Les Miles fired according to Sunday reports

[cuda.1973]

One spin I heard this morning was Herman has "roots"/"ties" out west and somehow connected to USCw. Water cooler talk is he could be keeping his eye on the USCw job because Helton is a dead man walking right now.

If I was a betting man................going to L5U or waiting on U$C.........I'll take the latter. Better fit, culturally, and no CNS. Still would have tons of resources and a recruiting base.

You could interchange U$C with Nutter Dumber, and that could also be some coach's dream job.

 

[drwho]

Really shocked that Ed O has been named the interim.

Shouldn't be. He's the only logical choice on staff.

 

[rgw]

The thing about Herman is that LSU is a similar recruiting profile to Houston BUT LSU also dips into Houston and he's already built relationships there.

I don't think the Big-12 stuff matters to Herman in the grand schemes of things. The 5mil bonus is not a huge deal if LSU is gonna pay him 5-6mil per year in Baton Rouge.

 

[B1GTide]

I haven't read this entire thread, but I'm surprised that Coach Saban's name hasn't popped up. You know someone at LSU has brought it up. He was probably greeted with .

Had a buddy (LSU grad) say this morning that they would have to give Saban a call. I guess that they do, but Saban isn't going anywhere and they know it.

 

[B1GTide]

The thing about Herman is that LSU is a similar recruiting profile to Houston BUT LSU also dips into Houston and he's already built relationships there.

I don't think the Big-12 stuff matters to Herman in the grand schemes of things. The 5mil bonus is not a huge deal if LSU is gonna pay him 5-6mil per year in Baton Rouge.

If he really wanted it, he could just ask for the $5MM as a signing bonus or for similar financial considerations. I think that LSU would give him the extra $$ if it was the only thing standing in the way of the deal taking place.

 

[Loam]

The thing about the LSU job, is that you have to deal with Alabama and Nick Saban every year. That kind of takes a bit of the sexiness off that job. But then again, if you want a challenge, THATS a challenge.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think the chance that Houston goes to the Big 12 is slim. I think the chances of the Big 12 even expanding are slim. I think the chance the Big 12 is a conference past the next tv rights deal is slimmer than either.

Herman isn't staying at Houston. Even if they do get a Big 12 invite, their revenue isn't going to boost significantly for several years, and they aren't going to be able to compete with LSU/USC/Notre Dame/Texas money. They don't have the fan support, booster support, facilities, stadium, whatever that LSU or similar programs have.

I used to buy the idea that he might stay, but I no longer do. If Herman is LSU's target, they have to hope USC turns their season around (he's from southern California), and that Texas doesn't implode. I doubt it gets bad enough for Notre Dame to fire Kelly this year but you never know.

I also wonder if he will consult Urban Meyer if/when a job is offered by LSU? Let's be honest, coaching in the SEC is a meat grinder and unless you're wired like Nick Saban (look at Jimbo's recent comments about Saban) taking a job in the SEC is basically conceding that you are willing to suffocate your life with football 24/7/365 days a year. And as long as Saban is in the conference it is going to take an exhausting, almost unattainable effort to simply keep up with him.

For those who didn't read what Jimbo said about Saban he basically said what separates him from everybody else is he's willing to do what others aren't day in and day out. That Saban isn't doing anything "new" or "unheard of", he's just willing to go to levels of effort and consistency that others aren't. And he seemed to include himself in the "others" reference. Saban is a very uniquely wired person. Soak it up folks. Because when he retires there WILL BE a drop off. Coaches like Saban are once in a lifetime type finds.

 

[BamaInBham]

Bama did not win a NC in the decades of 50s and 80s and the one in '41 is very debatable but Bama still has quite a few.

Thanks for the correction. I meant SECC.

 

[RobK]

The SEC West is such a unique animal. If you're at LSU, you have to contend with the gold standard of excellence that we have. You have to deal with the fast-and-loose recruiting and corner-cutting gimmicks of Auburn and now Ole Miss. And you've got a shiny offense at A&M and rugged, physical rival in Arkansas. And Mississippi State--who should be the doormat of the division--seems to find a way to be respectable.

If your goal is to find the clearest path to the CFB playoff or to national championships, the SEC West (or the entire conference, for that matter) is not that path. Urban Meyer was smart enough to figure that out. Fewer quality teams stand in your way just about anywhere in the Power 5 than here.

If you're a 40-something coach with perhaps 20ish years of prime, multi-million dollar earning potential, does the job in Baton Rouge make the most sense? Maybe if you're confident you can win enough early enough to outlast Coach Saban, perhaps it does.

It takes a very special, driven person to want to take on that challenge. All the tools are there to be successful, but it is such a good division that even near-perfection may not be good enough in many seasons. I'm sure there are coaches on their list who would embrace the challenge, but there may be some that prefer a safer path someplace else.

 

[BAMAVILLE]

LSU is in a very weird position ... the top-tier coaches they they are looking at will most likely stay put. Ironically, they really have to plan to base the success of their program around life after Saban (again). I'm thinking it it isn't Art Briles ... they are going to have to go an option like Jeff Brohm.

 

[Tideflyer]

I also wonder if he will consult Urban Meyer if/when a job is offered by LSU? Let's be honest, coaching in the SEC is a meat grinder and unless you're wired like Nick Saban (look at Jimbo's recent comments about Saban) taking a job in the SEC is basically conceding that you are willing to suffocate your life with football 24/7/365 days a year. And as long as Saban is in the conference it is going to take an exhausting, almost unattainable effort to simply keep up with him.

