The outcome of Saturday's game against Texas A&M won't factor into Les Miles' future with No. 15 LSU and neither will the coach's steep buyout clause, according NOLA.com's James Smith.
Miles' fate could very well be decided in the next two weeks and many members of the Tigers' (7-3, 4-3 SEC) booster club are already prepared to cut ties with the coach, Smith writes:
The $15 million dollar buyout clause in Miles' contract will not be a hindrance for TAF, the athletic program's powerful booster club that funds a lot of the athletic programs for LSU, according to the source. "The money is there", the source said.
To that end, representatives of the football program have begun to vet potential replacements for Miles through back channels, the source said, with a preference for an established head coach. Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher is the main target for many foundation members, the source said. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, TCU head coach Gary Patterson and even former NFL coach Jon Gruden have also been mentioned as candidates.
Miles met privately last week with athletic department officials to discuss potential determination options, including Miles retiring at the end of the 2016 season, Smith writes. However, it seems that option may be off the table, as boosters already appear to be eyeing the biggest names in coaching to replace the longtime Tigers coach.
