LSU and Les Miles Stumble to Third Straight Loss

If LSU Head Coach Les Miles coaching future was truly on the line today as rumors have suggested, he did not make a very good case for another year.

Early in the season LSU had a script for winning. Run the ball with Leonard Fournette and a dominant offensive line, pass just enough to say you did, and play defense with a lead down the stretch.

Over the last three games, LSU has been following another kind of script.

Make mental errors and give up an early lead. Mount a furious late 2nd early 3rd quarter comeback. Waste opportunities to pull close — and then watch the other team walk off into the sunset.

LSU has also fallen into the habit of turning opposing players into stars.

They managed to put Alabama RB Derrick Henry into the Heisman race two weeks ago. Last week they allowed the Arkansas backs to ramble for nearly 300 yards.

This week, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly looked like a future Hall of Famer against the Tigers. He was the whole show for Ole Miss, racking up 280 yards and two touchdowns in the air and 81 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground.

Nov 21, 2015; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) makes a pass during the third quarter of the game against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi won 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

The tone was set early with Kelly accounting for all of Ole Miss progress on a scoring drive to start the game. A Derrius Guice return to the 41 yard line was called back by the first of LSU’s 13 penalties on the day.

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Another LSU penalty brought back a big run by Leonard Fournette.

Another LSU penalty on third down put the Tigers in a third and long where they chose to run the ball for no gain rather than risk another big third down sack.

Another LSU penalty on the punt cost the Tigers another five yards, by the time Ole Miss got the ball back they started their drive practically at midfield.

Things didn’t really improve from this beginning. It was clear the Tigers were out of sorts on both sides of the ball. Bad penalties and mental errors were mainstays all day long, and it was a very long day indeed.

There were some bright spots from the game. Leonard Fournette broke the century mark after two bad weeks in a row. Doing that in spite of losing yards to penalties was a real accomplishment.

Tyron Johnson Malachi Dupre and Leonard Fournette were all productive in the passing game—when the ball was being thrown accurately.

LSU wore all white for a second time this season, and in spite of the ugly circumstances those white uniforms are very sharp.

Nov 21, 2015; Oxford, MS, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) warms up before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Katy Perry still hasn’t figured out saying other people smell like corndogs when she has a corndog in her mouth makes her look like an idiot.

In spite of the few positives the bad overwhelmed in this game.

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Brandon Harris broke 300 yards passing for the first time but had a bad time doing it, missing open receivers all day and throwing two interceptions.

Harris and Fournette came out of a timeout with no clear consensus on which play had been called or how to run it.

The saddest part might have been after the game, with Coach Les Miles predictably having to answer questions on his coaching status.

Even most of the Tigers fans who want to see the program turn the corner and bring in new blood, have to recognize that Les Miles has had a great run in Baton Rouge.

Any Tiger fan has to hate seeing things end this way, if indeed that is what is happening.

Athletic Director Joe Alleva has been content to let anonymous reports to the media do his talking for him. That will no longer be an option….