2011 AP National Coach of the Year | Details
2011 Home Depot National Coach of the Year | Details
2011 Walter Camp National Coach of the Year
2011 Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year

Now seven years into his reign as head coach at LSU, Les Miles has guided the Tiger football program to its most successful stretch - both on and off the field - in the history of the sport at the school. With 75 victories, two SEC titles and two appearances in the BCS National Championship Game, LSU's success since the start of the 2005 season is unmatched in college football. In the classroom, LSU ranks second in the SEC to only Vanderbilt in the most recent release of graduation rates as 152 Tigers have earned their degree under Miles' watch. On the field, LSU's 75 victories over the past seven years are the most by a team in the nation's toughest conference - the SEC - during that span.

While LSU came up a game short of claiming its second BCS title under Miles in 2011, it was still a record-setting season for Miles and the Tigers. LSU went 13-0 during the regular season for the first time in school history, beat a school-record eight Top 25 teams, registered 12 of its 13 wins by double-figures and spent 11 straight weeks as the nation's No. 1 ranked team. Throw in five first-team All-Americans, two national award winners, and a Heisman Trophy finalist and the 2011 regular season ranked as the most successful in school history.

Miles' accomplishments haven't come without hard work and a steadfast approach that expects excellence and dedication from his players, coaching staff and all of those who contribute to the success of LSU football. The Miles Method - a system that puts players in position to have success in the classroom, contribute and give back to the community, and compete for championships - is the foundation for which his program is built.

The results in his seven years with the program have been staggering as 152 players have graduated, 120 have earned SEC Academic Honor Roll distinction and countless hours have been spent in the community. Since the 2007 season, LSU has seen 87 of its 109 seniors get their degrees, including 21 of 25 seniors from the 2007 national championship team, 18 of 19 from the 2008 squad, 20 of 24 from the 2009 team, 12 of 16 from 2010 and 16 of 25 from last year's club. Twelve players during that stretch who haven't completed their requirements for graduation are currently playing in the NFL.

In the community, the Tigers played instrumental roles during the recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, which were two of the worst natural disasters to hit Louisiana. A week doesn't go by when members of the football team are visiting hospitals, reading at schools or serving as motivational speakers to area youth groups. It's become the LSU way and it's a spirit that has spread through the team.

On the field, the Tigers have won more games (75) than any other program in the SEC, finished in the nation's top 10 five times and delivered a league-best 42 NFL Draft picks, including 10 first round selections. LSU's also produced 16 first team All-Americans and had players win 11 national awards. In 2007, senior defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey became the most decorated defender in school history by winning four national awards, while Patrick Peterson followed that in 2010 by claiming two national awards - the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back and the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defender.

In 2011, LSU had a Heisman Trophy finalist in Tyrann Mathieu, who also claimed the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defender. For the second straight year, LSU had a player win the Jim Thorpe Award as Morris Claiborne won the award which goes to the nation's top defensive back. 

Under Miles, the Tigers have posted at least 11 victories in a season five times and finished ranked among the top five in the nation three-straight years (2005, '06, and'07), a first at LSU. Miles also became the only coach in LSU history to beat Auburn, Florida and Alabama in same season - and he's done it now three times. He's the only first-year coach in SEC history to lead a team to the league's title game, and he's registered 13 wins over coaches who have won national titles.

Now seven years into the Miles tenure, the foundation for LSU football is stronger than ever. After 75 wins, including 31 over ranked opponents, and with six-straight recruiting classes rated among the top 10 in the nation, including the nation's No. 1 group in 2009, Miles and the Tigers continue to solidify their standing as one of the premier programs in college football, setting a standard that has the rest of the nation chasing.

The LSU Years

Les Miles was named LSU's 32nd head football coach on Jan. 3, 2005, and his impact with the program was immediate as he directed the Tigers to an 11-2 mark in his first year. The 2005 season served as the starting point for what has become the best seven-year stretch of football in school history, one that has seen the Tigers win more games than any other school in the SEC during that span. Miles holds the distinction of being the only coach in the history of the SEC to win at least 11 games five times during his first seven years in the league.

Miles has compiled a 75-18 record, including a remarkable 41-15 mark in SEC regular season games. Miles is the fastest coach in LSU history to reach milestone victories of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 games.

He's also won 31 games against top 25 teams and 12 against teams in the top 10. On 18 occasions, Miles has led the Tigers to a comeback win in either the fourth quarter or overtime.

