After weeks of speculation and belief that he would be fired, LSU announced that Les Miles would remain the football coach after the team’s win over Texas A&M on Saturday night.
A look into the decision making process reveals a bizarre series of decisions, most notably LSU administrators not deciding to retain Miles until the third quarter of the game.
A series of tweets from ESPN’s Joe Schad show that LSU didn’t exactly handle this situation well.
Public pressure and sentiment key factors in decision to keep Les Miles according to high ranking source Involved in decision
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
Decision to retain Les Miles was made in meeting of LSU decision makers during 3rd quarter of tonight’s game, per source
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
LSU decision makers felt media had swayed public and if Les Miles was fired school would have apoeared mean-spirited, per source
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
LSU felt thought buyout would have been through private donations, sum would have made it tough to ask state for future funds, per source
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
LSU source says feeling is Les Miles is more open to change and less hard-headed since his future was openly questioned
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
Told this morning LSU leadership felt decision to keep Les Miles validated when they saw players carry him off the field w fans chanting
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 29, 2015
There are a few theories that can be drawn up from this.