LISTEN IN… Miles Faces The Music Following Arkansas Loss
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An aggravated LSU coach Les Miles addresses the media following Friday’s devastating loss to Arkansas
by Matt Deville
Tiger Rag Senior Editor
(At left) Les Miles was less than pleased when he met with the media on Friday night at War Memorial Stadium (Photo by Beth Bonner Deville)
CLICK HERE to listen to Les Miles’ postgame remarks in their entirety.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Friday’s 31-30 loss at Arkansas typified a season shrouded in frustration for the LSU Tigers.
After taking a commanding 30-14 lead early in the third quarter, LSU (7-5, 3-5 SEC) gained a mere 20 yards the rest of the way falling flat en route to the team’s fourth straight SEC defeat.
The loss marked the second in a row to Arkansas and was the first back to back regular season losses for the Tigers since losing two straight at Tennessee and at home versus Florida all the way back in 2001.
LSU recorded its first five-loss season since 2002, in which the Tigers lost four regular season games and the Cotton Bowl to Texas.
The Razorbacks (5-7, 2-6) called on quarterback Casey Dick in the third quarter. Dick relieved his brother Nathan and led the Hawgs to 17 second half points all the while completing 18 of 29 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
“Make no mistake, Arkansas played exteremly well,” a visibly frustrated Les Miles said afterwards. “We would have liked to come away with a victory for our fans, our schooland our state.”
The game was reminiscent of Arkansas’ 21-20 win over LSU at the end of the 2002 season. Matt Jones completed a last-second Hail Mary to DeCori Birmingham to cap off the “Miracle on Markham.”
While Arkansas rallied back in dramatic fashion, the Razorbacks got plenty of help when LSU was tagged with two costly personal foul penalties during a 17-play, 90-yard drive that extended from midway through the third quarter and into the fourth.
“Our players don’t understand how much that hurts our team,” Miles said. “You can’t make penalties like that and expect to win the game.”
True freshman Jordan Jefferson got his first career start and looked impressive while throwing for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Tigers in rushing with 50 yards on 19 carries.
“We did everything we could,” Jefferson said. “It just wasn’t enough. It hurts. I feel like I played well. I didn’t make too many mistakes. I wish we would have won though.”
After Dick’s fourth down touchdown heave, LSU got the ball back with 21 seconds left and all three timeouts. Two Jefferson passes fell incomplete and a last gasp 63-yard Colt David field goal fell short.
The Razorbacks outgained LSU 398-304 in the game. But the greatest desparity was a 222-20 advantage for the Hawgs after the Tigers took a 30-14 lead with 13:06 left in the third quarter.
Check back to TigerRag.com for continuing coverage of LSU’s loss to Arkansas in the season finale at Little Rock.
Time for excuses to end - we need a fottball team with discipline - was’t Perrlioux kicked off the team because of his problem - Guess Miles cannot possibly come up with any other excuses except that this year was a failure because of non-performance by the coaches. Note: I have never seen a Sabin coached team make as many mistakes.
W. Smith
This year’s performance has totally exposed Miles for his inability to recruit and coach a team without Saban’s assistance. What a joke.
Get rid of the co-definsive cordnators.We have to much talent to blow it with poor
coaches! Defense wins championships! So lets try to get Coach O.
This season is the results of one of the highest paid coaching staff in the country. Whats wrong with this picture? >> The defence goes from one of the the best to one of worst. The offence has no discipline. Don’t say its the QB’s as many schools start freshman QB’S. [check out this site about Crowton--[www.picklewagon.com]. >>Going from one of most respect programs to almost total disrepected is not a nice picture,
I think this two co-defensive coordinator experiment failed miserably. We need a top notch defensive coordinator to run the defense we have to much talent to flounder like this. And keep Jordan Jefferson at QB he is way better than the other two qb on the current team.
This is a poorly coached team…period. They continue to exhibit a lack of discipline. It is sad to see how the mighty have fallen. This is a team and staff that does not seem hungry to win. This reminded me of the Kentucky game of a year ago, where undisciplined players lost their focus and consequently we lost the game.
Joe
LSU finally found offense then played jefferson below potential .LSU never has allowed african american quarterbacks play to full potential this young man is better than pryor and both dick brothers ,playing conservative is for DIVISON 11 TEAMS LSU Needs to play SEC ball AND score 45 to 50 POINTS and leave LEE and HATCH AS BENCH WARMERS ; FINALLY no INTRECEPTIONS Lee ,WATCH AND LEARN back up QBs are not starters LEE reality check DEFENSE very unprofessinal : bench them play your BACKUPS and stop losing and running a lazy offensive line who lose desire to play and WIN,,
I thought watching the New Orleans saints were a pain in the butt. This has truly been a very very disappointing season. All this talent and very little results. This calls for some coaching changes across the board, starting with the defense. Jefferson played outstanding, the whole team just seem to have quit after the bama game. Lets get back together tigers for the 2009 season. Go Tigers
The defense is totally WORTHLESS!!! We need a first class defensive coordinator!! The players need to learn to play the full 60 MINUTES!!!
Let’s hire a top notch defensive coordinator this week and hope to go a minor bowl and win with a good defensive.
UNDISCIPLINED football team is right. But the players’ lack of discipline is a direct reflection of the coaching staff. Saban may be the biggest jerk in coaching, but he expects, maintains and requires discipline. Miles talks the talk but his players don’t walk the walk.
