Les Miles Biography

The Bayou Bengals genius head coach evolves to one of the best minds in college sports

Les Miles: Athlete
Born in 1953 in Elyria, Ohio, Leslie “Les” Miles quickly excelled as an athlete. Lettering in baseball, football, and wrestling, Les Miles was one of the top athletes in the entire state of Ohio. Legendary Michigan Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler recognized the great athlete and poached him away from instate schools like the Ohio State Buckeyes. After his playing career was over Les Miles moved into coaching. His former coach Bo Schembechler gave Les Miles his first college coaching opportunity as a general assistant coach with the Michigan Wolverines.

Les Miles: Early Coaching
Les Miles career as an offensive lineman gave him a powerful work ethic and a deep understanding of the battle in the trenches. While being under Bo Schembechler, Les Miles learned how to be a leader as well. The young Les Miles eventually left for a promotion to offensive line coach at the Colorado Buffaloes before returning to coach the Michigan Wolverines offensive line. Les Miles kept this position for eight years before taking a job as the offensive coordinator of the Oklahoma State Cowboys and later worked for two years as a TE coach with the Dallas Cowboys.

Les Miles: Oklahoma State
After his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, Les Miles returned to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, this time as head coach. Les Miles brought with him a culture of accountability and toughness that the Oklahoma State Cowboys had been lacking. Les Miles also showed that he was an incredible recruiter of talent, bringing in good players even as he competed with teams like the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies, and the Texas Longhorns. In only a few short years Les Miles took the Oklahoma State Cowboys to three-straight Bowl Games.

Les Miles earned a reputation as a giant killer as the led he underdog Oklahoma State Cowboys to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners of Bob Stoops twice in his tenure. Les Miles style of stressing academics and enforcing team rules impressed many fans as much as his success on the field. Les Miles treated all his players like family and his loyalty became especially prized. The LSU Tigers took a particular interest after their head coach Nick Sabin suddenly jumped away to the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. Les Miles was named as his replacement and wasted no time.

Les Miles: LSU Tigers
Fans with LSU Tigers tickets were furious at the betrayal of Nick Sabin, and the arrival of the down-to-earth Les Miles was a welcomed changed from the slick and loose regime of Nick Sabin. The recruiting tactics did give Les Miles a loaded cupboard of talent including QB JaMarcus Russell, RB Joseph Addai, WR Dwayne Bowe, S LaRon Landry, and DT Glenn Dorsey. Even with the specter of Hurricane Katrina falling over the entire state of Louisiana, the LSU Tigers gave hope to millions with an impressive 11-2 record and a Bowl victory.

The LSU Tigers 2006 team was bolstered by more recruits from Les Miles and a newfound support around the United States. LSU Tigers tickets and gear sold in every corner of the United States and the Yellow and Purple was often seen in college towns more than the local school’s color. The big arm of QB JaMarcus Russell had great WRs in Dwayne Bowe and Craig “Buster” Davis, but the real strength of the LSU Tigers was the defense led by DT Glenn Dorsey and S LaRon Landry. The LSU Tigers went 11-2 again and won the Sugar Bowl, much to the delight of fans with LSU Tigers tickets.

Les Miles: 2007 LSU Tigers
The 2007 LSU Tigers lost four players as first-round picks to the NFL Draft, but Les Miles had the team running on all cylinders. QB Matt Flynn was seen as a stop-gap measure but quickly blossomed into a great player. RB/FB Jacob Hester stepped up as a team leader and could not be stopped on third down. DT Glenn Dorsey decided to stay on for his senior year, and the superstar was key in keeping the LSU Tigers defense on track. The SEC was the elite conference in college football, and the road would be difficult.

Glenn Dorsey was slowed with injury all year, and the adjustment to a new offensive scheme also threw in a few roadblocks. The LSU Tigers ran through a series of ranked opponents before being upset by Andre Woodson and the Kentucky Wildcats. Les Miles did not let his team lose heart, and the LSU Tigers kept on trucking and fans with LSU Tigers tickets kept on cheering. A shocking loss at home to RB Darren McFadden and the Arkansas Razorbacks in the “Battle of the Boot” would have deflated the championship hopes of any team. Les Miles did not let his players give up and the LSU Tigers reached No. 2 in the BCS.

Les Miles: 2008 BCS Championship
“The Hat” Les Miles and the LSU Tigers faced “The Sweater-Vest” Jim Tressel and his Ohio St. Buckeyes in the BCS Championship. Fans with LSU Tigers tickets knew that the speed of the Bayou Bengals would crush the Big Ten Ohio State Buckeyes. Against a hard wall of meat led by DTs Glenn Dorsey and Ricky Jean-Francois, Ohio State RB Beanie Wells was crushed. With their main offensive weapon taken away, the Ohio State Buckeyes quickly folded under the combined speed of the defense and offense of the LSU Tigers.

Capturing the BCS Championship was a dream come true for Les Miles, and the classy coach was seen as one of the best figures in college sports. Fans with LSU Tigers tickets could finally wash the bitter taste of Nick Sabin from their mouths as Les Miles showed loyalty to the LSU Tigers by shunning his dream job as head coach for the Michigan Wolverines. Les Miles continues to bring in great recruits and is also a pure leader that inspires fans and players alike.

Les Miles: 2008-09 LSU Tigers
The 2008 LSU Tigers football team ranked No. 6 at the start of the season and had a rough road ahead of them in the SEC. The loss of QB Ryan Perrilloux threw a giant monkey wrench into the offensive game plan of the LSU Tigers. The emergence of RB Charles Scott as a superstar helped offset this, but without a great QB the LSU Tigers lost two heartbreaking games to the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs. Fans with LSU Tigers tickets still have hopes of a BCS Championship if their team can defeat the hated duo of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Nick Sabin.

Les Miles: Family & Charity
At his heart, Les Miles is a family man. Les Miles’ four children are the most important things in his life and his oldest daughter appears to be an even better natural athlete than he was. Les Miles’ wife Kathy is a former NCAA coach herself and athletics run in the family. Les Miles has become renowned for his charity work during Hurricane Katrina as well as work with the Special Olympics and various children’s charities.