re: "...I think their expectations may be a little overshot..."

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Q: When you look at the last 12 months — not playing well in the BCS championship, blowing the late lead in the bowl game, not playing for the BCS title this year — there’s a perception that this program might have taken a step back since that 13-0 regular season (in 2011).

Miles: You have to think that when you were ahead of Alabama late in the game (this season) on third and 10 if you cover the screen and he throws it away it’s fourth down or when it fourth and 16 against the Chick-fil-A team, which we all know is a pretty strong football team, you’d have to think there’s an opportunity for us to win two more games. Forget the Clemson game.

You finish the Alabama game and we may have played in the BCS (title) game so the idea that people are not going to allow for a small variance against some of the best teams in the country I think their expectations may be just a little overshot and to me this program has played for the national championship every year at least in the last three. No question the last three. (In 2010) it’s 17-17 with 7:51 to go against Cam Newton’s Auburn team at Auburn with the ball. I remember the drive and I understand how it went. We beat Alabama that year and if we had beaten Auburn at their place I think we’re playing for the national championship that year.

Then we’re 13-0 and played in an extra game and while we’re playing in that extra game, winning the conference championship the team that we were preparing for (Alabama) was sitting on the sideline and freaking just eating their stomach up and they were going to play extremely well.

It seems to be me being 13-0 and then being 13-1 and playing for in the BCS championship game we were competing for the national championship. . If the head coach could have found a way to get a first down and eliminate about last minute, 30 (against Alabama) I think competing again this year but I think people lose sight of what’s really going on. We’re playing against the finest teams in the country and you know what? We had every opportunity to win and I think that’s kind of where you want your program to be, don’t you?

It’s an interesting thing. I think we’re close. Some people would like to say, “they’re further away. But that’s perception. It’s not in the hearts and minds of the guys that are playing back in here.

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