Rebuilding, winning on coach’s mind

Published 9:58 am Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Nothing much to hear or see here, folks, at least not from embattled LSU head coach Les Miles, whose dicey future seemingly became the biggest story in college football on Monday.

Away from the LSU football office, speculation ran rampant, the Internet was ablaze with unconfirmed reports of his demise, the story bled over into other coaches’ press conferences and ESPN2 cut into its regular programming to carry Miles’ weekly press luncheon live.

They didn’t get much.

Miles, who said he’d prefer to talk about this week’s game with Texas A&M but knew better, said he had not spoken with LSU athletic director Joe Alleva or any other department official about his future.

“The information I have is do your job as you would do it,” Miles said. “That’s something that I (accepted) when I took the job 11 years ago. If you’re asking if I’m coaching for my job, I think I’ve done that for 11 years.

Rumors have swirled since it was reported last week that he was “coaching for his job” in the final two regular season games. LSU followed with a 38-17 loss to Ole Miss. 

Outside the program Monday, ESPN reported that “there was a very good possibility” that LSU would buy out the $15 million it would owe on Miles’ contract, and that the final decision could come as quickly as Monday afternoon. 

LSU sports information Michael Bonnette quickly called that report inaccurate. 

Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde reported that LSU was “prepared” to part ways with Miles.

“They (ESPN) had me in a job not long ago, as I recall,” Miles said, “and on a plane I was not on, so …”

He was referring to a report by ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit just before the 2007 SEC championship game that Miles was leaving LSU to return to his alma mater at Michigan.

“That was completely erroneous nine (eight actually) years ago, OK?” he said. “So I’m going to work.”

Miles admitted that “I think the question is valid.”

He said he would meet with his players in advance of their regular Monday team meeting to discuss the rumors with them.

He would not share what he planned to tell them.

“At some point, you know, there is a ‘me’ in this. (But) not while I’m coaching.

“This will always be about our players and the team. I’m a separate piece. I orchestrate and … hopefully am successful. That’s the only way I know how to do it.”

Miles also said he has not considered retirement, not surprising since it would leave the school’s $15 million buyout on the table.

“I just want to get the ‘me’ out of the way as best I can,” Miles said. “I can tell you that I don’t know anything other than let’s go to work. Let’s rally the troops. Let’s enjoy the men that I’ve hired and the young men that I’ve recruited. Let’s coach them hard and let’s go get victory.”

Miles insisted it was business as close to usual as possible preparing for Texas A&M, starting with Monday’s coaches meeting.

“I think they kind of understand,” he said. “This is not about me. This is about the team. This is about preparing to beat an opponent.”

At Florida State, head coach Jimbo Fisher, a former LSU offensive coordinator who’s widely speculated to be at the top of any Tigers’ wish list if Miles is let go, declined to comment on the situation.

“I have no comment,” Fisher said about the LSU job. “I have a policy. I don’t speak about jobs. And there is no opening.”

At Oklahoma, head coach Bob Stoops, though not considered a candidate for LSU, told Mark Schlabach of EPSN of LSU that “sometimes you need to be careful what you ask for.”

Miles’ winning percentage of .775 (110-32) is the best in LSU history, he’s won two SEC titles, three West Division titles, and the 2007 national championship along with another appearance in the title game.

But in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately department, the Tigers slipped to 8-5 last year and are currently on the first three-game losing streak since 1999. 

Miles said he was confident he can get the program turned around.

“I guess what I’m telling you is you can have a flat tire for while, but here at LSU, this is an elite program. We expect to regroup and get going fast. That’s really where we are.”

For now.