LSU's firing of Les Miles ends an era of old-school coaches in SEC
Nick Saban, in his 10th season at defending-champion Alabama, is now the most tenured coach in the SEC.
Just a season ago, Saban was only fifth on that list because Steve Spurrier was still at South Carolina, Gary Pinkel was still at Missouri and Mark Richt was still at Georgia. Les Miles was still at LSU, too.
But Saban became the top face on the totem pole Sunday, as Miles was handed his walking papers in Baton Rouge. After 11-plus years, 114 wins and a national championship in 2007, the Mad Hatter wore out his welcome with the Tigers. His team had gone from a preseason No. 5 ranking to out of the polls in four weeks.
Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen, now in his eighth season, is second on the list. Every other coach is at five years or fewer.
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With so many coaches in Years 1-4, they still have players on their rosters originally recruited and signed by their predecessors. Including redshirts, it takes half a decade to flush a full cycle through these programs.
Miles had no shortage of talent with the Bayou Bengals. According to the composite rankings at 247Sports, he welcomed the No. 3 class in the country this past February — only Alabama and Florida State were ahead of him. But while the Crimson Tide and Seminoles remain national powers, LSU is slipping.
Saban is probably the best defensive strategist in the country, while Fisher is certainly one of the nation’s premier offensive minds.
As for Miles (below), he simply wasn’t turning all those athletes into players. His offense was barely better than South Carolina’s and Vanderbilt’s. His defense was off to a strong start, but it wasn’t Alabama’s or Florida’s.
Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Most of all, at a time when the quarterback position has never been more important, the Tigers are dead last in the SEC throwing the football. Brandon Harris made zero improvement before getting benched. Danny Etling didn’t ignite the offense, either. It’s fair to suggest that the coaching they received was lacking.
Nevertheless, it’s still hard to say goodbye to Miles. With so many robots on the sideline these days, he actually had personality.
It’s been a mixed response from Bayou Bengal fans. The irrational types shouted a collective “good riddance.” The more educated at least took the time to say “thank you.” Both groups believe change was necessary, though.
LSU is a Top 10 job in the profession. Big money, elite recruits, brand awareness — every box is checked. The aforementioned Fisher will be a candidate. So will the likes of Art Briles and Bobby Petrino, despite their soiled reputations. Tom Herman is the first name mentioned whenever there’s a high-profile opening.
But no matter who ends up being the top Tiger next season, Saturday nights at Death Valley will never be the same.
Miles was nothing if not unique. The ceremonial grass chomping before kickoff, for instance, always left us shaking our heads. At first we accepted his quirks begrudgingly, but eventually we learned to love them.
Additionally, he might have been a better man in the community than a coach on the field. This is a part of America that has dealt with so much strife the last decade or so. Hurricane Katrina. The shooting of Alton Sterling. The subsequent shooting of six Baton Rouge police officers. Catastrophic flooding.
Every time, the Tigers played a role in healing that community. Miles didn’t shy away from the responsibility. He embraced it.
But even beyond the Bayou Bengals, the SEC has witnessed a major shakeup in the coaching ranks the last calendar year. There are still a couple of hot seats out there, too. Expect another pink slip or two soon enough.
Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
The SEC is starting to resemble the NFL. Saban (above) is essentially Bill Belichick. His success has been so staggering — impossible to match, truthfully — that it’s unfair to measure anybody else against what he’s done. Saban has four national titles in seven years. LSU has three dating to the 19th century.
That’s what the Tigers are chasing. Good enough is no longer good enough. A 10-win season is worthless if Saban wins 14.
An environment such as this inevitably produces fewer coaches like Miles. Today’s coaches burn hotter and fade faster. It’s partially our fault, of course. Fans have less tolerance for the occasional rebuilding year.
Say what you will about Spurrier and his inability to get South Carolina over the hump, but the SEC isn’t as much fun without him. Three weeks in a row now, Will Muschamp has been asked a grand total of one question on the weekly coaches teleconference held every Wednesday. There just isn’t a lot of interest in the program.
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Pinkel’s situation at Missouri wasn’t quite the same, as he was forced to step aside due to his health being compromised.
However, Richt at Georgia is a perfect example. In 10 of his 15 years, the Bulldogs won 10 or more games. Even the legendary Vince Dooley, who was in Athens a quarter of a century, only got to double digits seven times.
But Richt never won it all. UGA fans wanted more. It didn’t matter that the Dawgs had never so much as gotten to the SEC Championship Game — it dates back to 1992 — prior to Richt’s arrival in 2001. He took his team to Atlanta five times in 11 years from 2002-12. Sorry, Coach. What have you done for me lately?
No Spurrier. No Pinkel. No Richt. And now no Miles. Saban has become the dean of SEC coaches. As if he didn’t wield enough power already.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
