Like it is

Stubborn Miles' seat warming up already at LSU

LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Les Miles probably hadn't cleared out of Lambeau Field on Saturday when the unrest began again.

The LSU Tigers, wildly talented and athletic, had just lost to a big Wisconsin team after taking a 14-13 lead, only to have Brandon Harris throw his second interception and the Badgers drive down to kick the winning field goal.

There are YouTube videos griping, and a gofundme.com account was opened by a guy who looked like he was dressed for eighth-grade physical education class in 1977.

The idea is to raise $1 million toward Miles $6 buyout if he is fired. If the money was not used for that, it would go to flood relief in Louisiana.

As of Wednesday morning, $420 had been raised and the website was loaded with comments -- mostly about the lack of flood relief, but also some support and some criticism of Miles.

Miles -- who won the 2007 national championship at LSU, albeit with mostly Nick Saban recruits -- was under fire last year and was widely reported fired until Florida State's Jimbo Fisher had a change of heart and decided to stay in Tallahassee.

Before going any further, there are two things purple-and-gold loyalists need to understand: Nick Saban is not coming back and Fisher will finish his career at FSU.

LSU should be a top-five program, but finding the right head coach -- one who doesn't underachieve, which has been the history of the Tigers program except under Saban -- may be hard.

When Miles was hired -- beating out Houston Nutt, who could not physically visit the LSU campus without losing his Razorbacks' job -- it was after four years and a 28-21 record at Oklahoma State.

Miles' two biggest victories for the Cowboys were over the Oklahoma Sooners, which is no longer considered a great feat.

In Miles' first three seasons at LSU, he went 34-6, an .850 winning percentage. Without Saban players, he is 78-27, .743.

The fans' concern is a recent trend in LSU's SEC play. In 2011, the Tigers went 8-0, but since then have tied for the SEC Western Division once, finished third twice and fourth the other time.

Oh, and in 2011 the Tigers were 13-0 going into the national championship game, where they got beat in New Orleans by Saban and Alabama.

It has to gall some of Tigers Nation that Arkansas has had The Boot for more than two years.

So Saturday's loss to a decent Wisconsin team has reinvigorated the critics of Miles.

It doesn't matter to the fans that the Tigers are breaking in two new tackles, that Harris was pressured eight times and Leonard Fournette -- who may become the next Darren McFadden, a great running back who doesn't win the Heisman Trophy -- is finding it tough to get yardage against stacked defensive lines.

Some are willing to blame Cam Cameron, who will move to the press box this weekend after calling plays from the sidelines, but that seems like damage control.

Others think the problem is Miles vetoing plays, and some believe Harris is the problem and should be benched. Miles admitted Harris is struggling and there is potential for a change.

On Monday, Marcus Spears, who was a defensive lineman for Saban at LSU before having a nine-year NFL career and is now an ESPN analyst, called for a change in the head coaching job.

Later Miles admitted Monday afternoon he was aware of the criticism. Thus the re-evaluations.

Sooner or later Miles will be gone, not because of a gofundme account or because of a former player, but because he refuses to embrace change. Even Saban has changed his offensive philosophy and prospered for it.

Sports on 09/08/2016

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