Les Miles

A master motivator with years of continued success in Baton Rouge, Miles puts his ‘Miles Method’ in place shortly after arriving at LSU in 2005 and since, has won two SEC titles and a BCS National Championship at one of college football’s elite programs.

Nicknamed the Mad Hatter for his bright-white, perfectly curved caps on gamedays, Miles’ reputation as a gutsy play-caller in late-game situations demands respect from the opposition and his post-game flair at the mic goes toe-to-toe with South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier’s verbal antics as the SEC’s top personalities.

Miles is unique, from his open-handed sideline clapping to his battlefield mentality, he is one of the game’s most original. Miles’ grass snack before a pivotal goal-to-go situation against Alabama in 2010 was one of his proudest moments, the perfect example of being different.

Prior to replacing Nick Saban as head coach at LSU, Miles spent four years at Oklahoma State as the Cowboys’ leading man. He helped turn things around and in 2002, was named the Big XII’s Coach of the Year. In his playing days, Miles was an offensive lineman at Michigan under the legendary Bo Schembechler before beginning his coaching career as a grad assistant with the Wolverines in 1980.

Believed to be his dream job, Michigan passed on hiring Miles as coach in 2007 and 2011.

Brad Crawford