The LSU football team will play its final regular season game against Texas A&M University at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Stadium. It will be Senior Night for 14 seniors listed on the roster, a bittersweet moment for most players in their final year of eligibility.
But it may also be bittersweet for a completely different reason — a giant elephant on the field no Tiger can ignore.
After nearly 11 years in Baton Rouge, the face of the program might receive his own Death Valley send off, and it won’t be by his own accord. This weekend could be the final time Les Miles wears a snug white cap and a headset as the LSU coach.
For sophomore receiver John Diarse, who is most worried about ending the slump, the possibility of a coaching change is an odd feeling that is difficult to prepare for.
“It does seem kind of weird, seeing as he’s been here so long,” Diarse said. “The same thing kind of happened with coach [Steve] Spurrier at South Carolina. Whoever would have thought he would have resigned? It’s a weird thing. It’s not something that you expect to happen. It’s kind out of blue. We just got to deal with when the time comes.”
After three straight losses and his coaching future clearly in doubt, the man with highest winning percentage in program history is preparing the same way he has for the last 142 games in purple and gold.
Put simply, he said he’s just going to do his job, focusing on his team and the upcoming opponent.
“This will always be about our players and the team,” Miles said. “I’m a separate piece. I orchestrate and move with, and hopefully I’m successful. That’s the only way I know how to do it.”
The best of times, a 2007 BCS national championship under his direction and two Southeastern Conference championships, have been masked by the toughest of times, a 19-12 record in Southeastern Conference play since 2012, including five straight losses to Alabama.
Even after a 7-0 start, an emerging Heisman Trophy favorite and a No. 2 ranking the initial College Football Playoff poll, crippling defeats to the Crimson Tide, Arkansas and Ole Miss have disrupted postseason goals or any appearance of confidence.
Now, the Tigers and Miles are just trying to rid themselves of the taste of defeat, something senior linebacker Lamar Louis never thought would last this long.
“Those three losses are forever going to hurt, given the season we were having,” Louis said. “But, like I said, it’s all about winning. It’s all about wins. You try to go out and win these last two. That’s the only thing on our minds. That’s the only thing that will soothe us a little bit.”
When distractions seem endless, LSU players have continued to express support for Miles but said their focus isn’t on their coach’s future, per his request.
“That’s not our situation,” said redshirt freshman William Clapp. “We know coach Miles as a man. He’s our guy, and we love him. He worries about us and that’s what we love about him. He’s not only our football coach, but he also worries about us as men, teaching us life after football. Whatever happens — we don’t know anything — but it’s just how it is.”
On top of a tumultuous month for Miles and his team, when all three losses came by double digits, a struggling LSU offense turns its attention to an opposing defense coached by a familiar face — former LSU and now current Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis.
Chavis, who quickly left the program following LSU’s loss to Notre Dame in last year’s Music City Bowl, led three top-10 total defenses in his six years with the Tigers, including a No. 8 finish last season. While Chavis is still in litigation against LSU over a contract dispute, Tigers defenders understand the business nature of college football, even if “Chief’s” departure was unannounced shocker.
“It will be interesting,” said junior linebacker Kendell Beckwith. “I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait, really. It should be fun.”
Despite the Chavis story line, multiple factors could add to an emotional night for seniors like Louis or fellow linebacker Deion Jones, who were fans of LSU before they were players. But they knew their collegiate career would eventually come to an end.
Miles, who does not plan to retire, did not.
“I think the stability in LSU,” Miles said. “Being the head coach and giving leadership here and allowing my family to enjoy the opportunities of the community and the enjoyment of Louisiana has just been rich to our family.
“It’s given us insight to people and different areas. This is home.”