re: Trusting a coach...... difference in one coach to another

Fans were terribly unhappy at Saban after UAB, most wanted him gone or were at the very best highly skeptical of his ability to be successful at LSU.

Fans wanted Saban fired after Ole Miss 2001, simple as that. That was the worst performance by an LSU head coach that I have ever seen (and after the way we played in the following game against Alabama, it cemented the fact that it was the coaching and play-calling in the Ole Miss game, not the players, as they finally did what we were all clammoring for ... to open up the damn offense!)

Although he bought himself a bit of a temporary "free pass" by winning the SEC in 2001, no one was very happy about the lackluster performance to open 2002 against Virginia Tech. A possible national title LSU team fell flat on its face to open the year. The loss at Arkansas to end the season was absolutely inexcusable and Saban single-handedly lost that game (and the SEC west) for us and everyone knows that.

2004 at Auburn was absolutely ridiculous the way Saban handled the QB situation. Again, Saban lost that game for LSU and he took quite a bit of criticism after. Although we were all distracted by the Dolphins situation, I think it goes without saying most were pretty damn pissed the way we lost that Iowa Capital One Bowl.

So, to your point, Saban took his lumps from the fans while at LSU ... there's no question about that. I'd actually say Miles has taken less criticism while here than Saban. The only times Miles has taken "heavy" critcism was after Tenn 2005, Auburn 2006, and Florida 2007.

SECCG 2005 we had played 8 games in a row and were spent. @Florida 2006 we killed ourselves with turnovers. Kentucky and Arky 2007 were just great games that we lost in triple overtime.

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Except this time the player loss is because Miles has had to kick large numbers of his own recruits off the team, leading to depth issues. He shouldn't get a pass for that.

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He shouldn't get a pass per se for that, but you have to acknowledge that there are definitely extenuating circumstances in those situations. It's not like Miles has had a huge problem with off-the-field problems relative to other top programs like Alabama, Penn State, Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, or Florida State.

I'd say for the most part (with RP being the huge exception), there have been few off-the-field problems under Miles for a program the size in terms of national appeal of LSU's.

I think the premise is generally accurate but with some qualifications:
1) Saban and Miles arrived against two vastly different backdrops (other have already said as much). Saban – Archer, Hallman, and DiNardo (bunch of bad seasons). Miles – Saban (some very good seasons). So expectations have been different. It is generally agreed that Saban had less talent when he began at LSU than did Miles so there was going to be more front-end patience. Miles has never had the excuse “I don’t have players”. Nick did for the first 2-3 years.
2) Nick conveyed the idea of “do what it takes to win regardless of whose feathers get ruffled.” He seemed to have no reservations about putting the best player on the field whether a true freshman or 5th year senior or dismissing assistants. Miles hasn’t quite done that yet. Maybe unexpressed by most but I think a lot of Tiger fans would love to see Miles show some of this attitude.