The 2011 season was a historic one for the Tigers, going 13-0 for the first time in school history and spending a record 11 straight weeks at No. 1 in the nation. LSU won 12 of its 13 games by double-figures with eight of its 13 wins coming against Top 25 opponents, both school records. As a result, Miles was named National Coach of the Year by four organizations (AP, Home Depot, Walter Camp and Liberty Mutual) as well as being awarded the SEC Coach of the Year honor following LSU's first 8-0 season in league play.

LSU, playing without returning starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson for the first four games, opened the year with a 40-27 win over No. 3 Oregon in Dallas. That win served as a springboard for road wins over No. 16 West Virginia (47-21) and Tennessee (38-7) and lopsided home victories against No. 17 Florida (41-11) and No. 19 Auburn (45-10). LSU followed the Auburn game with a thrilling 9-6 overtime win over No. 2 Alabama and then the Tigers closed out the regular season with a 41-17 win over No. 3 Arkansas and a 42-10 victory over 12th-ranked Georgia in the SEC title game, which put the Tigers into the BCS National Championship game. Miles led LSU to wins over three SEC opponents by the largest margin of victory in the history of the series in 2011 - Ole Miss (49), Auburn (35), and Tennessee (31).

In 2010, LSU had its fourth top-10 finish and recorded its fourth season of at least 11 victories under Miles with an 11-2 mark, which culminated with a dominating 41-24 performance against Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Miles guided the Tigers to four fourth quarter comebacks in 2010 as he used gutsy play calling to beat Florida on the road, 33-29, and later in the year, he led LSU to an outstanding all-around effort in a 24-21 victory over Alabama in Tiger Stadium. LSU opened 2010 with seven straight wins and jumped as high as No. 6 in the nation before falling to Auburn in late October. LSU's two losses in 2010 both came to ranked opponents by a combined margin of just 15 points.

The Tigers capped a sub-par 2008 regular season by LSU standards with a 38-3 win over 14th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, setting the stage for a nine-win season in 2009. The Tigers managed to win nine games, highlighted by its first road win over Georgia since 1987 and a 31-10 trouncing over Auburn, in the rugged SEC despite losing their top three running backs at various points during the season to injury. With a first-year starter at quarterback, LSU won its first five games and climbed as high as No. 4 in the nation in 2009. Of LSU's four losses, two came against teams ranked Nos. 1 (Alabama) and 3 (Florida) in the country as well as top 10 opponent Penn State in the Capital One Bowl.

After two of the most successful seasons in school history in 2005 and 2006, Miles again led the Tigers to a season of firsts in 2007. LSU became the first school in the Bowl Championship Series era to claim a second BCS National Title with its 38-24 win over Ohio State. LSU's first BCS title came in 2003 when the Tigers beat Oklahoma, 21-14.

With a 12-2 final record in 2007, the Tigers became the first team in school history to win at least 10 games in three-straight years. The 2007 Tigers also set a then-school record for wins over top 25 teams (7, which was bested by Miles' 2012 squad), won the SEC Championship with a backup quarterback and were ranked No. 1 in the BCS Standings during the regular season for the first time in school history. LSU finished the year ranked No. 1 in the nation in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Poll.

The road to the 2007 SEC title was anything but easy for the Tigers as LSU faced a total of seven top 25 teams, winning six of those games. After spending most of the season ranked among the top three teams in the nation, including a four-week stay at No. 1, the Tigers quickly found out that they had a target on their back each week. Time after time, LSU was getting the best shot from its opponent.

It didn't help matters that LSU played key stretches of its season with injuries to standout players. Star wideout Early Doucet missed five games; quarterback Matt Flynn wasn't healthy for close to a month; and All-American Glenn Dorsey played hurt for the final five games of the regular season. Still, LSU, with outstanding depth and a will to overcome adversity, found a way to win. Four times in 2007 the Tigers had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to win games, including its 21-14 victory over Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game.

LSU scored a touchdown with a second left to beat Auburn at home and then followed that by scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the Alabama game to record a comeback win over the Crimson Tide.

Against top 10-ranked Florida, LSU scored with just over a minute left, capping a drive that saw the Tigers convert on a pair of fourth-down attempts, to beat the defending national champions, 28-24, in Tiger Stadium.

LSU didn't lose a game in regulation during the 2007 regular season, falling to both Kentucky and Arkansas in triple overtime.

