LSU will retain head coach Les Miles, athletic director Joe Alleva announced Saturday after a win over Texas A&M, which included Tigers carrying Miles on their shoulders and a standing ovation from fans.
Les Miles ‘will continue to be our football coach,’ says LSU AD after hot seat week
Somehow, after all that, Miles will be back for a 12th year as the Tigers’ head coach.
Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
“I want to make it very clear and positive that Les Miles is our football coach and will continue to be our football coach,” Alleva said. “Les and I have talked about this program. We are committed together to working to win to compete at the highest level. We’re going to go forward together and win championships here at LSU.”
Miles said in a postgame presser that he learned from school president F. King Alexander that he’d be retained.
The surprise move caps a tumultuous month for Miles and LSU. After reaching a No. 2 ranking and 7-0 mark early in the season, LSU dropped consecutive games to Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss. While speculation about coaching changes began following the Arkansas loss, they reached a boiling point after LSU’s 38-17 loss to Ole Miss.
Despite a $15 million buyout, LSU boosters indicated they were willing to handle the cost in order to target candidates including Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher. In the week leading up to Saturday’s 19-7 win against Texas A&M, conflicting reports coming out of Baton Rouge potentially tabbed the game as Miles’ last at LSU.
Fans and players at Saturday’s game made their feelings clear about Miles’ rumored firing:
He just sang the alma mater on national television. The whole stadium chanted his name. 102,000 people.There's not a chance you can fire him
— Jake Nazar (@ATVS_JakeNazar) November 29, 2015 With LSU keeping Miles on as head coach, the move takes one of the highest-profile potential job openings off the market.
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