LSU’s Les Miles is often referred to as a coach that lives
on the edge.
There was the slugfest with Florida in 2007, where Miles
used five fourth-down conversions to push past the Gators and stay on course
for the National Championship.
When the Tigers trailed Auburn two games later, Miles let quarterback
Matt Flynn take one last shot at the end zone with the clock winding down, when
the safer play would have been to set up for a potential game-winning field
goal attempt.
Even in his hurricane-delayed debut, Miles gave Tiger fans a
glimpse into the future. Down three points with just over a minute to play, he notched
his first victory on a 39-yard touchdown reception that came on fourth down.
Toss in Auburn from 2008, where Brandon LaFell scored to
take the lead with 1:03 on the clock. The same goes for Troy, a game Miles
outscored the Trojans 30-0 in the fourth quarter for the comeback win.
This season, Miles needed a goal-line stand to hold off
Mississippi State and a final-minute touchdown to beat Georgia in back-to-back
games. Louisiana Tech, down eight points with less than 30 seconds to play,
lined up for an onside kick against the Tigers with a shot – something nobody
thought the Bulldogs had before the game, let alone would work their way into
by the final minute.
“I'd much rather have a free-swinging game that there were
successes on both sides of the ball, and it was decided by the whim of good
fortune,” said Miles earlier this season.
More often than not, he has come out on top. While his
critics peg his coaching philosophy as reckless, Miles’ supporters find reason
in the outcome.
This past weekend in Oxford, the approval scale tipped in the
wrong direction.
When Rueben Randle pulled in a 25-yard touchdown with 1:17
left in the fourth quarter, Miles was once again back in a game that his team
looked all but done for.
Down 25-23, the two-point conversion call from three yards
out was a fade to receiver Terrance Toliver, which resulted in pass
interference on Ole Miss.
With the ball now just a yard-and-a-half out from the goal
line, and minus Keiland Williams to injury, Miles went back to Toliver on the
same play.
“We lost two tight ends,” he said. “That created these
issues. The issues are not can you run the play, but can you have the advantage
and make that play a success? Can you execute the play? Having a guy that
understands the assignment is one thing. Having a guy who can go get it for a
positive play is another. We felt like the receivers on the field and our
quarterback being in rhythm was an advantage at that point.
“I like our quarterback. I like our wide receiver. I like
the call.”
The next decision was simple. Let Josh Jasper give his best
onside kick attempt and see if Miles had any more of that late game luck left
up his sleeve.
When LaFell scooped the kick up at the LSU 42-yard line and
the clock read 1:16, the Tigers had life. When he grabbed a pass from Jefferson
two plays later and took it 26 yards and into Rebel territory, the Tigers had
more than a chance.
Staring at a 49-yard field goal on 1st and 10, Miles had two
timeouts and more than a minute to work with.
“As a head coach in review, that is where I want to win the
game,” he said.
Instead, LSU called back-to-back passing plays that both
resulted in a loss of yardage and timeouts, which backed the Tigers out of
field goal range.
After Saturday’s game, Miles said that his initial thought
was to run the ball, though the call from offensive coordinator Gary Crowton
from the booth was to go back to the air.
At Monday’s press conference, the headman shouldered the
blame.
“We discussed briefly runs and passes, and frankly the first
pass is a deep ball that is one where we have great protection,” Miles said. “We
have a throw away, and it also backs off the defense. The second pass is a very
quick throw and one where we ought to be able to bang it in there versus
virtually any coverage. It’s there. We take the sack.
“I defend those calls. Those calls come with my name on
them.”
Equally as costly were the 17 seconds that ticked off the
clock between Stevan Ridley hitting the ground and Miles calling the second
timeout.
When asked on Monday why the timeout never came, Miles
showed the same look of confusion he wore in the game’s final minute.
“I’d be the first one to tell you that I would like to think
that I had called timeout before that,” he said. “I can’t imagine that I did
not. I can’t tell you that I did, and that’s my issue.
“I was into the next play, what we need to do, what’s going
on, and that’s my mistake.”
With nine seconds left, Miles huddled his side and discussed
only one option.
“The thought process was we had to score on that play.”
When Jefferson’s pass came down in the arms of Terrance
Toliver just short of the end zone, one second showed on the clock – a
situation not discussed during the prior timeout.
As a result of the coaching mishap, the Tigers players stood
confused and the snap never got off. Monday, Miles offered his best explanation
– again taking the bulk of the blame.
“It takes 12 seconds to get our [field goal] personnel on
the field; we do not have a chance to get that ball off,” Miles said. “The
other [option] is to have a play called, and the mechanics of that play are
this. The official walks onto the ball. As he walks away from the ball, the
play clock is wound, and the second goes off.
“With one second to go, more times often than not we will
not get a snap.”
For a head coach that has stolen win after win late in ball
games, Miles came up empty handed in Oxford.
Still, had the Tigers called a timeout with 26 seconds to
play, a first down catch would have given LSU the chance for a chip-shot field
goal for the win.
“I regret the mistake,” Miles said. “It cost my team a
opportunity at victory. In 48 hours I’ve gone through the pain of this, and
it’s not something I enjoy.”