The Arkansas Razorbacks have reportedly offered LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles a five-year, $27.5-million contract to leave LSU and become the head coach at Arkansas, according to the Times-Picayune. The information originally came from a tweet by Sports by Brooks; it's been denied from the Fayetteville side, and the LSU sports information department declined comment when asked.
Les Miles has ‘serious offer’ from Arkansas, according to report
Arkansas reportedly offers Les Miles a five-year deal worth more than $27 million to coach the Razorbacks.
Earlier, Bruce Feldman weighed in:
Asked 2 sources abt Les Miles/Arkansas report. Both said may be something there but probably using for leverage w LSU.
— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) November 27, 2012
I’m not sure what Long’s play is here. Miles didn’t leave LSU for his own alma mater of Michigan, which also happens to be the winningest program in major NCAA football history. I really don’t see him leaving Baton Rouge for a job that is, frankly, a step down from the one he has now in the same division. Joe Alleva will always be able to find enough money to keep Miles where he is if that’s the central issue, so Long can’t pry Miles away with a Godfather offer. It’s a bold move, but it’s also one that could blow up in his face. If the fan base doesn’t like whoever he ends up with or a prime candidate gets snapped up in the meantime, then he’ll be seen as having wasted time on this wild goose chase. Plus, now the actual new head coach is not going to be seen as the first choice.
For Miles, there is no incentive to leave. He’s pretty well entrenched at LSU, and as I said, he’ll get paid. With his team seemingly a perpetual top 10 or so squad every year, he’s got things going at roughly as high a level as they get. What reason is there to go to the other half of the Golden Boot to pick up the pieces that Bobby Petrino left behind and John L. Smith scattered to the winds? Not only would Miles instantly become the most hated person in the state of Louisiana, but his image would be tarnished forever as a mercenary only after money.
Miles completed his eighth regular season at LSU, leading the Tigers to a 10-2 record in 2012, which was capped by a 20-13 victory over the Razorbacks last weekend.
On Nov. 24 Arkansas reassigned coach John L. Smith into a consulting role until the end of his 10-month deal to serve as Bobby Petrino's interim replacement. The Razorbacks finished the 2012 season 4-8.
Les Miles currently makes just more than $3.75 million per year as base salary, according to the Times-Picayune.
Miles was previously the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys before coming to LSU to replace Nick Saban in 2004. He also previously served as a position coach with the Dallas Cowboys, Michigan Wolverines, Colorado Buffaloes and at Oklahoma State.
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