re: Story on Chris Garrett on ESPN OTL

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I wouldn't get carried away with the stat they showed on OTL

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I'm sure some are worst than others. It just seems like there should be some kind of rule.

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When LSU dodged a late-game meltdown against Tennessee -- the second such gaffe in less than a year for Miles -- the team responded the next week with its best performance to that point, a come-from-behind victory against Florida. After a week of being told it couldn't beat Alabama, LSU knocked off the Tide 24-21 in a game that may have finally removed the specter of Miles' predecessor, Nick Saban, from his legacy.

As if to prove the point, Miles was awarded the game ball by captain Kelvin Sheppard in an emotional post-game ceremony.

"We were saying thank you for all his hard work and everything he does," Sheppard said. "I can't imagine being in his position. At LSU you are expected to win a national championship every year. Is that realistic? Not really, no way to win it every year.

"He's a good guy. The things he tells you he's going to do, he does. There's no smokescreen. He's a fun guy to be around. He laughs, jokes smiles, he's not uptight."

Miles and others say he didn't change anything this season. It was a higher quality of character from the players, especially leaders such as Sheppard, Patrick Peterson and Drake Nevis, that combined with the family philosophy.

"He's always been Les," strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt said. "I don't think he takes himself too seriously. He doesn't have an ego. I don't see that it bothers him much. He perseveres and continues to work hard, and the kids respect him for that.

"He's been to bat for them on many occasions, and he treats them like they're his own kids. He's open to them, talks about his family, his kids. He's creating an atmosphere where you can be open and talk about certain things, a family atmosphere."

It should continue to serve Miles well. LSU has 17 commitments in what is shaping up to be a top 10 recruiting class, possibly top five. Several prospects were on hand in the postgame locker room after the Alabama game and were duly impressed.

"That was something you would want to be a part of," said Trai Turner, Tigers commitment and St. Augustine offensive lineman. "Not many schools have that, that mutual respect between the players and the coach. The players got emotional and showed their true feelings. It made me feel that was the place I wanted to be. It solidified my commitment."

What Miles offers has to be appealing to parents of the recruits. While other SEC programs struggle mightily with off-field incidents such as arrests and suspensions, LSU has been relatively free of such issues under Miles.

When the problems do arise, LSU has been proactive in addressing them, as is the case with the recent self-imposed recruiting sanctions for violations involving former Tiger Akiem Hicks and assistant coach D.J. McCarthy. Hicks never played a down and McCarthy resigned in December 2009.

Now that LSU appears to be back on track, Miles can focus on taking it a few stops farther next season. LSU returns 16 starters and is expecting help at the troubled quarterback position from incoming transfer Zach Mettenberger.

For those who believe in fate, the BCS Championship Game cycles back to the Superdome in 2011, the site of LSU's previous two titles.

"We're headed in the right direction," Alleva said. "The future is bright for us."

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JJ had a decent 09' season

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