LSU's Les Miles to the NFL? That's Not Miles' Style

Mike Freeman of CBSsportsline.com reported today that several NFL executives are considering LSU's Les Miles the next hot coaching candidate among the College Football ranks.

Freeman reports that one NFL executive was quoted as saying, "He's the most intriguing coaching prospect I've seen in a long time. I think he has a great deal of talent and can deal with the modern athlete."

Now the question arises, will this cause a ripple among the Tiger faithful? Miles has long been questioned during his tenure, yet with the Tigers looking at the possibility of an historical season, Miles is quickly putting his detractors to rest.

Make no mistake though, the longer the LSU Tigers remain the No. 1 team in the nation, the more this story will gain momentum. Tiger nation will be quick to remember Miles' predecessor when he too was the hot topic. It was a constant reminder during the 2004 season, and it almost certainly was a distraction to an already struggling Tiger team.

Could it now be that history will repeat itself for the current national championship contender? The affirmative answer is no.

The difference between Les Miles and Nick Saban is night and day. Saban is hard-driving, in your face, and egomaniacal. That is certainly not a knock on Saban. Nick Saban is arguably the best football coach in college football today, but let's be honest, that is what Saban is.

Miles, on the other hand, is a laid back, often goofy family man who is not afraid to laugh at himself. More importantly, you can tell from Miles' demeanor on the sidelines that he loves college football, and not just college football, Miles loves LSU.  

Miles has since turned down overtures from his beloved alma mater Michigan. Many will say that Miles knew what he had at LSU and wasn't about to leave the fertile recruiting grounds of talent-rich Louisiana. Some will point to handsome contract extensions that Miles had signed, at one point making him the highest-paid coach in the country. Both are valid points, but if Miles was an egomaniac wouldn't his ego have taken hold and forced him to the land of maize and blue?

More than a football coach, Miles is an obvious family man. His children are in school in Baton Rouge, and his family has often expressed their dire love for the city. There is absolutely no chance that Miles would uproot his family, and leave his football team which he loves and they the same.

Everyone that follows LSU closely would admit the same, but as the season continues and the talk from NFL executives continue to grow, Freeman's story will take on legs. It will become constant chatter among the media, and the fans. The players will begin to hear the rumors as well, and only time will tell if it becomes another distraction for a team that has already handled their share.

The unfortunate truth of all this is that there is absolutely nothing that Miles can do to fan the flames. Address it, and the rumors will continue. Ignore it, and the rumors will continue as well. Miles will eventually have to decide the course for which he will take regarding these rumors, for they will continue.

This however is par for the course, when a team has the look of the most dominant team in the country. It comes with the package.