Clearly, an over-the-hump day
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| Strong finish to recruiting season a boost for Miles
By CARL DUBOIS
Tiger Rag Associate Editor
If Paul Mainieri suddenly finds himself in need of a closer, he might want to check on whether anyone on the LSU football staff has any eligibility left. Les Miles and his assistants closed recruiting season with the down-the-stretch surge of a Secretariat.
Clearly, Wednesday was over-the-hump day with respect to the Class of 2010.
The Tigers didn’t get Trovon Reed, who signed with Auburn, honoring his commitment from November. Two unsigned players from LSU’s commitment list, Houston Bates and Dexter Blackmon, have more uncertain futures, pending available scholarships and, in Blackmon’s case, gaining academic eligibility.
But the story Wednesday was the wrap-up of a strong finish for Miles and his staff. Kadron Boone chose LSU at the end, leaving Texas Tech to ponder the evaporation of the commitment he made last summer. Jarrett Fobbs withdrew his commitment to Texas A&M and signed with LSU. Tennessee lost J.C. Copeland to the Tigers, and the latest candidate for the all-name team, Ego Ferguson, picked LSU on signing day.
“We kind of had a feeling that was going to happen,” Miles, during a news conference archived on LSUsports.net, said of Ferguson’s signature on a national letter of intent.
“It’s not until he makes the announcement that the ‘Yahoo’ took place.”
Miles let out a big “Wahoo!” the night LSU won the 2007 BCS national championship. Yesterday, it was a more subdued “Yahoo,” but it was heartfelt nonetheless.
Wahoo or Yahoo, it was all about the who.
This class, a consensus top-10 group, should pay some measure of dividends on the field. Off the field, the boost for Miles in the court of public opinion is no doubt a welcome change from the past few months.
Miles lost a bowl game for the first time as LSU’s coach when the Tigers muddled through the slop at the Capital One Bowl in defeat Jan. 1 against Penn State. Wounds from LSU’s pride-pricking November loss at Ole Miss hadn’t healed yet, making it a difficult time for Miles to see his 4-for-4 bowl victory streak come to an end.
The strong finish in recruiting doesn’t make up for the above, but it helps. It will play a role in a more agreeable offseason for Miles, who knows he and his staff need to produce the kind of results he’s acknowledged are appropriate and expected at LSU. The work toward that end starts in the offseason conditioning program, continues in the spring, rolls on through summer “voluntary” workouts and into the two-a-day practices of August camp.
Miles took some punches, here and elsewhere, and he deserves the congratulations when he’s earned them. His staff deserves them too. That includes Don Yanowsky, who is reportedly leaving for Memphis to work for another departure from LSU’s staff, Larry Porter. Yanowsky played a critical role in pulling together this recruiting class, and the emergence of Billy Gonzales and Frank Wilson as difference makers on Miles’ staff paid handsomely as well.
Whether Miles and his boys celebrate with victory cigars or an evening of Texas Hold ‘Em, they’ve earned the Wahoo, the Yahoo or whatever exclamation Miles chooses to put on recruiting season 2010.
Carl Dubois has covered LSU athletics since 1999. Contact him at carl@tigerrag.com.
What good are they if he got the best recruiting class? If he can’t coach them, they aren’t worth a damn. And Miles still hadn’t proven that he can coach “his” recruits. Here is hopng he can but history might prove me wrong.
Before you get too excited, let me remind you of the last time LSU finished #6 in the Recruiting Rankings… 2007. That year we signed 26 athletes and had 2, 5-star players… very similar to this years class with 1, 5-star athletes.
Of those 26, who will represent our “Senior Class”, only 15 players will be playing for LSU. Chad Jones has declared for the NFL and that is a positive, but 10 have left the program for various reasons and two (Joseph Barksdale & Will Blackwell) have been moved from the Defensive side of the football to the Offensive side to replace others that have left the program!
The 10 that have left from the 2007 class, are: Kentravis Aubry, DeAngelo Benton, Delvin Breaux, Shomari Clemons, Jordin Corbin, Sidell Corley, Andrew Crutchfield, Jarvis Jones, Phelon Jones and Ernest McCoy.
We lost 8, 4-star players and 2, 3-star athletes.
Last year, we signed the ESPN #1 or Rivals #2 class and we were the only Team in the SEC with no representatives on the SEC ALL Freshman Team. We have already had two players from this class leave (Aikem Hicks and Carneal Ainsworth). And Miles is already talking about moving Chris Davenport to OL and Tyler Edwards to FB. In the immortal words of Coach Vince Lombardi, “What the H*ll is going on out there”?
