5 reasons Les Miles should take the Ole Miss job

2. The Comfort of the SEC

Outside of any possible job opening in Big Ten, which there were a couple of after last year, Miles seems like a nice fit to go right back to the SEC for his next coaching job. An obvious marquee conference, without having to be an ill-fit as a “West Coast guy” in the Pac-12 or having to compete in the very tough ACC, Miles also has obvious long-term familiarity with the SEC and what it takes to win in the conference. Even after being out of coaching for a year, that familiarity should not fade in 2018.

Miles coaching flaws and reputation, good or bad I suppose, precedes him in the big picture nationally and will probably dampen his job prospects to some degree. But he is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the SEC, and no matter where he goes from here that will remain the case.

A year out, but still with a close view provided by television work, may refresh Miles as he gets set to return to a sideline in 2018. With the prospect of a renewed perspective, particularly to the offensive side of the ball, Miles could somewhat reinvent himself in a comfortable landing spot against coaches that think they know what to expect from him.

Miles was pretty synonymous with the SEC for over a decade, and his run at LSU should stand as his ultimate legacy. But a successful second act at Ole Miss, however, that might be defined in upcoming tough circumstances, would absolutely cement Miles among the greatest all-time coaches the conference will ever see.