I have no idea if Les Miles is or isn’t coaching for his job the next two weekends because I’m not Joe Alleva, and I’m not some big-money booster.
Although I can understand the growing frustration with Miles, the idea that his LSU career is on the line right now, with a 7-2 record this season, baffles me.
He’s a proven winner. A 110-31 record doesn’t really need much context, but in case it does, that means Miles has won 78 percent of the games he’s coached at LSU. Not bad.
“Jack, most of those victories came against rent-a-win opponents.”
OK fine, let’s see how Miles fared against Southeastern Conference opponents. I think that 60-26 regular season record against foes from the greatest conference to ever exist looks just fine.
“But Jack, most of those wins came at the front end of Miles’ tenure. Those numbers have nosedived the last few seasons.”
Because many LSU fans would think that what happened against the University of Alabama on Jan. 9, 2012, brought the program back to the stone age, let’s see what the Tigers have done under Miles since then.
LSU’s overall record since losing in the BCS National Championship Game is 35-13, and its SEC record is 19-11. Those figures might not be as impressive as what Miles did early on, but they’re nothing to turn your nose up at.
Fans of most teams would do anything to have the Tigers’ success from the last few years, while many LSU fans would have you believe what has happened in Baton Rouge the last three or four seasons is a flat out failure.
I’m not here to blindly defend Miles. His seat should be getting a little warm. He has one of the best coaching jobs in the country, and this will be the fourth straight season he’s gone without appearing in the SEC Championship Game.
But if Miles’ seat is as piping hot as The Advocate’s Scott Rabalais reported, I don’t find that fair.
Before the season, most LSU fans I talked to didn’t expect to make the College Football Playoff. They didn’t expect to win the SEC. I don’t think many LSU fans even expected the Tigers to win their own division.
I saw a three-loss season predicted so many times in August I actually had to stop reading season previews. I continuously heard LSU fans say “2016 is the Tigers’ year.”
So why is everybody crying “fire Miles” after two rough games? Next year is supposed to be “the year,” right?
I have a hard time seeing LSU lose both of its remaining games, which would mean the Tigers have three losses at most heading into their bowl game.
Three losses before the bowl game is pretty much in line with almost every preseason projection I saw.
When I really analyze things, I don’t think this LSU team is underachieving.
However, I think 2016’s team might be the most talented Miles has had since 2011. I hope he gets the chance to prove he can get it done with next year’s group.
Now, if LSU doesn’t get to Atlanta next year, it’s worth talking about a change.
But wanting to get rid of Miles after two bad losses when hardly anyone saw his team as a legitimate contender a few months ago, forget about it.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.