Les Miles' time as LSU Tigers head coach may be drawing to a close, if a recent report about Miles' status with the program proves legit. James Smith of NOLA.com cites a "highly ranked source involved with the decision making process" who claims that a decision on Miles' status could come within the next two weeks, and that the majority of members in the program's influential booster club, the Tiger Athletic Foundation, want Miles out in favor of Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.
If Miles is indeed fired, there's an extremely good chance he'll surface as a top candidate for a handful of head coaching openings around the nation. Here are the four destinations which make the most sense.
Miami Hurricanes
This would be Miami's best chance of fully competing with SEC schools for the South's top tier of prospects. Miles is one of better recruiters to ever grace the region, and he would be an instant boon to Miami's status on the trail. If the Canes want to reenergize a fan base that stopped showing up for games in the waning days of the Al Golden era, hiring Les Miles is the way to do it.
USC Trojans
Here's the financial wild card. If the Trojans don't hitch their wagons to Clay Helton and promote him from interim head coach, they'll be sifting through every marquee name on the market in hopes of finding a coach who has both the name and pedigree to take on the pressures inherent to the USC job. Why wouldn't USC throw an obscene amount of money at a head coach with a BCS title in his back pocket and double-digit wins in seven of his eleven seasons in Baton Rouge?
South Carolina Gamecocks
This might be the most "fun" option. What better way to pay back a school that fired you than sticking it to them by coaching a conference rival? The same rules apply recruiting-wise that we mentioned with the Miami opening, as Miles would strengthen an already solid South Carolina base in the region. However, there's also the fact that he'd be able to remain in the SEC and prove the Tigers wrong by lifting the Gamecocks to new heights. If South Carolina wants to make the most impactful of hires to replace the legendary Steve Spurrier, Miles should top their list.
Texas Longhorns
Miles hitting the open market could grease the wheels on Texas' upcoming decision on head coach Charlie Strong's status. It's still unclear whether the Longhorns are banking on a third year for Strong in spite of a frustrating 4-6 start to the 2015 season, but Les Miles could clear things up in a hurry if he shows even an inkling of interest in Austin. Miles turned Oklahoma State around during his head coaching stint in 2001-04, and he still has a solid base of Big 12 contacts. While it's merely speculation at this juncture, a return engagement with the conference isn't out of the realm of possibility.
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