “Les Miles!”. Just take a look at these faces as athletic director Joe Alleva announced that Miles was being retained.
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“I want to make it very clear Les Miles is our football coach, and will remain our football coach”, said Alleva.
Miles entered Tiger Stadium more than two hours before kickoff to a roar from a small group of students already in the stands.
“It’s great to be the head coach at LSU”, Miles said after Alleva addressed reporters.
Fournette finished with 1,741 rushing yards in the regular season, eclipsing the 1977 LSU season record of 1,686 by Charles Alexander.
“I’m motivated by my team and my family”, Miles said.
Leading 13-7, the Tigers went to their star on the game’s biggest play. “I’m glad he’s my coach and I’m looking forward to keep playing for him”. The Tigers have covered kicks more effectively in recent weeks, but they were atrocious in that department in the first half of the season.
When the Tigers finally produced a big play to take a 13-7 lead, it came on Guice’s long run.
Whether you’re on the side of those who wanted to see Miles stay, or on the side that wanted him sent packing and headed on the next flight out of Baton Rouge, there’s no way as a LSU fan that you didn’t get the least bit misty-eyed over one of the more memorable moments in recent LSU football history.
Les Miles keeping his job is good for college football. Domingue then missed a 25-yard field goal off the left upright, and LSU left with nothing. Domingue followed with third miss of the night, this time on a 46 yard attempt that sailed wide right. The Tigers scored just 16.5 points per game in four November contests and statistics indicate that sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris regressed as the season continued.
LSU players didn’t find out until word began circulating about Alleva’s announcement.
“We were on the quarterback at all times”, said LSU Defensive End Lewis Neal. Its defense held A&M to a mere 250 total yards. Most of his completions came on check downs to running backs, including a critical third-down swing pass to Leonard Fournette for a 17-yard gain that sustained the Tigers’ final scoring drive. Words were scribbled next to it: “Miles’ last stand. Hell of a coach”.
Now, Miles will get a chance to coach his team in another bowl game and focus on next season. “Do we want to consider change?”
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Decision-makers at the school, the source told Schad, felt that the media had swayed the public and that a decision to remove Miles would have been perceived as mean-spirited because he had become a sympathetic figure.
