LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Les Miles walked confidently to the podium and slipped on a familiar white hat.
This one had “KU” embroidered across the front.
The quirky and energetic coach who led LSU to the 2007 national title, after building a consistent winner at Oklahoma State, is back in the Big 12. His task this time is to turn around a long-suffering program at Kansas, where years of losing have left fan apathy at historically high levels.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Les Miles walked confidently to the podium and slipped on a familiar white hat.
This one had “KU” embroidered across the front.
The quirky and energetic coach who led LSU to the 2007 national title, after building a consistent winner at Oklahoma State, is back in the Big 12. His task this time is to turn around a long-suffering program at Kansas, where years of losing have left fan apathy at historically high levels.
Miles has been out of coaching since 2016, when he was fired by LSU after a 2-2 start that left him with a 114-34 record with the Tigers. His support among Tiger fans had waned considerably in a span of just a few years, even though Miles won at least 10 games in seven of his 11 full seasons, twice reached the national title game and beat Ohio State for the ’07 championship.
The most common criticism was Miles had been unable to keep up with the times, sticking to an unexciting and often-stagnant attack during college football’s offensive explosion.
“I did very much look to myself and what I needed to change to make us more successful as an offensive coach,” Miles said. “We did have an inspection but did not take a negative view.”
Miles had inherited a winner when he was chosen by LSU to succeed Nick Saban in 2005, but he had proven with Oklahoma State he could also build from scratch.
The Cowboys had just one winning season in 12 years before Miles, their program in similar shape to the Jayhawks. But the longtime college and pro assistant thrived in his first head job, finding some overlooked prospects, developing them and eventually reaching three straight bowl games.
“I have no doubt that Coach Miles will have an immediate impact on our football program and our university,” Chancellor Douglas Girod said. “Together as Jayhawks, we will rebuild our football program the right way, winning championships and continuing to graduate young men of character.”
The Jayhawks haven’t had a winning season or reached a bowl game since 2008, the year before Mark Mangino was forced to resign under pressure. Turner Gill won five games over two seasons before getting fired, and Charlie Weis managed six wins in two-plus seasons before he was let go.
By that point, the program had become the laughingstock of the Big 12.
The Jayhawks were woefully short on scholarship players, their facilities were decrepit, their fanbase had grown apathetic and the even the administration seemed to have little interest in supporting football. Beaty’s contract lagged far behind his peers financially, and there was little money at his disposal for hiring assistant and other administrators.
Long has promised to rectify those issues, even announcing that a $300 million renovation to aging Memorial Stadium had been put on the backburner while money was invested in the program itself.
The first and most important investment came in the head coach.
Miles would earn $15.125 million by fulfilling his five-year contract. He also can earn a series of incentives: $1 million for reaching the national title game; $350,000 for a playoff semifinal; $100,000 for a New Year’s Six game; $100,000 for making the Big 12 title game; and $75,000 for any other bowl game. Miles also can earn $50,000 each for being the Big 12 and national coach of the year, $15,000 for having a Broyles Award-winning assistant and up to $50,000 for the team’s GPA.
His contract also includes a one-year, one-time rollover extension that is triggered by winning six games in a season, and benefits such as a country club membership and moving expenses.
“The national profile of four football program has improved immediately and dramatically today,” Long said, “but more importantly we have a leader that loves the game of football, believes in what the game does to build character in young men and prepares men for what happens after football.”
