Les Miles is Not Coaching For His Job, But His Offensive Mindset Must Change

Is Les Miles coaching for his job over the next two weeks?

That’s a question that may surprise fans across the country. How could LSU consider firing a coach who started this season 7-0, has a young team that should certainly – to use a Les Miles word – be better next season, and returns Leonard Fournette? How could LSU consider firing a coach with a record of 110-31 since 2005 who has won a national title?

It’s quite simple for LSU fans. Nothing has changed. The same weaknesses that bothered fans in 2005 have not gone away. Those weaknesses are now glaring in a tougher, deeper SEC West.

Yes, Miles won a national championship in 2007. Fans remember that team also dropped overtime games to Kentucky and Arkansas, lucking their way into the BCS Championship Game as a two-loss team. Fans remember five-straight losses to Alabama, including a BCS Championship shutout where the Tigers didn’t cross the 50-yard line until there were eight minutes left in the game.

Clock management was an issue for Miles in 2005. It still is. Offensive play calling has seldom developed beyond a toss up the middle to a back and the occasional deep pass. The Les Miles era will be remembered as “the time when LSU had all the talent on the field except at quarterback.” Even the best Miles team had Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee floundering throwing to Reuben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. playing against college defenders.

The 2015 season fits a tired narrative. LSU rode Fournette to a 7-0 start, never appearing to try to use or to develop QB Brandon Harris. The exposure came against Alabama, again, when LSU handed the ball off to their star running back repeatedly, as the Tide destroyed LSU’s offensive line. They followed up the Alabama performance with a horrible letdown against Arkansas, their second in as many years.

[RELATED: Charlie Strong May Leave Texas to Coach the Miami Hurricanes]

Now, Les Miles has to lead his reeling 7-2 team on the road to Oxford, where they’ll face an offense similar to Arkansas and a star-studded defense. They close the season at home against Texas A&M. If they lose both, that would put the Tigers at 13-11 in the SEC since 2013.

Miles would be a lock to return at 8-3. Would 7-4 be enough to push him out?

Not this year. Firing Miles before Dec. 31 would cost LSU $15 million, not to mention the additional millions to buy out his assistant coaches.

So if you stuck around to this point, I’m sorry, all of the above are just complaints with a few stats. Les Miles isn’t going anywhere, at least not this year. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.