Better by a Mile(s)

I've never been a huge fan of Les Miles, he's never done anything I disagree with, I was just indifferent. I knew him as the head coach of the LSU Tigers. I knew him as a guy that did things his own way. Called plenty of trick plays and more often than not they worked. I knew him as a guy that did exactly what you didn't expect, so, maybe everyone shouldn't be surprised that he turned down the head coaching position at his alma-mater Michigan in order to stay at LSU.

In his ten years as a head coach Miles has a combined record of 90-38, including 62-17 since taking over for the Tigers in 2005. He has led his teams to nine consecutive bowl games, winning five out of six since going to LSU, including the 2007 National Championship. Miles has accomplished so much in only a decade, why not see what you can do at Michigan? The Wolverines are one of the most storied teams in college football and is a part of histories greatest collegiate rivalry, Ohio State versus Michigan. Why not do it?

This brings me to the change in my opinion of Miles. His reasons were simple, yet spoke so much about his character. He didn't want to leave because he feels he has made a commitment to the school, faculty, assistants, players, and fans, and wants to fulfill that commitment. In a time when coaches can leave at the drop of a hat, not taking into account the players they recruited. The players who chose a school so they could learn under that coach for four years, only to see them leave a year or two later. Miles apparently does something that most don't, he considers his players, he considers the fans, he looks out for others around him and for all that he has accomplished, I think that should be the most respected.