Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY SPORTS
The LSU Tigers have become perennial contenders in the SEC during the tenure of head coach Les Miles. And while the 2014 season was not what Miles and the Tigers hoped it would be, the future looks bright for this program.
It’s hard to believe that Miles has been at LSU for 10 seasons. During his time in Baton Rouge, Miles has a 103-29 record and has won the SEC West three times. The highlight was the 2007 season, when the Tigers went 12-2 and won the national championship by beating the Ohio State Buckeyes.
LSU fans have cringed as their former head coach, Nick Saban, has won titles with the Alabama Crimson Tide. But they are loyal to the quirky Miles, who has been known to eat grass off of the field during games.
The pressure has gone up on Miles a little bit after last year’s disappointing 8-5 season. That was the worst record that a Miles-coached LSU team has assembled, and it culminated with a 31-28 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Music City Bowl.
LSU struggled on offense last season, as Miles switched between quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris. Freshman running back Leonard Fournette was a bright spot, but it wasn’t enough to allow LSU to compete in the tough SEC West.
Miles will always be compared to Saban, who also won a title in Baton Rouge. If Miles could win a second national championship, he would put the comparisons to rest, but in the meantime, he will always live in Saban’s shadow, to a certain extent. But Tigers’ fans have enjoyed a great deal of success during Miles’ tenure, and he’s not on a very hot seat, despite last season’s disappointing finish.
Hot seat monitor: 2 out of 10
Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