When it mattered most, playing without an injured Flynn, the Tigers overcame the adversity that followed in the wake of week-long media speculation leading up to the SEC Championship Game about Miles perhaps leaving LSU to take the head coaching position at Michigan. In the end, Miles remained true to his word, staying at LSU and leading the Tigers to a 21-14 win over Tennessee in the SEC title game, a victory that helped propel LSU into the BCS National Championship contest. In the BCS Championship Game, the Tigers spotted top-ranked Ohio State an early 10-0 lead, but LSU came roaring back to take a convincing win over the Buckeyes by a 38-24 count. The win gave LSU its third national title and it also marked the fourth time that decade the Tigers were victorious in a BCS bowl, the most of any SEC school.

After leading LSU to an 11-2 mark and a top five national ranking in his first year as LSU's head coach in 2005, many wondered just what Miles would do for an encore. His second year with the Tigers proved to be another year full of milestones and firsts as he guided the Tigers to another 11-2 overall record, culminating with a 41-14 dismantling of 11th-ranked Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

The Tigers finished their second year under the direction of Miles ranked No. 3 in the nation, marking the first time since the 1958-59 seasons that LSU was ranked in the top five in the country in back-to-back years.

LSU's at-large berth in a BCS bowl was a first in school history and it also represented the third time during the decade that the Tigers ended their season in the Sugar Bowl.

In 2006, Miles became the first coach in LSU history to lead the Tigers to back-to-back 10-wins seasons, something that he added to with another 10-plus win season in 2007.

He became the first LSU coach since Jerry Stovall in 1982 to beat two top 10-ranked teams on the road in the same season as the Tigers posted a 28-24 win over No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville followed by a 31-26 victory over No. 5 Arkansas in Little Rock. All four of LSU's road game opponents were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game, a first in school history.

Even though the Tigers had to go on the road to face four top 10-ranked teams in 2006, year two under Miles seemed somewhat ordinary compared to what the Tigers had to endure during his first year in Baton Rouge.

In Miles' inaugural season at LSU he led the Tigers to only the third 11-win season in school history, a top five national ranking and a berth in the SEC Championship Game, despite numerous distractions that covered most of the months of September and October.

The Tigers, playing without starting quarterback and future No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick JaMarcus Russell, put an exclamation point on the year with a 40-3 win over No. 9 Miami in the Peach Bowl to finish with an 11-2 overall mark and a No. 5 national ranking.

To appreciate just how adverse the conditions that Miles and the Tigers had to overcome in 2005, you have to go back to late August and Hurricane Katrina, the first of two storms to devastate Louisiana during the fall.

Days before LSU's originally scheduled season opener against North Texas in Tiger Stadium, Hurricane Katrina blew ashore, packing tremendous winds, and turned the state, in particular New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, upside down.

Massive flooding followed in the wake of the storm as more than 30 LSU players had their families and their homes affected by the hurricane and Miles' first game in Tiger Stadium against North Texas was postponed. With the LSU campus serving as the recovery center for those sick, homeless and displaced due to Hurricane Katrina, football seemed to be the farthest thing from most people's minds. However, Miles was able to successfully manage a delicate situation, one that saw his team and coaching staff volunteer time to those in need, while still attempting to focus on football for at least two hours a day.

After a week of trying to minimize the distractions for a football team that had their apartments and dorm rooms filled with displaced family members and friends due to the storm, it appeared that the Tigers would finally get to play a home game, this time against 15th-ranked Arizona State.

However, just as the Tigers began to prepare for the Sun Devils and the season opener in Tiger Stadium, it was learned that the devastation to New Orleans was much greater than originally thought. With the Maravich Center on the LSU campus serving as what would become the largest field triage unit in United States history, it was mutually decided to move the LSU-Arizona State game to Tempe.

With many in Louisiana under the distress of Hurricane Katrina, the Tigers were going to have to take to the desert to face a powerful offense in their first game of the season.

These were certainly trying times for everyone in the state of Louisiana, but even more so for a football coach who now had his team carrying the banner for a state in need of a diversion. LSU football had become a release for those consumed with the hurricane. LSU even re-stated its team goals, putting playing for the state of Louisiana at the top of the list.

The Tigers didn't disappoint as Miles and his LSU team used a 28-point fourth-quarter rally to come back to beat Arizona State, 35-31, in Tempe.

Now with the Arizona State game behind them, it looked as if things for the LSU football team would gradually get back to normal as the Tigers had a week off before facing Tennessee in Tiger Stadium on Sept. 24.

Then, the unthinkable happened. Another storm, this one named Rita, hit southwest Louisiana, causing severe damage to more homes, leaving thousands without electricity and displacing even more Louisiana natives. The combination of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced LSU to again shuffle its schedule. Instead of playing Tennessee on a Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, the Tigers would now be forced to face the Volunteers on a Monday night. An emotionally drained LSU team saw a 21-0 halftime lead evaporate into a 30-27 overtime loss to the Vols.

