The LSU Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to LSU football coach Les Miles’ contract on Friday, giving Miles his first raise in nearly five years.
Retroactively effective to Jan. 1, Miles will now make $4.3 million annually, a 15 percent increase from his previous $3.75 million yearly wage.
The new deal makes Miles the fourth-highest paid coach in college football.
“When you study Les’ body of work over the last eight years, he has run a high-quality program that is one of the top in the country,” LSU athletic director Joe Alleva told the Board. “And all indications say we’re going to stay there, including another great recruiting class soon and consistent winning. That is why I recommend this amendment to Coach Miles’ contract.”
The amendment also extends Miles’ contract by two years through 2019, and was agreed upon in principle back in December, shortly after Arkansas pursued Miles for its open head coaching position.
But much like he’s done twice to Michigan, his alma mater, Miles reportedly spurned any Arkansas interest and reworked his deal with LSU.
The two previous amendments to Miles’ contracts came after Michigan pursued Miles, once in December 2007 and again in January 2011.
LSU won the BCS National Championship a month after Michigan’s first pursuit, leading to Miles’ recent $3.751 million salary via a contractually stipulated raise.
The second affair brought no raise, but LSU did enhance Miles’ bonus opportunies to a possible $700,000 per year. That amendment was approved in August 2011.
This time, with three straight 10-win seasons and a 2011 Southeastern Conference title in tow, Miles earned an unprompted raise for the first time in his eight years at LSU.
While the Board of Supervisors was largely in favor, some University faculty expressed concern.
Several spoke, not begrudging Miles his money, but imploring the Board to show a similar commitment to the academic side of the University while citing a lack of even cost-of-living raises for most staffers since 2008.
“The Board is aware, perhaps painfully aware, of the financial stress our faculty and staff have faced,” Board of Supervisors chairman Garret Danos said during the meeting. “… We’ve committed ourselves to looking at an organizational structure and vision that can meet the needs of our constituents.”
But those pleas didn’t impact the Board’s decision, which cemented Miles as the fifth coach in college football to make more than $4 million.
Miles is 85-21 in eight seasons at LSU and has more SEC wins (47) than any other coach since he arrived in Baton Rouge.
He is the second-winningest coach in LSU football history, trailing only Charles McClendon.
