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Dan Patrick scored an impressive guest Monday morning as recently fired former LSU head coach Les Miles called in for a guest spot on the Dan Patrick radio show. The comments Miles made were the first public statements after Sunday’s news that his 12-year career at LSU had come to an end.
Here’s what Dan Patrick asked on the air and the answers Les Miles gave:
Dan Patrick: How were you told (of the firing)?
Les Miles: Face to face. Joe Alleva said we are going to make a change… I’m for the Tigers. Anything they do to make the Tigers better…I’ll accept. I’ll accept that decision and move forward.
DP: Did you try to fight it?
Miles: It was beyond fighting…
DP: Did you realize (you could be fired heading into Auburn game)?
Miles: I want you to know something, how that (Auburn) game ends, maybe a coach could have gotten a second more. One second…. No, it was a decision that was made over more than a second.
DP: On if Miles could feel an undercurrent of discontent from the LSU administration?
Miles: Yeah, if it was there, I went beyond it. I enjoyed going into my room… recruiting. If there was an undercurrent it was about football and that’s all that it was.
DP: Did you get to say goodbye to your team?
Miles: I did and I appreciated Joe Alleva allowing me to do that. They gave me that opportunity and I took advantage of it. I wished them well and I think Coach O will do a great job for them, then I exited as fast as I could.
DP: How tough is this job?
Miles: I think it’s a blast.
DP: Would you do anything differently?
Miles: I review everything, certainly things could have done better. I gave us a chance to win. But could I have done better, you betcha… We could have called two plays in a row (near the end of the Auburn), etc.
DP: Do you want to coach again?
Miles: I would have a difficult time not being in the game and not coaching…. I can’t imagine I won’t be involved in some way.
DP: What would you tell your successor?
Miles: How lucky they are.
DP: Did you allow yourself to feel sorry at any time in the last 24 hours?
Miles: Are you kidding me?! I had a great run at LSU and enjoyed myself the entire time. (Went on to recall beating Arizona State with Jacob Hester on the team back in 2005.)
DP: What will you do this Saturday?
Miles: That’s going to be a tough one. If I can find a ticket, I’ll see if my son can get me a ticket. I’ll be rooting for the LSU tigers… and I’ll be rooting for Michigan.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com