Time Expires on the Les Miles Era at LSU

When LSU fired head coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron after a crushing loss to Auburn on Saturday night, it came as somewhat of a surprising move to some — but not so much to others.

So ends a 12 year run for Miles in Baton Rouge.

To be perfectly blunt, I personally feel that it was 4 games too late.

Miles should have been gone after last season’s debacle. That is neither here nor there of course, as Miles is gone.

I honestly expected Joe Aleva to keep Miles through the 2016 season as a sign of respect for ‘time served”.

However. this move was very revealing; since it then makes it known that the public outcry for Miles’ job had reached the level of a deafening roar.

Sep 3, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles looks to the scoreboard surrounded by players during the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The demise of Les Miles began with the benching of starting QB Brandon Harris.

As I mentioned in an earlier article a few weeks ago, LSU’s championship hopes rested on Harris’ shoulders. Once Miles made the decision to bench his starter, you just knew it was the beginning of the end.

More from LSU Tigers

• LSU Football: We’ve been saying it all along, LSU deserves to be No. 1
• LSU Football: Betting guide for the SEC Championship vs. Georgia
• LSU Football: It’s outrageous if LSU isn’t ranked first after beating Georgia
• LSU Football: Who gets in the playoff if LSU beats Georgia?
• LSU Football: A loss to Georgia shouldn’t stop College Football Playoff bid

Les Miles will be remembered for his “mad” play calling, even more so for his “maddening” misuse of the play clock.

Clock management issues and a lackluster offense cost LSU the win versus Auburn the other night.

Notably, this was far from the first time that clock issues had cost LSU games.

Why didn’t that offense have two plays called after the time out? Why did Etling allow over 15 seconds to tick off the clock on the last offensive possession?

I have no answers — and obviously neither did Miles or Cameron.

Nov 21, 2009; Oxford, MS, USA – LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles looks on from the sideline during the first half at Vaught – Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports)

LSU never had a marquee player at the most important position: QUARTERBACK.

Miles is well documented in his love for “Athletes” at the quarterback position, ie Russell Shepard, Ryan Perrilloux, Anthony Jennings and of course Brandon Harris.

In the end, it proved to be his undoing.

Star running back Leonard Fournette was visibly upset after a failed red zone possession and seemed to voice his displeasure directly to Les Miles as he came to the sideline.

That was a bad look for the seemingly lame duck head coach. He should have been talking to the offensive coordinator for the awful play calling during the game. Let’s talk about the former Tiger offensive coordinator.

Cam Cameron was hired to bring a pro style offense to Baton Rouge. What he delivered instead was something on par with a Pee Wee League offense.

The Tiger offense has scored ZERO points in the fourth quarter this season.

Zip, zilch, nada.

Sep 19, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron before a game against the Auburn Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of who is taking the snaps under center, you have two of the best running backs in the country in Fournette and Guice.

The fact that Malachi Dupre is an afterthought in this offense, speaks volumes.

Thus the reason Cameron was shown the door along with Miles.

It is very clear that in order to overtake Alabama in the SEC West, you have to actually SCORE POINTS.

Sep 3, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Brandon Harris (6) walks off the field after the Wisconsin Badgers defeated LSU 16-14 at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M and Arkansas combined for 34 points in the first half. Must be nice to have an offense, right?

It has only taken 4 games for LSU to go from the darling in the SEC, to the goat — and that is not an acronym for greatness, by the way.

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron will take over as interim head coach in Miles’ absence and Steve Ensminger will replace Cam Cameron as offensive coordinator.

This season might be a lost cause as far as a championship is concerned, but this team has a ton of young talent waiting in the wings.

LSU is a very desirable job and should have a line of quality suitors to choose from.

Joe Alleva needs to make a “homerun hire” (Tom Herman? Possibly even someone like a David Shaw or a Jimbo Fisher?) this offseason to satiate a hungry Tiger fan base that has watched their team mired in mediocrity for the last 5 seasons.

Nov 7, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman coaches against the Cincinnati Bearcats at TDECU Stadium. Houston won 33 to 30. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

It’s up to the powers that be to figure out just who that man should eventually be.

But for now, the burden of mediocrity has been lifted from the shoulders of the Tiger fan-base.

Time has finally expired on the Les Miles Era, and the Tigers are now ready to turn the page, on the next chapter…….