ENGSTER: Last five years the best ever for LSU football

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By JIM ENGSTER
Tiger Rag President

The 31-28 Music City Bowl defeat to Notre Dame on Dec. 30 drops the record of Les Miles in his last 40 games at LSU to 28-12 (70 percent). His previous 40 games at Tiger Town produced a mark of 34-6 (85 percent), so there are skeptics who insist the LSU program is on the decline.

It is more prudent to examine the football program in five-year increments rather than 40-game cycles. When the five-year barometer is used for inspection of fitness, the last five seasons are on the record the most successful in modern times at LSU.

Years Overall Record SEC Record Coaches

2010-14 52-14 29-11 Les Miles

2005-09 51-15 27-13 Les Miles

2000-04 48-16 28-12 Nick Saban

1995-99 33-24-1 19-20-1 Gerry DiNardo/Hal Hunter

1990-94 21-34 12-26 Mike Archer/Curley Hallman

1985-89 40-17-2 22-9-0 Bill Arnsparger/Mike Archer

1980-84 30-24-2 13-14-3 Jerry Stovall/Bill Arnsparger

1975-79 35-22-1 14-16 Charles McClendon

1970-74 41-16-2 19-9-1 Charles McClendon

1965-69 40-14-2 14-11-1 Charles McClendon

1960-64 39-12-3 21-8-2 Paul Dietzel/Charles McClendon

1955-59 31-19-2 18-13-1 Paul Dietzel

Since the start of the 2010 season, LSU boasts a 78.8 percent overall winning percentage with a 72.5 percent success rate in Southeastern Conference play. It is a better record than any five-year clip preceding the current one.

The quandary for Miles is that the past five campaigns did not produce a national title. Because of no NCAA glory, Miles is measured by the first five years of his tenure and the five years of Nick Saban from 2000 to 2004. Those periods were highlighted by the BCS championships of 2003 and 2007.

With five years remaining on his contract, Miles must capture at least one national title in the next five seasons. If LSU does not win it all at least once between now and the close of the 2019 season, the last decade of Miles will be gauged by the lack of national titles no matter what his record shows.

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