Les Miles Reportedly Out at LSU after Auburn Loss
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
News broke Sunday afternoon that an era in Baton Rouge has ended with the firing of LSU head coach Les Miles.
Multiple reports have come forward with the news but none perhaps more important than The Advocate’s confirmation. The Advocate stated Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron are out with defensive line coach Ed Orgeron being named interim head coach.
The writing has been on the wall for Miles and Cameron since the end of last year after the brazen coach suffered through a three-game losing streak dropping games to Alabama, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. A saving grace to a season that peaked inside the AP Top 5 was a 19-7 home win against Texas A&M and a 56-27 Texas Bowl route of Big 12 member Texas Tech. All the end of season mayhem came after LSU rose to being a College Football Playoff contender starting the 2015 campaign 7-0.
The pressure was on for LSU and staff to win and win big in 2016, especially with 18 starters returning from the Tigers’ 9-3 team a year ago. The other narrative was a strong passing game joining LSU’s stout running attack and defense.
Throughout the spring and on into fall camp, Miles and Cameron spoke of opening up the offense and their development of the Tigers’ quarterbacks, primarily junior Brandon Harris. Harris opened the season completing 12 of 21 passes with a touchdown along with two interceptions in a loss to Wisconsin. The loss started the grumbling of the fan base, boosters, and alumni. In Game 2 against Jacksonville State, Harris started out 1 of 4 hitting an eight-yard pass but quickly got the hook in favor of Purdue transfer Danny Etling.
Etling began rusty against JSU hitting 6 of 14 passes for 100 yards with one touchdown and had one interception along with a lost fumble. Showing signs of improvement, Etling completed 63 percent of his passes in a home win against Mississippi State gaining 215 yards with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. Etling dipped in his performance on the road against Auburn connecting on 15 of 27 passes for 118 yards with a score but also lost another fumble.
As a result of the inept offense, preseason Heisman Trophy candidate Leonard Fournette has had a stunted season in terms of production averaging 128 yards per game on the ground in three games. The totals are fantastic for just about any other running back in the college game, but Fournette is a once in a decade kind of back capable of much more.
LSU’s 18-13 loss to Auburn was stunning, not necessarily because LSU lost but in the fashion. A fantastic 15-yard corner of the end zone pass from Etling to D.J. Clark with no time left on the clock was overturned after review not on dispute of the catch but with the officials citing there was no time left on the clock when the ball was snapped. The result was LSU dropping to 2-2, 1-1 in SEC play, and the firing of Miles.
The loss cemented a weak offense under Cameron highlighted by the inability to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter yet this season.
The Miles Era
Miles took over for Nick Saban in 2005 winning 10 games or more seven times in 11 full seasons. During his tenure, LSU won seven bowl games making the post-season in all 11 years. He ends his career as the Tigers’ second all-time winningest coach with a record of 114-34-0, second to Charles McClendon (1962-79). Miles won a national championship in 2007 and guided the Tigers to a runner-up finish in 2011. Battling primarily against Alabama head coach Nick Saban, all of Miles winning was mitigated by the Crimson Tide with Miles claiming just three SEC West titles (2005, 2007, and 2011).
Many believed the reason Miles was not handed a pink slip at the end of the 2015 season was his buyout. His buyout per his contract is reportedly $12.9 million but will be reduced based on time worked this season. LSU had Miles and his staff among the best paid in the nation. The 63-year-old was making $4.3 million per season and the staff, the highest paid in the game, totaling $5.4 million.
Related Article: Potential Replacements for LSU Head Coach Les Miles
Ed Orgeron
LSU is in good hands with Ed Orgeron. Orgeron was a head coach with Ole Miss from 2005-07 and served as an interim head coach with Southern California in 2013. USC went 6-2 under Orgeron after the dismissal of Lane Kiffin. Orgeron joined the LSU staff as a defensive line coach in 2015.
Timing of the Firing
LSU President F. King Alexander picked as good a time as any to dismiss Miles. The Tigers return home to face a beatable Missouri team before going on the road to face Florida in the Swamp (Oct. 8). The Tigers final half of the season consists of three consecutive home games against Southern Miss, Ole Miss, and Alabama before going on the road to face Arkansas, a vs. game against South Alabama, and an end of the season road game to College Station to face Texas A&M.
Photo credit: nola.com; Les Miles and Gus Malzahn meet on the field (2015).