At LSU, he won a national title

What would motivate a highly successful coach – one who has won a national championship – to take on a rebuilding job at a basketball school with a football team that won only one Big 12 game last season?

That’s the question that Les Miles, the new head football coach at Kansas, has to keep answering. The Jayhawks were 3-9 last year and 1-8 in the Big 12 and did not go to a bowl game.  Kansas has lost 71 of their past 75 Big 12 games.

 “I think it’s the experiences that you’ve had developing young players, making sure that they get their degree, and bringing them to the field,” Miles said during the Big 12 spring teleconference. “I think that experience has drawn a lot of people to it. And I think it’s a little bit more fun than fishin’ and maybe a little bit more fun than golf. It’s not as much fun as eating a lot but I think the draw to it is that relationship with the team it’s tough to go by.”

In some respects, Miles’ decision is the same at former Texas coach Mack Brown, who has resurfaced at North Carolina. Miles was fired at LSU after winning a national title and likewise for Brown at Texas. Both men are in their sixties and things are different now in college football.

“Everything has changed,” said Miles who left Oklahoma State to take the LSU job. “The landscape. The recruiting calendar. The style of football. That’s a broad-based question.”

One big change is the introduction of transfer portal in which a player can float his intention to consider transferring to another college.

“I think the ease of transfer is the only thing I question,” Miles said of the portal. “I think there is a number of people that transferring not out of necessity. One of the last statistics I saw was that 25 percent of all of college has put their name in for the transfer portal. And actually transferring were 13 percent. I don’t know that those are exactly the statistics.

“I just think it changes football so much. You learn allegiance, you learn an identity, you like your team and then, what the heck, for the last year I’ll take a flyer. Maybe it will be the last two years.

“I think there are quality reasons to transfer and certainly the senior who just graduated and looking for an opportunity – I see that as very likely a good reason. And if a young man had other extenuating circumstances, I think those things are looked. The ease of transfer, I think it’s wonderful for the player – I don’t know that it’s great for the coaches.”

A key factor in Miles’ return was KU Athletic Director Jeff Long, a close friend. Long hired Mike Vollmar, who has been a senior associate athletic director at Alabama, Syracuse and Michigan. Kansas has beefed up their social media for recruiting purposes.

Miles is making a strong effort to get closer to the student body at Kansas and with football patrons. That attitude was reflected in the Jayhawk’s spring game ‘s festivities.

After that game, Miles got up on the stage with rapper Rick Ross, much to the pleasure of the Jayhawk fans.

 “At OSU, I can remember a summer caravan with 25 stops. I think that would be similar,” Miles said. “At LSU, there were fewer stops and larger crowds. I think we’ve always felt like the student population is who you play for. They’re the ones who come in numbers and they’re the future of your fan base. I certainly make it a priority to communicate with that group, especially the best I can.”

Recruiting is crucial in college football. And the Big 12 is full of teams with dynamic offenses. Miles has always been known as a defensive coach.

But after spring practice, he is comfortable with the KU players.

“I think we’re a talented team,” Miles said. “I think the team has got some experience. I feel a lot better coming out of spring than I did going in. I didn’t know these guys. I know these guys now. I think we have good leadership. I think they want to play and win and win championships. I think we are looking forward to putting a better team on the field and a winning team.”

Other Big 12 coaches are familiar with Miles and his level of success. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy followed Miles at OSU. Gundy was his offensive coordinator.

 “I have not talked to him specifically since he’s gotten the job,” said Gundy. “I would guess that Les is going to run the program the way he’s always run it, like he did here at Oklahoma State and like he did at LSU.

“They are going to try to rush the football on offense and he has his brand and the way that he likes to play. I doubt that he will be influenced by this league and try to change what he does and how he accomplishes the success that he has in his program. It will be interesting to watch the next couple of years, how they adjust and changes are made with new coaches.”

“I’ve never had a chance to meet Coach Les Miles, “said Baylor coach Matt Rhule. “Obviously, I’m a fan of all the things that he did at LSU and Oklahoma State.

“I played for Joe Paterno who coached a long, long time. And I worked for Tom Kaufman.

“I think that as coaches, we love this game, we love the competition but most importantly, we love working with young people and player development. I get with my players sometimes and I forget that I am 25 years older than them. I feel like I am the same age. They keep you young and keeps you healthy mentally. I am sure Coach Miles being away, wanted to get back and he’s one of the best.”

Miles, 65, won two Southeastern Conference championships and a national title. He was fired in 2016 after only four games in the season. Former KU coach Mark Mangino won 12 games in 2007 and won the Orange Bowl and then he got fired.

The good news is that KU just moved into a new $26 million indoor practice facility and their football stadium is scheduled for an $50 million facelift.

Kansas hired a full-time nutritionist, a fifth member in the strength and conditioning program and some former college coaches as consultants.

Miles won 28 games in four seasons at Oklahoma State. Prior to his arrival in 2001, the Cowboys had a losing record in 11 of their previous 12 seasons.

“We’ll need to keep our poise and move on from what’s happened here in the past,” Miles said of Kansas. “But they want to play well, to win. I’ve played in a lot of football games and been fortunate to have coached in a lot of games that we finished in front. These guys demonstrate that style of team. I see guys who are flying around and laying it all out, and I’m looking forward to seeing them do that on Saturdays.”