For those who didn't read what Jimbo said about Saban he basically said what separates him from everybody else is he's willing to do what others aren't day in and day out. That Saban isn't doing anything "new" or "unheard of", he's just willing to go to levels of effort and consistency that others aren't. And he seemed to include himself in the "others" reference. Saban is a very uniquely wired person. Soak it up folks. Because when he retires there WILL BE a drop off. Coaches like Saban are once in a lifetime type finds.

I`m 68 and had the pleasure of watching Coach Bryant, Coach Stallings and now CNS. I have no illusions that I will witness anything to equal all of this once CNS retires, during my remaining years on the planet. BUT, having said all that, you never know !!!

 

[deliveryman35]

I think Tom Herman and Jimbo Fisher are the frontrunners, but I think Hugh Freeze would be an intriguing choice--he's definitely proven his SEC coaching chops, and has had some success against Saban. He seems confident he will beat the rap with the NCAA, would be interesting to see if LSU would overlook that.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

The SEC West is such a unique animal. If you're at LSU, you have to contend with the gold standard of excellence that we have. You have to deal with the fast-and-loose recruiting and corner-cutting gimmicks of Auburn and now Ole Miss. And you've got a shiny offense at A&M and rugged, physical rival in Arkansas. And Mississippi State--who should be the doormat of the division--seems to find a way to be respectable.

If your goal is to find the clearest path to the CFB playoff or to national championships, the SEC West (or the entire conference, for that matter) is not that path. Urban Meyer was smart enough to figure that out. Fewer quality teams stand in your way just about anywhere in the Power 5 than here.

If you're a 40-something coach with perhaps 20ish years of prime, multi-million dollar earning potential, does the job in Baton Rouge make the most sense? Maybe if you're confident you can win enough early enough to outlast Coach Saban, perhaps it does.

It takes a very special, driven person to want to take on that challenge. All the tools are there to be successful, but it is such a good division that even near-perfection may not be good enough in many seasons. I'm sure there are coaches on their list who would embrace the challenge, but there may be some that prefer a safer path someplace else.

Part of the role of an agent is to assist in helping their client make the best decision for them on a personal, business and career level. We as fans look through our fandom lenses and automatically say "Herman (insert any other coach) would be an idiot to turn down a chance to coach at LSU and the SEC." But in reality, is it truly the best decision (business wise, personal wise and career wise) for he and his family? A lot more goes into it than we think. Urban jumped head first off into the big bad SEC, had great success but realized it was too much. There's no doubt he and his agent figured out he could make the same amount of money, get more leisure time with his family, and still be in a position to win national titles. Without having to make the physical, mental and emotional sacrifices that it does to win titles going through the SEC. My guess would be Herman's agent and any other big named coach's agent will have the same type discussions.

 

[RobK]

I think Tom Herman and Jimbo Fisher are the frontrunners, but I think Hugh Freeze would be an intriguing choice--he's definitely proven his SEC coaching chops, and has had some success against Saban. He seems confident he will beat the rap with the NCAA, would be interesting to see if LSU would overlook that.

If they can't get Herman or Fisher, I personally would take Freeze over Briles or Petrino. He recruits better athletes than either one of them (legally or not). He doesn't have the documented baggage of either of them (especially if Ole Miss beats the rap this time). And you take away the program he's built at Ole Miss on the assumption that they probably don't find anyone who would do as well or better.

Fedora would be an intriguing choice as well.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Part of the role of an agent is to assist in helping their client make the best decision for them on a personal, business and career level. We as fans look through our fandom lenses and automatically say "Herman (insert any other coach) would be an idiot to turn down a chance to coach at LSU and the SEC." But in reality, is it truly the best decision (business wise, personal wise and career wise) for he and his family? A lot more goes into it than we think. Urban jumped head first off into the big bad SEC, had great success but realized it was too much. There's no doubt he and his agent figured out he could make the same amount of money, get more leisure time with his family, and still be in a position to win national titles. Without having to make the physical, mental and emotional sacrifices that it does to win titles going through the SEC. My guess would be Herman's agent and any other big named coach's agent will have the same type discussions.

This is why I think USC has a better chance with Herman. The Pac 12 isn't as good as it was even 5 years ago. Oregon is in rapid decline. UCLA is ok, but nothing great under Mora. Washington is looking ok under Peterson but they are in the other division and should be no recruiting rival to a healthy USC.

 

[B1GTide]

Per ESPN:

Since his first season at LSU in 2005, Les Miles has 42 wins over ranked opponents. In that span, only Nick Saban has more.

 

[cbi1972]

Per ESPN:

Since his first season at LSU in 2005, Les Miles has 42 wins over ranked opponents. In that span, only Nick Saban has more.

If performance were consistent during that span, it wouldn't be as frustrating as the inexorable decline we all expected would come a lot sooner.

 

[CajunCrimson]

[video]http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/lsu-football/video-sec-shorts-send-off-les-miles-way-fitting-mad-hatter/[/video]

Well done....

Except it sort of makes you feel like he passed away...

But, nice job

 

[RobK]

If performance were consistent during that span, it wouldn't be as frustrating as the inexorable decline we all expected would come a lot sooner.

I would venture to guess that LSU has PLAYED more ranked teams over that span that just about anybody else. Most of the SEC West is usually ranked and their annual East opponent Florida has been ranked more often than not, plus they usually play at least one quality non-conference game.

 

[81usaf92]

I say if he really is a competitor, he'll go to LSU. Staying at Houston because it's the 'easy' way to okay for championships isn't what a real competitor would do.

Some guys want to be the guy who builds a program like Houston and makes them into a power, but the elite jobs are called elite for a reason, and there's no question LSU is an elite gig. I guess we're about to find out how Herman is wired - join the b12 (which got left out of the first playoff) or jump in the deep end of the pool...

If the big XII opens up to Houston, then he would be crazy to leave. He would have enough competition in the Big XII to gauge how good he really is.