It was a miracle that we were able to get into the 2007 NCG after losing to Kentucky & Arkansas and we had the second most talent in the Country that year (after USC). Miles almost cost us that Championship… and he had Pellini and Crowton was in his first year before everyone had the “Book” on his offense. Time to get rid of this Clown!!
If you chicken little jerks can’t even enjoy it when LSU has a very good day based upon the outstanding efforts of Les Miles and his staff; you are not real Tiger fans. Maybe you are Tulane or Bama trolls that just like to take a dump on anything positive that happens for us Tiger fans. Maybe you really are THATstupid, to think your constant nastiness will somehow benefit LSU. Maybe you are just pesimistic, nasty negative people; I don’t know. But it isn’t Miles that needs to go…it is you guys. Geaux Tigers.
Thanks for your post Jon. Some of these people must live depressing lives, full of negativity. Oh and tora, tora, tora, here’s a few stats that may interest you: In 2001, 10 of the 27 players signed did not complete their eligibility, our #1 class in 2003, 10 of 26 did not complete their eligibility and in 2004 7 players did not complete their eligibility. So, as you can see attrition is just part of the game, it happens every year at every school for various reasons. We have a lot of young players in important positions who are starting to improve and gain experience, especially at the qb position. Every program goes through some years of transition, which we’ve gone through the last 2 years. We now have some experience at qb and the ol and dl will be much improved over the next couple of years. Coach Miles understands the corrections that need to be made and he will make them. No matter how you feel about him, he loves his players and our great university and believe me these guys want to win and they will be back on top sooner rather than later.
Jon, I think everything I posted was factual. If you deem it pessimistic, nasty, or negative then that is your take on the facts.
Les Miles is the third highest paid Coach in the SEC @ $3.75 million/yr. His last two seasons he has a .500 winning % in the SEC and is 1-7 against FL, AL, Ole Miss & AR. We did not beat a ranked team last year and only GA Tech the year before. We deserve more. Miles has made LSU the laughing stock of the National Media… the Mad Hatter is not an endearing moniker, FYI.
Crowton is the highest paid OC in the SEC @ $469,000/yr. Last year, we finished #112 in FBS football. This is with the 2009 #2, 2008 #11, 2007 #4 & 2006 #7 ranked recruiting classes according to Rivals. That represents the Freshmen through Senior classes. Chavis is the second highest paid DC @ $700,000. We have one of the highest paid Coaching staffs in the SEC with very little to show for it.
Forty (40%) of this years upcoming senior class has left LSU for reasons unknown. That is from Rivals 2007, #4 class. Sorry Jon these are the facts.
BTW, I have just as much right to voice my opinion, as you. Post some facts supporting your opinion because nothing you stated was factual.
Well lady’s and gentleman can’t you see the train wreck coming around the bend?
Florida,Alabama,Tennessee,And all the rest…Les Miles lied to get the job,and is lying now.
He is dead meat this 2010 fall season.
MM
Tora; I’ll give you some facts. Miles is one of the highest paid coaches in the SEC because he won the freaking National Championship 2 freaking years ago!! Did you miss that FACT? Or the FACT that he turned down his home school, Michigan (one of the greastest football programs in the country); to stay and coach LSU to that National Championship; our only undisputed National Championship since 1958? Don’t give me the idiotic “he was lucky” line…everyone who wins it is lucky. Bama this year was no different. Florida last year was no exception either. And don’t give me the “Saban’s players” line either. It was 3 years after Saban left. Saban won with Shula’s players, Meyer won with Zook’s blah blah blah. Miles is a proven winner who has done a great job at LSU. What he lacks in articulation before the media; he makes up for in loyalty to LSU, loyalty to and from his players and assistants; and the fact he is just a good guy. The last 2 years have not been good enough for anyone associated with LSU; including Miles. I’m confident we will be back in the hunt for championships this year and going forward. If not; eventually, Miles will be fired. But to even suggest that we should run him off at this point is just competely idiotic. You are welcome to have your opinion ( no matter how negative and/or stupid it is) and free to express it. But these constant public attacks from people like you bring the program down. If you don’t understand that; well, I could try to explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you. Let me give you a few more facts. Meyer and Miles got to UF and LSU at the same time. Meyer has won more than Les the last 2 years. But in that time; UF players have been arrested 24 times…LSU players ZERO that I know of. I can’t think of an LSU player with an off-the-field issue at all since Miles had the guts to run off Perriloux. This isn’t just coincidence. Maybe you don’t care that Miles is running such a clean program for my University; but I do. But here’s the FACT that got me the most riled up this time: the FACT is that LSU had a very good recruiting class despite the fact that it was a very lean year in Louisiana for elite D-1 talent and despite 3 high-profile late defections and despite the negative publicity put all over the place by people like you. And rather than feel happy for LSU and Les Miles even for a minute; you and WCS chose to attack. And the final FACT I’ll give you is that Les Miles is still the LSU coach this year. I’m going to SUPPORT my Tigers and their coach. You are welcome to wallow in misery all you want; I’m just sick of you guys trying to bring the rest of us down. GEAUX TIGERS!!!
