A good morning to reflect on college football

[-ammo-]

I'm with Plazus.  It's ridiculous.  If they did hire Briles (like Ammo talked about), they would do fine because Briles, too, is a great coach; but it would be very satisfying to see LSU fall flat on its face for some years to come.

8 win seasons doesn't cut it with LSU MGMT and fanbase. If you are not competing for NCs, you are out after a while.  Miles would not have lasted at Bama more than 4 years.


I wish the best for the man, but this is a tough business and you can't be buddy-buddy with the staff and players when they are not giving 100+%.  That is what Miles did, and Mike Shula for that matter.


edit - meant to quote Brooke's Miles post but I failed..

[Brooke]

Very few teams compete repeatedly for national championships.  It is exceedingly rare.

Also, in terms of national championships in the past 10 years, Les Miles is in 3rd place behind only Saban and Meyer.

I think that they fired a top-tier coach.

[-ammo-]

Very few teams compete repeatedly for national championships.  It is exceedingly rare.

Also, in terms of national championships in the past 10 years, Les Miles is in 3rd place behind only Saban and Meyer.

I think that they fired a top-tier coach.

Maybe some other team will benefit and hire Miles then??  Hey, he is what 65'ish and still prime?  We will see.

[-ammo-]

Very few teams compete repeatedly for national championships.  It is exceedingly rare.

Also, in terms of national championships in the past 10 years, Les Miles is in 3rd place behind only Saban and Meyer.

I think that they fired a top-tier coach.

To clarify Brooke, I agree it is rare to achieve a NC.  What should a LSU program shoot for?  What should a Michigan program strive for?  Would a OSU, Michigan, MSU...USC be happy with an 8 win season and an invite to the cheddars bowl?  I doubt that!

[Brooke]

Maybe some other team will benefit and hire Miles then??  Hey, he is what 65'ish and still prime?  We will see.

There are lots of teams out there, and very few have coaches with his track record.  I suppose it will depend on whether or not he wants to retire.  He's a lot younger than our two presidential candidates. 

[-ammo-]

There are lots of teams out there, and very few have coaches with his track record.  I suppose it will depend on whether or not he wants to retire.  He's a lot younger than our two presidential candidates. 

You know exactly what I am saying.  Let's just say for the moment, which team hires him? 


in 2016, Les's team(s) have more NFL drafted players than any other school.  He couldn't capitalize on that talent.

[Brooke]

To clarify Brooke, I agree it is rare to achieve a NC.  What should a LSU program shoot for?  What should a Michigan program strive for?  Would a OSU, Michigan, MSU...USC be happy with an 8 win season and an invite to the cheddars bowl?  I doubt that!

You are right -- they wouldn't be happy with 8-win seasons.  But here are Miles' last 10 seasons.  Only 2 of them are 8-win seasons.  Only 4 of them are 8-9 win seasons.

2005    LSU    11–2, W Peach
2006    LSU    11–2, W Sugar
2007    LSU    12–2, W BCS NCG
2008    LSU    8–5, W Chick-fil-A       
2009    LSU    9–4, L Capital One
2010    LSU    11–2, W Cotton
2011    LSU    13–1, L BCS NCG
2012    LSU    10–3, L Chick-fil-A
2013    LSU    10–3, W Outback
2014    LSU    8–5, L Music City       
2015    LSU    9–3, W Texas

There is randomness in football as well as talent.   The last time Miles had a couple back-to-back 8-9 win seasons (2008, 2009), the next four seasons were quite good, with one of those being playing for national championship.

Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr at Michigan had more 9-or-less win seasons as a percentage than Miles.  Miles had a higher percentage of bowl wins than Bo or Carr.

If LSU doesn't get someone like Briles, it might go through a couple of coaches nowhere near as good as Miles before they get someone as good.

[Brooke]

You know exactly what I am saying.  Let's just say for the moment, which team hires him?

I don't know which places.  But I think there would be several places that would be glad to have him.  He is one of the top-10 coaches; he is one of the top-10 recruiters; he has one of the top coaching records; he is a big name in football; he would bring a lot of attention to any program he goes to that would translate into media attention and money.

