OT: Les Miles Taking LSU Job

[duckman]

hxxp://www.newsok.com/article/1394747/?template=sports/osu

Miles going to LSU

By John Helsley
The Oklahoman

STILLWATER -- Les Miles is Bayou bound.


Miles has accepted the LSU coaching job and will be annnounced as the Tigers next head coach Monday, sources have told The Oklahoman.

Sunday, Miles and his wife Kathy flew to Baton Rouge to meet with LSU officials, including new school chancellor Sean O'Keefe. A press conference to introduce Miles as the new Tigers coach is expected Monday.

As of Sunday afternoon, OSU had no plans to name a successor to Miles. While it is believed offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Gundy will be the choice, there are factions pushing for a national search of candidates.

After talking by phone with LSU athletic director Skip Bertman Saturday night, Miles met late into the night with confidants, finalizing his decision to leave OSU.

Sources told The Oklahoman that Miles considered the opportunity too great to pass up.

LSU won the national championship last season. The Tigers, beaten in the Capital One Bowl Sunday, finished 9-3 this year and return 18 starters in 2005, when they'll be considered the favorite in the Southeastern Conference's West Division.

Miles, who recently signed an extension to remain at OSU through 2011, had a buyout of approximately $1 million in his contract.

In four years with the Cowboys, Miles went 28-21 and led OSU to a third straight bowl appearance for just the second time in school history. His latest team started 5-0, then slumped, losing five of its final seven games.



The Cowboys stand to return 15 starters for 2005.

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Wow! Good luck in the SEC, Les.

[Cuckoo]

Overall, I think he has done a nice job at OSU. If this announcement doesn't damage the recruiting class too much, the Cowboys will be in good shape, I think. Handing the job to Gundy is really their best bet, in my opinion. He's a born and bred OSU man, and he will help with continuity for the team as well as the recruits.

[vex]

28-21? I would be upset if I was an LSU fan. To make things worse for LSU, he's bringing his DC (Clay) with him. As for recruiting, things can't get too much worse as they are currently ranked 31st by Rivals.com and nearly have a full class already.

[Cuckoo]

Originally Posted by vexroid

As for recruiting, things can't get too much worse as they are currently ranked 31st by Rivals.com and nearly have a full class already.

According to today's Oklahoman, there are still several important pieces of their recruiting class that are as yet undecided. I don't know how many they have so far, but the article named at least six or seven key recruits that this could impact.

[vex]

They have 18 right now and the 6 that the Oklahoman mentioned, they might get 2 of them, and that's stretching it.

[SackAttack]

I think it's retarded that an athlete who changes his mind and transfers to another school has to sit out for a year before he can play, but a college coach's "contract" is about as binding as a handshake.

[Vegas Vic]

I can hardly wait for his first postgame meltdown after losing a close SEC game.