Jon,
Now I see why you don’t use any relevant facts in your post… because you don’t know any.
“he won the freaking National Championship 2 freaking years ago!! Did you miss that FACT?”
First, you need to calm down Jon. Yes, he won but he had Bo Pellini and Jimbo Fisher (one year removed) coaching the players. The players, whether you want to admit it or not, were all recruited by Saban. Look at the Roster and the starting line-up for that team Jon, yes… they were all recruited by Saban.
“Or the FACT that he turned down his home school, Michigan … ”
Jon, you really need to do some research before posting on Sports threads because it really makes you look uninformed. Michigan never offered Miles… that is a well known FACT.
“Don’t give me the idiotic “he was lucky” line…everyone who wins it is lucky. Bama this year was no different… ”
Sorry Jon, Miles was “lucky” because he LOST to unranked Kentucky and unranked Arkansas and had to depend on West Virginia and Missouri LOSING to unranked Pittsburgh and Oklahoma, respectively, to even “back-in” to the BCS NCG, remember? AL & FL had luck but won their games and did not “back” into the NCG, big difference. We are the only BCS NC with 2 losses Jon, ever!
“And don’t give me the “Saban’s players” line either. It was 3 years after Saban left. Saban won with Shula’s players, Meyer won with Zook’s blah blah blah.”
Miles won in his third year with Saban’s players and that is just a FACT. Saban had the #1 recruiting class in 2003 and the #2 class in 2004. The 2007 NC team was all Saban recruits, sorry.
Yes, Meyers won with Zook’s players but he also won again in his fourth year with his players. Everyone knows he’s a great Coach. Saban won in his 3rd year at LSU with his players and at Alabama in his 3rd year with his players! And everyone knows he’s a great Coach. Miles now has his players, tell me Jon… how’s that working out for you? I’ll tell you, he’s 17-9 and 8-8 in the SEC. More importantly, he is 1-7 against AL, FL, Ole Miss & AR the last two years. We have beaten only 1 ranked team in the last two years and that was an over-matched GA Tech team in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. We are not paying these Coaches (highest paid staff in the SEC) to beat SunBelt Conference teams, Jon.
Tell me Jon, what is the National perspective of Les Miles? He has become a joke with the National Media, that’s what!
fmrplyr
Yes, attrition is a fact of the game but you fail to mention that many of the players from the 2001 left due to a lack of PT and the 2003 class left under Miles tenure. The players that I listed, have gone on to play at other Div. 1 schools. Do Phil Loadholt, DeAngelo Benton, Zhamal Thomas, Jason Teague, et al ring a bell? Miles is losing Div 1 starters & NFL Draft picks. If you are, indeed, a former players you will admit to this FACT. Apples to Oranges, my friend.
I have no problem supporting a Coach who is going through a tough year… if he is a good Coach (i.e. Trent Johnson) but MIles has a huge budget, great players and is giving us a mediocre product. I am not “bringing you down” Jon, Les Miles is doing that to OUR Team. According to your logic, we should support the officers at Bank of America for rewarding the high-rankin officials at Merrill Lynch four Billion Dollars in Federal Bail-out money. Blind loyalty, serves no one.
The freaking SAINTS won the freaking SUPER BOWL. C’mon son…you gotta like that. Or are you pissed the Saints only won 16 games this year…they just got lucky, Vikings were better team, Peyton Manning is prettier than Drew. I think most of these guys were saban’s players anyway…so it don’t count. I’m gonna do like you Tora and just bitch and moan and go to bed…maybe next year the Saints can be as perfect as you and your mama need them to be…when your **** turns orange; it’s time to step away from the cheetos tora. Just don’t have the freaking nerve to show up and pretend to be a Tiger fan when MY Tigers hoist another trophey next year.
Coach Miles is lacking strength at the d-line position and could find a solid recruit in his own backyard Johnny Bertucci. The kid can really play and will give LSU trouble in the future if they dont make him a tiger. Bertucci led his team to the state 5a championship game as a junior