Les says more: Miles takes on USC
posted: Monday, July 2, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
Juicy story out of Louisiana this past weekend: Apparently, LSU coach Les Miles wasn't shy about saying what most SEC folks have been thinking for years. That not only is the SEC the best conference in college football, but Miles also ripped the Pac-10, with a particular eye toward USC. The source of the story was Miles' interview with WWL radio in New Orleans, with the quotes reprinted in the Baton Rouge Advocate:
"I can tell you this, that they have a much easier road to travel," Miles said of the Trojans. "They're going to play real knockdown drag-outs with UCLA and Washington, Cal-Berkeley, Stanford -- some real juggernauts -- and they're going to end up, it would be my guess, in some position so if they win a game or two, that they'll end up in the title . I would like that path for us.
"I think the SEC provides much stiffer competition."
And Miles didn't stop there.
"The Big 12 is a conference that might have two really pretty good teams, maybe four," said Miles, who coached in the Big 12 while at Oklahoma State. "I think the Pac-10 may have one or two really good ones. The ACC certainly, arguably, has some quality teams.
"I don't think there's any conference out there that has as many quality teams as ours."
My three cents: Props to Miles for speaking his mind. I agree with him that the SEC is the best conference in college football. At this point, I don't think it's even close. Right now the league has more "very good" teams than any other. I'd classify Florida, LSU, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee as heavyweights at this point. Arkansas also was a top 10 team late in the season. Most conferences are lucky to have three programs playing at that level in a given three or four-year span. Usually it's only two.
That said, I don't think Miles is being fair with the dismissive "juggernauts" shot lumping UCLA and Cal in with Stanford. That's like comparing Arkansas to Vandy.
Cal smashed a Texas A&M team that had just beaten Texas. And, yes, I know that same Cal team also got destroyed by Tennessee. Then again, the Arkansas team that was giving everyone in the SEC so much trouble also got destroyed at home by USC. Still, because there has been such a level of inconsistency from everyone else in the Pac-10, save for USC, it's hard for people outside of the West to take the league's other programs very seriously.
Since 2000, there are five SEC teams among the top 15 in I-A winning percentage. (USC is No. 6 overall, while Oregon is the next best Pac-10 team at No. 19. UCLA is No. 42. Cal is No. 50. Those two numbers actually surprised me but they probably don't surprise SEC folks and certainly not Miles.)
To me the other big disparity is that the top SEC team has to play another heavyweight team at the end of the regular season in the conference title game, whereas the Big Ten, Big East and Pac-10 teams don't.
I also agree with him about the Big 12, which basically has been OU and Texas and then a varying parade of "Arkansas/South Carolina" teams since Nebraska, Colorado, K-State and A&M slid back out of the top 10.
But the teeth in this Miles' rant was focused on the Trojans, who figure to be the preseason No. 1. His point really can be distilled like this: There is one legit heavyweight in the Pac-10, and no doubt USC is it, but if you're the only heavyweight in your own league then you're really not playing any other powerhouses and you're probably not getting as worn down physically as if you have a huge battle every other week.
I buy that, although I do think the Trojans at least should get some credit for having a non-conference schedule that isn't loaded with cupcakes (Notre Dame, Arkansas and Nebraska).
Then again, Miles probably can dismiss that too since LSU hammered Notre Dame team in January.
Question of the day: USC is 48-4 over the last four seasons. How many more losses, if any, do you think the Trojans would have if they played in the SEC and not the Pac-10?
posted: Monday, July 2, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
Juicy story out of Louisiana this past weekend: Apparently, LSU coach Les Miles wasn't shy about saying what most SEC folks have been thinking for years. That not only is the SEC the best conference in college football, but Miles also ripped the Pac-10, with a particular eye toward USC. The source of the story was Miles' interview with WWL radio in New Orleans, with the quotes reprinted in the Baton Rouge Advocate:
"I can tell you this, that they have a much easier road to travel," Miles said of the Trojans. "They're going to play real knockdown drag-outs with UCLA and Washington, Cal-Berkeley, Stanford -- some real juggernauts -- and they're going to end up, it would be my guess, in some position so if they win a game or two, that they'll end up in the title . I would like that path for us.
"I think the SEC provides much stiffer competition."
And Miles didn't stop there.
"The Big 12 is a conference that might have two really pretty good teams, maybe four," said Miles, who coached in the Big 12 while at Oklahoma State. "I think the Pac-10 may have one or two really good ones. The ACC certainly, arguably, has some quality teams.
"I don't think there's any conference out there that has as many quality teams as ours."
My three cents: Props to Miles for speaking his mind. I agree with him that the SEC is the best conference in college football. At this point, I don't think it's even close. Right now the league has more "very good" teams than any other. I'd classify Florida, LSU, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee as heavyweights at this point. Arkansas also was a top 10 team late in the season. Most conferences are lucky to have three programs playing at that level in a given three or four-year span. Usually it's only two.
That said, I don't think Miles is being fair with the dismissive "juggernauts" shot lumping UCLA and Cal in with Stanford. That's like comparing Arkansas to Vandy.
Cal smashed a Texas A&M team that had just beaten Texas. And, yes, I know that same Cal team also got destroyed by Tennessee. Then again, the Arkansas team that was giving everyone in the SEC so much trouble also got destroyed at home by USC. Still, because there has been such a level of inconsistency from everyone else in the Pac-10, save for USC, it's hard for people outside of the West to take the league's other programs very seriously.
Since 2000, there are five SEC teams among the top 15 in I-A winning percentage. (USC is No. 6 overall, while Oregon is the next best Pac-10 team at No. 19. UCLA is No. 42. Cal is No. 50. Those two numbers actually surprised me but they probably don't surprise SEC folks and certainly not Miles.)
To me the other big disparity is that the top SEC team has to play another heavyweight team at the end of the regular season in the conference title game, whereas the Big Ten, Big East and Pac-10 teams don't.
I also agree with him about the Big 12, which basically has been OU and Texas and then a varying parade of "Arkansas/South Carolina" teams since Nebraska, Colorado, K-State and A&M slid back out of the top 10.
But the teeth in this Miles' rant was focused on the Trojans, who figure to be the preseason No. 1. His point really can be distilled like this: There is one legit heavyweight in the Pac-10, and no doubt USC is it, but if you're the only heavyweight in your own league then you're really not playing any other powerhouses and you're probably not getting as worn down physically as if you have a huge battle every other week.
I buy that, although I do think the Trojans at least should get some credit for having a non-conference schedule that isn't loaded with cupcakes (Notre Dame, Arkansas and Nebraska).
Then again, Miles probably can dismiss that too since LSU hammered Notre Dame team in January.
Question of the day: USC is 48-4 over the last four seasons. How many more losses, if any, do you think the Trojans would have if they played in the SEC and not the Pac-10?