Enough with the team playing smarter! I watched a confused coaching staff again. There is plenty of talent on this team but the coaching staff seems unable to adjust or unwilling to adjust to the the Houston Nutts, Urban Myers and now Bobby Patrieno shcemes. This was clearly evident on the last play of the Arkansas game where a time-out SHOULD have been called to set your defense. Lets stop making excuses for this COACHING staff. They are NOT getting it done. They are being out-coached and it is time they evalaute themselves!! These kids deserve better effort from them. Hello Gary Crowton, what are you thinking??
I’ve said it since day one. Miles is a good guy and I would enjoy hanging out with him, but is he worth almost 4 million a year. Saban didn’t recruit Perrlioux, wounder why? Joe Pa, Pete Carol, Spurrier, could you see any of them walking to the sideline with their arm around a player that just got a personal foul called on him when it’s 3rd and 29? Two defenseive coordinators, lack of focus, no disclipline, some players doing thier own thing and others just lost. We nedd Coach O, but we’ll be too late b/c Tenessee is giong to come a calling.
I agree coaching changes have to be made but I disagree with Michael. I’ve been an LSU fan for fifty years and African American quarterbacks were never held back if they had the talent. A couple of years ago LSU had a quarterback drafted #1 in the NFL draft and who could forget the play of Herb Tyler. Whenever something happens to an African American in sports people want to make it a race issue. Get real 75-80% of LSU’s team are African Americans and I don’t have a problem with that. I blame Coach Miles for his evaluation of the quarterback situation. He said Jefferson wasn’t ready to be an SEC quarterback but neither was Lee but he kept playing him instead of giving Jefferson the opportunity to get game experience. I’m from Destrehan and I’m a big Jefferson fan. They need a hard nose defensive coordinator that will teach the players discipline and to stay in there cover area.
If Les Miles does not have the courage to make immediate changes to the coaching staff, the ability to recruit, promote the product on the field and motivate the LSU base will eventually cause others to make even larger changes. Fix it now Les,while you can.
LSU really needs to invest in a defensive coordinator,offensive coordinator, and head coach. It will not get any better. It will only get worse. It was plum stupid for a player to kick the football, that is all coaching!! Jefferson should be the starting QB for the 09 season.
There are two realities we Tiger fans must face. On offense, our coaches chose the wrong QB early, a minor problem. Major problem, they stuck with him too far into the season. JJ is the future, see Ohio State and Terrel Pryer. After OSU lost to USC, the Coaches knew there was no chance for an NC run, so they benched Todd Boechman and struggled the first few games with TP. Once Pryer played a few games, he was in the groove and they are a solid team. Our coaches, should have pulled the trigger on a QB change to JJ by mid season. Now going into 2009 JJ will only have 2 full games under his belt, could have been a seasoned starter. On Defense, we were robbed, Miles went with his buddies and the players and fans paid the price. These 2 cannot game plan an opponents offense, they have to let them score a couple times, then adjust. But the most frustrating thing is they bring no leadership or discipline to the players, NOTHING !!! LSU has talent on Defense but the players are not getting enough coaching from their position coaches or either the position coaches are not capable. Miles needs to hire a real DC this week or he can freakin go with his bull excuses and take away 12 plays and the defense played good ? Hugging D lineman who commit stupid personal fouls on 3rd and 29 ? Miles is not tough enough on these kids. They have no fear of screwing up or continuing to screw up. I am sick to my stomach with this team, no one expected less than 3 losses but to get beat by a bad Arkansas team is gut wrenching and blown away by UF and UGA. We want a Defense again Miles !!!
I never really was sold on Les Miles. This years season has totally reinforced my feelings. With the Defense……how can two generals lead an army. When you have two people with two totally different visions it creates di-vision. As far as the offense i say keep Jefferson in, the kid is a heisman candidate in the making. As for Miles….i’m sick and tired of having a coach who is so emotionless. We need a coach like Saban again who is in your face, no letting down. Go tigers!!!
I HAVE SEEN A L.S.U. TEAM THIS YEAR THAT IS NOT DISCIPLINE AND A COACHING STAFF THAT IS NOT GOOD. IT STARTS WITH LES. LES NEEDS TO GET SOME FIRE UNDER HIS ASS AND FIND COACHES WITH INTENSITY AND SMARTS. I MEAN I,M WATCHING THE ALABAMA GAME AND SCOTT IS GETTING 4 TO 5 YARDS A CARRY AND ON 3RD AND 2 GARY CALLS A OPTION PLAY WITH A POCKET PASSING Q.B. THATS WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND, AND LES IF YOU WANT A DEFENCE CORDINATOR GO GET WILL MUSCHAMP, NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THERE SELF
Sly Croom is on the board for a job . I think we should pick him up for a D-coridnator job. He has his players well displined and he was a good coach.
Enough about Saban already. He choose to leave. Past history. Check it out and you will probably find out that the core of this years Alabama team is Shula recruits not Saban recruits. >>> LSU will have get back to hard nose defence and that will only happen with proper coaching and that’s not going to happen with current staff..>> The offence is just as bad. Crowton may be able to design a good scheme, but his play calling is highly predictable. When one the the tv announcers says;- oh! no. when LSU comes out in this formation only bad things happen and LSU throws and interception what does that tell you. If tv people know whats going to take place then you know opposing defence coach surely does.>> Crowton almost ran BYU into the ground and the folks in Oregon were doings high fives when the heard he was leaving Oregon.