Three stats why LSU fired Les Miles
After LSU’s loss to Auburn in one of the most awful offensive games anyone will ever see, I came away from the game thinking: “Les Miles will either go during this season, or at the end of it.”
Why? He simply had to. He had to because the team wasn’t pulling its weight on the offensive side of the ball, neither he nor offensive co-ordinator seemed to be able to coach a quarterback, and the team was playing like a team that could fall apart at any second. The more and more LSU failed to score a touchdown and the camera panned onto him, the more and more he looked like a forlorn figure.
You almost knew that if LSU didn’t get it together in Jordan-Hare, he’d be out of a job.
Well, on Sunday the news came through: Les Miles was gone as the head coach of LSU. And with him – and gladly for not only Tigers fans but also anyone who likes seeing a vaguely accomplished offense – is Cam Cameron, his offensive co-ordinator.
And as much as people will blame the comical loss at home to Auburn for Miles’ firing, there are three stats that I would put forward for the reason Joe Alleva had to say: “Au revoir” to the guy they probably wanted out around this time last year.
STAT 1: LSU IS 111TH (THAT’S ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH) in total offense. They are a poor rushing team (53rd) and sure as hell are a poor passing team (119th).
STAT 2: LSU is 35th in total defense. LSU has been really good at missing tackles.
THE MOST IMPORTANT: LSU IS 2-2. In a season where many believed that they were too talented NOT to challenge for a play-off.
CAM CAMERON IS AN IDIOT
One of the stupidest moves of Les Miles’ career – and this disregards his bad clock management and the stubbornness that has cost the team a number of leads of the years – was re-hiring offensive co-ordinator Cameron in the off-season.
With Cameron once again at the helm of the offense, the team:
- Couldn’t get it together against Wisconsin (Brandon Harris looked awful)
- Weren’t great against Jacksonville State
- Were way too conservative against Mississippi State (and nearly fumbled away a comfortable position but escaped with a victory).
- Scored a TD early against Auburn and did nothing apart from kick field goals from then on. Yes, they were playing a loud road atmosphere, but they were also playing a team that had a fanbase that was running out of faith in their own team’s coaches, too.
Also, LSU has two quarterbacks they don’t trust, and their attempts at giving the ball to Leonard Fournette when the rest of the SEC is determined to stop him have yielded one of the most underwhelming ‘Heisman’ seasons in recent memory.
Of course, the last-second win against Auburn that would have put the Bayou Bengals at 3-1 and rescued Miles’ job would have been very lucky, but thankfully the fact that LSU didn’t get the play off on time (I mean: DO THEY NOT COACH THESE THINGS?) meant that 2-2 ended Miles and Cameron’s careers.
WELL-REWARDED
However, let’s not feel too sorry for Les Miles. Not only does he not have to deal with the pressure cooker of Baton Rouge or the SEC (although he did some great works there – particularly during the time of natural disasters), but he also will walk home
- Miles was paid $4 million by LSU, and there is talk of a buy-out being as much as $13 million – although The Advocate believes that that has been reduced by the fact that Miles has worked for the first 10 months of 2016.
- Cameron was paid $1.2 million per year for a three-year contract that ran until 2018.
But the main reason I believe that Les Miles was fired is Nick Saban. LSU hasn’t beaten Alabama in its last five attempts, was embarrassed in the National Championship Game against the Crimson Tide, and Alleva didn’t see any hope of beating Saban in Baton Rouge on November 5th. So he fired him.