Michigan totally lucked out and got Harbaugh, and he's the perfect Michigan choice, but back when Harbaugh was not available, there were folks who thought it was crazy not to try for Miles.  The reason why not had, it is rumored, more to do with some long-ago bad blood than ability.

[-ammo-]

You are right -- they wouldn't be happy with 8-win seasons.  But here are Miles' last 10 seasons.  Only 2 of them are 8-win seasons.  Only 4 of them are 8-9 win seasons.

2005    LSU    11–2, W Peach
2006    LSU    11–2, W Sugar
2007    LSU    12–2, W BCS NCG
2008    LSU    8–5, W Chick-fil-A       
2009    LSU    9–4, L Capital One
2010    LSU    11–2, W Cotton
2011    LSU    13–1, L BCS NCG
2012    LSU    10–3, L Chick-fil-A
2013    LSU    10–3, W Outback
2014    LSU    8–5, L Music City       
2015    LSU    9–3, W Texas

There is randomness in football as well as talent.   The last time Miles had a couple back-to-back 8-9 win seasons (2008, 2009), the next four seasons were quite good, with one of those being playing for national championship.

Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr at Michigan had more 9-or-less win seasons as a percentage than Miles.  Miles had a higher percentage of bowl wins than Bo or Carr.

If LSU doesn't get someone like Briles, it might go through a couple of coaches nowhere near as good as Miles before they get someone as good.

You gotta understand, the fact that Saban coaches at Bama eats at them.  They beat Bama in the regular season and right or wrong, faced, and lost, to Bama in the NCG is still on their minds.  It's not altogether about the math, it is about who you are on a given day

[Hajo]

When the Alumni aren't pleased the Coach is gone.  It's more a matter of money then anything else.  Biggest donors to any college are the alumni.

Football brings in more money to Colleges then anything else.  Football mostly subsidizes other sports programs like swimming, women's volleyball etc.

When a football program starts bringing in less money common sense goes out the window.  They don't have to be losing money just brining in fewer dollars.

Another fact the Alumni have the biggest influence on hiring/firing a Coach.  That doesn't mean that the Alumni by any stretch are thinking rationally.

Their pride is temporarily taking a hit and it becomes emotional instead of rational.  It's what have you done for me lately.  Unless you're Saban or Meyer

your coaching job will be temporary unless you are EXTREMELY successful.  Right now they are the only two Coaches whose job is secure.

Tom Hermann would be my choice at LSU.  He was Meyers offensive Coach at OSU, which enabled him to get the job at Houston.  He is going to be a very good Coach where ever he goes.

Bank on it!

[-ammo-]

If you go over to tigerdroppings.com, the bet is on Herman.  I wouldn't bet against you Hajo:)

[NatCigg]

How many more losing seasons will the buckeyes sit around?  If urban does not make the final four soon he will be taking tough questions.

Just saying.  You know everyone is jacked up, and you know pride comes before the fall.

[Masherbrum]

Urban Meyer isn't going anywhere.   Food for thought, Bo never won a NC and was around 5-12 in bowls, if memory serves me correctly.   He won Big 10 championships and the fanbase/boosters/alumni were content with it.

Urban will remain there a while because like Bo, as long as you are winning conference championships and beating Michigan, the fan base is happy.   Of course everyone wants a NC, but these two states are a different microcosm within college football. 

LSU will soon see why they made a bad decision in letting Les Miles go. 

[NatCigg]

Time will tell.  Osu must go to Wisconsin and MSU.  also play Nebraska and Michigan.

Some good defense and some turnovers...next the clock is gone.  Big Ten football.

[Nathan60]

I don't know which places.  But I think there would be several places that would be glad to have him.  He is one of the top-10 coaches; he is one of the top-10 recruiters; he has one of the top coaching records; he is a big name in football; he would bring a lot of attention to any program he goes to that would translate into media attention and money.

Michigan totally lucked out and got Harbaugh, and he's the perfect Michigan choice, but back when Harbaugh was not available, there were folks who thought it was crazy not to try for Miles.  The reason why not had, it is rumored, more to do with some long-ago bad blood than ability.

Mo's wife is what I heard.