Reasonable Expectations for the Big 3 Sports

I think Miles has as long as he wants, he's getting up there in age as far as coaches go and he has put a consistent 8-10 win team on the field for all of his years but two, the LSU athletic department won't run him out.
Jones has until Simmons leaves but I would think he gets a long leash too because he has revitalized the program, its not great but much better than the TJ days.
I'm not too sure about Maineri

Miles and Mainieri will be here as long as they want to

Jones' contract expiration (2 years) and Ben Simmons coming in (1-2 years) will sync up nicely to see what JJ can do with top-level talent. If they still can't be competitive with better schools and much less break into the big dance, he's in trouble.

For Miles and Mainieri, I think I'll agree with your 2 years estimate, and I think neither will have a problem producing a title-competitive team in that time frame. They'll be fine.

quote:

---

Yes, maybe I'm spoiled, but Skip worked incredibly hard to put this athletic program on top. It seems to be crumbling

---

Skip hired two of the three people you want on the hot seat.

quote:

---

Maybe they turn it around, but right now it looks like another CBI appearance

---

Know how I know you dont watch our bball team?

Are you talking reasonable expectations for the next couple of years, or just in general?

In general, football should seriously compete for the West every year, and should beat Bama, Auburn, Fla. at least 50% of the time. After that, it's up to the football gods.

Basketball should make the Tournament at least 3 out of every 4 years.

Baseball should, obviously, should strive for Omaha every year.

I'm saying from the state LSU is in right now in all 3 sports, what should we expect over the next couple years?

Basketball- Make an NCAA tourny during Simmons' time (barring unforseen injuries/suspensions/etc.) or Johnny needs to be re-evaluated

Football- At least give one hell of a fight to make the playoffs in the next 2 years. Miles' buyout may be too big for LSU to do much about it if this doesn't happen anyway, and many seem happy enough with his winning percentage

Baseball- 2012 ended with such disappointment, as did last year. I believe Paul should get 2 more years to get LSU back to Nebraska and compete

Again, to many this may seem unrealistic. I expect LSU to compete as a top-tier athletic program. The talent is certainly already in purple and gold.

quote:

---

Other than with Smokes players

---

Go look at that 2009 roster again

Miles has to show improvement next year or we need to cut ties before we turn into Texas IMO. If we still suck at the QB position and the offensive woes from every year since 2008 (sans 2013) are still here, he has to win the West at a minimum if he wants to stay. If we show improvement at the QB spot and our offense is good, or even just average with clear improvement and a clear progression toward being good, then I can accept another 9-4 or even 8-5 season if the circumstances are extenuating. But if we end up with another 9-4 or 8-5 year, 3rd or worse in the West with the same problems and no realistic hope of improving them, Miles has to go. It's harsh, I know, and it runs the risk of making a rough hire after Miles and making things worse, but a season like what I'm talking about would be three years since we were serious contenders for the division title, three years of finishing middle of the pack in a conference that's only getting stronger over time, and four years since we won the conference.

Basketball, Jones has two years on his deal and that coincides nicely with Simmons's year in college next year. At a minimum I think Jones needs to make the NCAA Tournament during Simmons' year, and I'm thinking he needs to make it this year as well. What I'd like to see is making it this year while finishing in the top half of the conference, and next year getting an NCAAT win (and ideally a Sweet 16 berth, although that might be asking a bit much) and finishing top-5 in the conference. But he needs to make the tourney both years IMO.

As for baseball, we made it to Omaha 2 years ago and I think last year's team could have made it to Omaha if they hadn't had a bizarre meltdown in the regional. Mainieri is doing a fine job and I can't imagine him not meeting any realistic expectation one could set for the next couple of years, so I'm not worried about it.

TL;DR:
- Football needs to fix the problems that have plagued the program since 2008 and finish 9-4 or better. High standard, but we look like Texas at the end of the Brown era to me, and that's not acceptable.
- Basketball needs to make the tourney both years. Ideally during Simmons' year we make the Sweet 16, but I think simply expecting two tourney appearances and at least one win between them is fair.
- Baseball just needs to continue what it's been doing for the last several years; unless we miss the tournament two years running or something outlandish I don't see much reason to worry about the baseball program.

I predict LSU will be a bubble team in basketball. I think they will be among the last 4 in.

I think we will see a very very good baseball team in Alex Box this year. I think they make it back to Omaha, but fall short of a World Series title.