There was no coaching handbook for Miles to refer to when it came to dealing with the hurricanes and preparing a team for competition during extreme adverse conditions. Miles was on his own, forced to navigate his LSU team through a treacherous stretch of games, while also being sympathetic to those still affected by the natural disasters.

With just five days between the Tennessee loss and the Mississippi State game, Miles and the Tigers were obviously dealt an unfair hand, however, he asked his team to respond and they did. The Mississippi State contest was the starting point for a stretch of games for the Tigers that saw LSU win nine contests in nine straight weeks of play. The 37-7 win over the Bulldogs was followed by a 34-6 road victory over Vanderbilt as the Tigers had re-established themselves as one of the nation's elite on the football field.

During what would be 11-consecutive weeks of play, the Tigers posted a win over Florida, along with overtime victories against Auburn and Alabama. In all, the Tigers beat four teams ranked among the top 15 in the nation, then a school record for regular season victories over ranked opponents.

After 10-straight weeks of play during the regular season, the Tigers fashioned a 7-1 conference mark and earned a berth in the SEC title game.

Miles became the only coach in his first year in the SEC to lead his squad to the league's title game. He also became the first coach in LSU history to beat Alabama, Auburn and Florida in the same season.

Following a loss to Georgia in the league's title game, Miles and the Tigers re-grouped, this time to beat No. 9 Miami, 40-3, in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The win gave the Tigers 11 victories for the year, making Miles the winningest first-year coach in school history.

Oklahoma State Years

In four short years, Miles turned the Oklahoma State football program into one that was nationally competitive, despite competing in-state against one of the country's dominant programs.

Miles honed his head coaching skills at Oklahoma State. Under Miles' direction, the Cowboys were the only team in the nation to beat Oklahoma twice in the four-year period, and he was also the first coach in Oklahoma State history to post wins over Nebraska and Oklahoma in the same season.

Miles led the Cowboys to three-straight bowl appearances, an accomplishment Oklahoma State had not achieved since Jimmy Johnson started a string of three-straight post-season games beginning in 1983. In addition, Oklahoma State's appearance in the Cotton Bowl to cap the 2003 season marked the first time in 55 years that the Cowboys appeared in a January bowl game.

As head coach at Oklahoma State, he built a consistent winner out of a program that had recorded only one winning season since 1988, and had posted a record of 13-20 in the three years prior to his arrival at OSU. After going 4-7 in his first year as head coach in 2001, he took the Cowboys to consecutive winning marks of 8-5 in 2002, 9-4 in 2003 and 7-5 in 2004.

Miles led Oklahoma State to a four-year record of 28-21 for a winning percentage of 57.1, the best career winning percentage for an OSU coach since Jim Lookabaugh ended his career in Stillwater in 1949.

Miles was the 2002 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year after directing his second Oklahoma State team to an 8-5 record and the school's first bowl appearance since 1997.

The Cowboys, who averaged 34.4 points per game, closed the 2002 season with wins in six of their last seven games, including a 38-28 victory over then-No. 3 ranked Oklahoma in the regular-season finale. The Cowboys capped the 2002 season with a 33-23 win over Southern Miss in the Houston Bowl. 

Assistant Coach Years

Prior to his tenure as head coach at Oklahoma State, Miles was the tight ends coach for the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons from 1998-2000. During his three years with the Cowboys, Dallas won one divisional title, while participating in the playoffs twice. In Dallas, Miles learned of LSU and the charm of the school from tight end David LaFleur, who starred for the Tigers in the 1990s. In three years of coaching tight ends for the Cowboys, Miles' players combined for 136 receptions for 1,287 yards and 16 touchdowns. LaFleur, a former LSU All-America selection, had his best year under Miles in 1999, starting 16 games and catching 35 passes for 322 yards and seven touchdowns.

Before going to Dallas, Miles served as Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator for three seasons from 1995-97, including an 8-3 season and an Alamo Bowl berth in 1997.

Miles' college playing and coaching career includes experience under some of the most noted coaches in college football. At Michigan, he played for legendary coach Bo Schembechler and later served on Schembechler's staff. He also worked with Gary Moeller at Michigan and Bill McCartney at Colorado.

Success has followed Miles at every stop of both his playing and professional career. He was a two-year letterman at Michigan (1974-75). During those two seasons, Michigan was a combined 18-3-2, had final Associated Press national rankings in the top 10 and participated in the Orange Bowl.

