On Friday, there were even conflicting reports about comments Miles made to the LSU booster club.
Advertisement
LSU Athletics Director, Joe Alleva, announced that Les Miles would continue to be the head coach of the Tigers moving forward, after LSU’s 19-7 win on Saturday night.
Did Miles really do anything that could be considered so egregious that he deserved to get the ax after one of the most successful coaching tenures in NCAA history? Good for Les Miles and good for college football.
After being rolled for 1,306 yards, 99 points and 12 touchdowns in their previous three games – all double-digit losses – the Tigers rose up on an emotional night and played lights out in their regular-season finale against Texas A&M. A 38-17 loss at Ole Miss followed last week.
Miles spoke candidly at his post-game press conference about the last few weeks, coaching with the constant questions about his future. “For that to happen, there would have had to have been a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors”.
“Hey, Ted. How you doing babe?” the surprised but giddy coach responded. “My policy has always been to wait until the end of the season before saying anything about our coaches”.
“I want to make it very clear that Les Miles is our football coach and he’ll continue to be our football coach”, Alleva said. I have talked with coach Miles about our program. “We are committed together to working together and competing at the highest level”.
Early in the fourth quarter, LSU engineered a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took 8:11 off the clock and ended with Fournette’s 4-yard score.
As quarterback Brandon Harris took a knee to ice the Tigers’ win, “Keep Les Miles!” reigned down from the crowd.
Kyle Allen passed for 161 yards and one touchdown for the Aggies (8-4, 4-4), but had a pass intercepted by Donte Jackson inside the final 2 minutes, all but sealing LSU’s victory.
LSU’s frustrations on offense were encapsulated by the opening possession of the second half, which began on the A&M 25 after Derrius Guice’s long kickoff return in which he broke more than a half-dozen tackles before finally getting pushed out of bounds. The Tigers have been on a downward trend since the 2012 National Championship game, in which the Alabama Crimson Tide demolished the Tigers 21-0. “It’s a joy”, said Miles.
“There’s not a serious overhaul (to be done) because the motor seems to be pretty stinking strong”, Miles asserted.
Advertisement
Miles may not have realized what Castillo said, but the Mad Hatter’s valiance throughout his career-both on and off the field-has left him victorious once again. The Tigers have covered kicks more effectively in recent weeks, but they were atrocious in that department in the first half of the season.
