How Worried Should Les Miles, LSU Fans Be After 5-Loss Season?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When Notre Dame kicker Kyle Brindza's 32-yard field goal sailed through the west uprights at LP Field on Tuesday night to give Notre Dame a 31-28 win over LSU in the Music City Bowl, it signaled the beginning and the end for Les Miles' squad.

The beginning of an offseason of tumult, and the end of disappointing season that saw the once-powerful Tigers finish the year 8-5.

That disappointment will linger.

Quarterback Anthony Jennings completed just seven of 14 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown in a game plan his coaches clearly designed to mask his inconsistencies. It wasn't a new low for Jennings or offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's offense; it was the norm. That should concern LSU fans, as the SEC Network's Peter Burns notes:

Jennings completed just 48.8 percent of his passes coming into the bowl, and instead of trying to get him confidence, Cameron hid Jennings as best he could.

Moving forward, that means more uncertainty at quarterback.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

"I look at spring ball, and this will be a great, competitive spring," Miles said. "Out of spring, I'd like to pick another starter. It could be Anthony [Jennings], and it could be, certainly, Brandon [Harris]. Competition will have to continue there."

Harris only got one start in the purple and gold this year—a 41-7 loss on the road to Auburn, which was ranked No. 5 at the time. Harris didn't see the field in Nashville and will go into the offseason without much game experience to fall back on.

That may be a good thing because it has become apparent that Jennings can complete 50 percent of his passes. After all, that's the exact mark he hit in five games this season, and he only completed better than 55 percent twice (Louisiana-Monroe and Texas A&M).

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

On top of that, LSU fans should be even more concerned about their defensive coordinator.

John Chavis has been rumored to be a target for Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin for a while now, and Ross Dellenger of The (Baton Rouge) Advocate reported on Tuesday that the two sides are very much still talking.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Will Chavis, who wrapped up his sixth season in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, be on the move?

"I do not know that," Miles said. "I'm told that's the case (by people who monitor the media). I'll have to find that out later.

"John Chavis was very productive for us. He's had a great career for LSU."

That's ominous, to say the least, but Miles isn't content letting Chavis—who's known as The Chief—waltz out the door.

"We understood that he was unsigned, and we understood why," Miles said. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to go try to pitch him again. We like Chief."

As Burns notes, Texas A&M might actually be the better job right now.

The five-loss season and an offense that was one-dimensional by necessity were enough reasons for LSU fans to be concerned. But now, the possibility of a defensive coaching change is very real, there's no foundation for Harris to build off at quarterback, and as is the case during most seasons, LSU could lose several players early to the NFL draft.

Leonard Fournette is all LSU has going for it.

That's reassuring because Fournette single-handedly kept LSU in the game with the Fighting Irish on Tuesday, rushing for 143 yards, two touchdowns and scoring another touchdown on a 100-yard kickoff return.

He can't do it himself though.

Five-loss seasons won't sit well in Baton Rouge, and neither will uncertainty.

Miles has to deal with both for the next nine months. With uncertainty piling up, it's going to be a long offseason.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.