Jimbo Fisher, according to LSU beat writer, could stand as the replacement for Tigers head coach Les Miles should LSU chose to go in a different direction
The Advocate’s Scott Rabalais reports that LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles might be “coaching for his job vs. Ole Miss and Texas A&M.” Rabalais’ piece has made many in the SEC community uneasy, as many though Miles had done too much good at LSU to merit being on the hot seat.
Rabalais spoke with the SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum about a potential replacement for Miles, should it come to that. His response: Florida State Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher.
If LSU was to part ways with Les Miles who would they hire?
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) November 18, 2015
"The number one name is Jimbo Fisher" - @RabalaisAdv
While Rabalais credits Miles’ success in Baton Rouge with his 2007 BCS National Championship, two SEC Championships and his 78% career winning percentage since taking over the LSU program in 2005, he feels that three things are hurting Miles considerably in the latter part of 2015:
1. Two bad losses to Alabama (30-16) and Arkansas (31-14) in consecutive weeks to plummet from No. 2 in the College Football Playoff standings.
2. His decreased winning percentage in SEC play: From 8-0 in 2011 to 4-4 in 2014, with the chance of replicating that possible in 2015 should LSU lose out to Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
3. His offensive philosophy. The quarterback play at LSU outside of the two years of Zach Mettenberger have been difficult to endure in SEC play.
Assuming that Les Miles is on the hot seat at LSU in 2015, why would Jimbo Fisher be a perfect replacement for him? Though Fisher may not want to leave a major program like Florida State, there are two things that LSU can offer Fisher that Florida State cannot:
1. LSU is the only Power 5 program in the State of Louisiana, meaning that Fisher wouldn’t have to fend off in-state rivals for the state’s top talent. Fisher has to deal with Florida and Miami daily, as well as other nearby schools in Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Clemson.
2. Fisher would have the opportunity to play in the SEC West, a deeper division top to bottom than the ACC Atlantic. He would still get to play Florida annually, as LSU’s inter-divisional rival are the Gators. Jimbo Fisher could prove that he can win a National Championship without any jabs about a supposedly soft schedule.
Jimbo Fisher could help the quarterback issues in Baton Rouge, as he has had three former starting quarterbacks go in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2011 (Christian Ponder, E.J. Manuel, and Jameis Winston).
Don’t expect Miles to get the axe or for Fisher to leave Tallahassee for Baton Rouge. Miles has done great work for the Tigers and Fisher’s best bet to get to the College Football Playoff annually is with the Florida State Seminoles. However, it is an interesting possible matchup should it come to this.