He joined Schembechler's Michigan coaching staff in 1980 for the first of two stints as a coach in Ann Arbor. In 1980 and 1981, Michigan combined for 19 wins and just five losses, won the Big 10 title in 1980 and played in the Rose and Bluebonnet Bowls, respectively. Miles left Michigan for Colorado, where he served on McCartney's staff from 1982 through 1986. In his final two years at Colorado, the Buffs earned bids to the Freedom Bowl and Bluebonnet Bowl.

In 1987, he returned to Michigan, where he would spend the next eight years as part of one of the most successful eras in Michigan football history. From 1987 to 1994, Michigan won 71 games, made eight straight bowl appearances, including four trips to the Rose Bowl, and finished no lower than No. 21 in final Associated Press national rankings.

The 1989 Michigan squad finished 10-2, won the Big 10 championship and finished ranked No. 7 in the country. That would be Coach Bo Schembechler's final season as Michigan's head coach.

When Moeller took over the Michigan program prior to the 1990 season, Miles remained on the staff. The 1990 team finished 9-3, winning the Big 10 title and the Gator Bowl. The following season (1991), Michigan finished 10-2 and with a No. 6 national ranking. Miles coached some of the best players to wear the Michigan uniform, including eight first-team All-Americans, 10 total All-Americans and 12 players from Wolverine offensive lines that were NFL draftees.

Media Darling

Another thing that tends to set Miles apart from many of his peers is that of his personality and his ability to have fun, while at the same time running an elite football program. Miles has twice been involved in commercials for ESPN's College GameDay, most recently shooting a spot in Los Angeles for the 2011 season. He delivers memorable lines during his press conferences, has a tendency to "taste" grass from the field during games, and has become a viral star on the Internet. His running dialogue with ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt and the exchange of "gifts" between the two resulted in Miles shooting a basketball video dubbed "It Must Have Been The Shoes" last summer that instantly resulted in nearly 100,000 views on the Internet. He's one of the most popular coaches in social media with over 64,000 followers on Twitter, and he's become one of the most quotable coaches in the game.

Philanthropist At Heart

One of Les Miles' most impressive qualities is that of the time he spends giving to and helping causes that benefit others. Each year, Miles and his wife Kathy host an event that raises close to $100,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. In addition, he is active in other community service events such as the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center annual fundraiser, the Special Olympics and the Baton Rouge Children's Advocacy Center Celebrity Waiter Event.

Miles spent a week in June of 2006 taking part in the USO Tour, where the Tiger head coach visited American Troops serving in Kuwait and Iraq. Miles was joined on the tour, which serves as a morale booster for the troops serving abroad, by former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz and Tampa Bay Rays owner Vincent Naimoli.

The week-long trip took Miles to several U.S. bases in Kuwait and then on to Iraq, where he visited with hundreds of American troops and even flew over the city of Baghdad in a Black Hawk helicopter.

The Family Man

When Miles isn't overseeing his LSU football family, he can most likely be found in the bleachers supporting his wife and kids at their sporting events. His oldest daughter Kathryn, who is commonly referred to as "Smacker", is one of the top junior swimmers in the nation, while his two sons - Manny and Ben - are avid athletes who participate in everything from football to baseball to wrestling. Coach Miles also gets his share of time with the youngest of the Miles family, 9-year old Macy Grace.

Coach Miles' wife Kathy, who played point guard at Central Michigan and later served as an assistant coach at Michigan, spends time coaching Macy's basketball team.

The Les Miles File

Birthday: Nov. 10, 1953
Hometown: Elyria, Ohio
Wife: Kathy
Children: Kathryn "Smacker", Leslie Matthew "Manny", Benjamin and Macy Grace
College: Michigan, '76

EDUCATION:
Graduated from the University of Michigan in 1976 with a degree in economics.

Playing Experience:
Two-year letterman at Michigan in 1974 and 1975.  Played on two Big 10 Championship Teams as well as participated in the 1976 Orange Bowl. Earned all-state honors in football at Elyria High School in Ohio and also earned letters in baseball and wrestling.

Coaching Experience:
Coached on six Big Ten championship teams and 10 bowl teams at Michigan.  Coached offensive line at Colorado from 1982 to 1986 and on two Colorado teams that went to bowl games.  Served as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State from 1995-97.  Spent three seasons coaching tight ends for the Dallas Cowboys before returning to OSU as head coach prior to the 2001 season.

Les Miles Year-by-Year

Les Miles vs. All-Opponents

2012 Opponents in bold