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Texas Bowl victory gives a boost to Fournette, Miles, and maybe, Cameron
By John Brasier
Published:
A happy ending on the bayou? Looks like it.
That may be the biggest of a handful of surprises coming out of LSU’s 56-27 victory over Texas Tech in Tuesday night’s Texas Bowl.
No, the outcome was no shocker, though Leonard Fournette’s 212 rushing yards and five total touchdowns may have been a little less production than some of us expected against the Red Raiders’ poor excuse for a defense.
But LSU’s ninth victory, which capped a turmoil-filled final two months, may have allowed embattled coach Les Miles, prime scapegoat candidate Cam Cameron and Fournette to enjoy a rather quiet few months before the start of spring practice.
Just a month ago, Miles seemed a sure goner, meaning Cameron was out, too. Fournette had been exposed as merely human, not stoppable, but containable without a passing threat to prevent defenses from stacking the box.
Miles gained a reprieve — perhaps for only one year — after the Tigers slugged past Texas A&M in the regular-season finale. The remaining heat on Miles was turned down a notch when the Tigers’ troubled offense tore through a Texas Tech defense whose coordinator admitted before the game was “overmatched defensively” and secured a spot in the top 20 in the final polls.
Fournette reminded the college football world just how dominant he can be — when he has a little room to run — with a spectacular 35-yard run on the opening drive, a 43-yard scoring run and a 44-yard TD after catching a screen pass.
Perhaps, Fournette’s performance might energize a successful Heisman Trophy run for next season, probably his last before leaving for the NFL. If nothing else, it put to rest any misguided notions that his lack of success late in the season against Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss exposed any major shortcomings.
While Miles and Fournette emerged from the Texas Bowl as clear winners, Cameron’s situation still remains fodder for speculation, though Miles said he planned no changes to his coaching staff early in the month.
But Miles seems to be doing everything he can to save his friend and offensive coordinator.
Miles moved Cameron from the press box to the sideline for the game, allowing him to advise QB Brandon Harris face-to-face. Cameron said coaching from the sideline can help with a young quarterback, but his diagnosis of prostate cancer persuaded him to remain in the box during the regular season.
Maybe that change — with its success — will allow Miles to retain Cameron, convincing LSU boosters that the offense is ready to get untracked. Can Miles sell moving Cameron down to the field as a cure for the Tigers’ passing problems? Probably not. But it could gain a little traction.
Expecting Fournette and the offense to roll through the porous Texas Tech offense no matter where Cameron was stationed, would Miles have bothered with moving Cameron if he planned to fire his coordinator?
Cameron is a highly respected offensive coach who rose to become a head coach at Indiana and enjoyed success in the NFL.
But he hasn’t shown an ability to recruit and develop a great college quarterback to go with the outstanding talent LSU normally puts on the field.
Harris, likely to keep his starting job without any high-profile recruits committed to the Tigers, may have helped appease Cameron’s critics, with a solid 13-for-22 for 254 yards performance.
With Malachi Dupre and several other talented receivers coming back, Harris doesn’t have to produce a passing game by himself.
A late-season collapse that cost Fournette the Heisman and almost cost Miles and Cameron their jobs came to a merciful, if not harmonious conclusion. At least for Fournette and Miles. Maybe for Cameron, too.
Surprise, surprise.
