After weeks of speculation and belief that he would be fired, LSU announced that Les Miles would remain the football coach after the team’s win over Texas A&M on Saturday night. Miles said Alexander told him, “I want you to be our coach”. LSU Board of Supervisors member Stanley Jacobs, the vice-chairman of the athletic committee, became the first LSU official to publicly back Miles as Alleva and others have been silent about Miles’ future since stories of his demise were leaked out shortly after the Tigers fell to 7-2 on November 14 with a 31-14 loss to unranked Arkansas.
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The Aggies turned the ball over three times, Chavis’ unit allowed the Tigers to gain 244 yards on the ground, and Texas A&M dropped its regular-season finale, 19-7 on Saturday night.
More important: They know who their coach is. LSU’s administration has declined comment on Miles’ status, fueling speculation that his days roaming Death Valley’s home sideline are ending after 11 seasons.
“King Alexander came up and said, ‘I want you to be our coach, ‘ ” Miles said. Somewhere in the middle of a three hour plus Les Miles lovefest, a football game was played. “We have talked about this program, and we are committed together to work and compete at the highest level”. “We’re going to go forward and win championships here at LSU”.
“I agree with Joe”, Miles said and later added that he would consider staff changes.
As for Alleva? Not so much.
When the times to beat Saban has mattered the most, Miles has been unable to get the job done, plain and simple.
LSU head coach Les Miles celebrates after an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015. I am right with him.
Also watch post-game interviews with LSU players: RB Leonard Fournette, WR Malachi Dupre, LB Kendell Beckwith, DT Christian LaCouture, DE Lewis Neal, and OT Vadal Alexander. It was fashioned to a table.
When that was done, Miles gushed about his players’ performance, the support of the fans, and his love for LSU. Public address announcer Dan Borne welcomed Miles to the field, eliciting a booming cheer from more than 80,000 at Tiger Stadium.
Whether you believe that Miles won that title because of his outstanding job of coaching a talented group of young men to the pinnacle achievement of their young adult lives, or if you just think he got lucky by inheriting Saban’s leftovers, is a moot point. “Hell of a man”.
The question is whether Miles can ultimately escape the same fate as former LSU coach Charlie McClendon, whose 137 victories is the most in school history. “I hope he remains our coach”. “He leads this team to a bowl game and to another great recruiting class”. They chanted Miles’ name as he waved to them.
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Meanwhile, LSU athletic director Joe Alleva, cast as Miles’ executioner by media reports for two weeks, was booed when a video tape of him welcoming fans to Tiger Stadium was played on the large video boards before the game.
