Les Miles, a name synonymous with college football, has resurfaced in the headlines, becoming a topic of intense discussion recently. The surge in interest around the former LSU and Kansas head coach is largely due to a reflective moment shared by prominent ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit. Let’s dive into why Les Miles is trending, the key moments that have reignited this discussion, and the broader context surrounding his career.
Why Les Miles Is Currently Trending
Les Miles is trending because of a resurfaced story from 2007 that Kirk Herbstreit, a well-known football analyst, has recently discussed in various interviews. Herbstreit recounted a major regret from his broadcasting career, which involved prematurely reporting that Les Miles would be leaving LSU to take the head coaching job at the University of Michigan. This incident has stuck with Herbstreit, and he has openly stated that it led him to step back from breaking coaching news entirely.
The reflective nature of Herbstreit’s comments, which have appeared in several outlets, has reignited public interest in Les Miles—a figure who had been relatively out of the spotlight in recent years, especially following his controversial exit from Kansas in 2021.
The Context: Les Miles, The Coach
Les Miles is best known for his time as the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he had a successful tenure from 2005 to 2016. Under his leadership, LSU secured a national championship in 2007 and consistently remained a powerhouse in college football.
However, Les Miles' career has been marred by controversy, especially in recent years. After his time at LSU, he took up the head coaching position at the University of Kansas in 2018. Despite entering with high expectations, his tenure there ended abruptly in 2021 amid allegations of inappropriate behavior dating back to his time at LSU. These allegations and his eventual departure from Kansas put a significant dent in his coaching legacy.
In 2023, the focus on Les Miles has been less about his coaching record and more about the lasting effects of a significant moment in sports journalism—specifically, Kirk Herbstreit’s 2007 report that Miles was headed to Michigan, which turned out to be incorrect.
Kirk Herbstreit’s Regretful Moment in Broadcasting
Kirk Herbstreit, a well-respected figure in college football media, has recently opened up about a pivotal moment in his broadcasting career that involved Les Miles. During an interview, Herbstreit revealed that the incident he regrets the most was reporting on a 2007 College GameDay show that Les Miles was leaving LSU to take the head coaching job at Michigan—a report that turned out to be false.
In an article on Sports Illustrated, Herbstreit reflected on how he had been given insider information that led him to believe the move was imminent. He shared this news live on College GameDay, only for Les Miles to hold a press conference later that same day, declaring his intention to stay at LSU. The report was a major blunder, and Herbstreit has since said that this experience pushed him away from ever breaking coaching news again.
The Incident That Changed Herbstreit’s Career
Herbstreit’s regret over the Les Miles-to-Michigan reporting error has been a recurring theme in recent interviews. In a piece by Football Scoop titled “Les Miles-to-Michigan report got me out of the coaching news business”, Herbstreit explained how the incident was a defining moment in his career. He admitted that the pressure to break news in the fast-paced world of sports media led him to overstep his role. Since then, Herbstreit has made a conscious decision to avoid breaking news, focusing instead on analysis and commentary.
His reflections highlight the challenges and risks involved in sports journalism, especially when it comes to handling insider information. Herbstreit’s misstep with the Les Miles report not only shaped his career trajectory but also left a lasting impression on the media landscape.
What Herbstreit Will ‘Never Do Again’
In an interview covered by Saturday Down South, Herbstreit shared that he would “never do it again” when it comes to breaking coaching news. The Les Miles incident taught him the importance of sticking to his strengths—providing insightful analysis rather than trying to be the first to report breaking news. This lesson has since become a guiding principle in his broadcasting career.
Herbstreit’s comments have garnered attention not only because of the magnitude of the mistake itself but also because of the broader implications for sports journalism. The pressure to be first often leads to errors, and Herbstreit’s candid recollections serve as a reminder of the importance of accuracy over speed.
Conclusion: A Lesson in Journalism and Sports
The recent wave of attention surrounding Les Miles is less about his coaching legacy and more about a cautionary tale in the world of sports journalism. Kirk Herbstreit’s reflections on the 2007 Les Miles-to-Michigan report have brought this story back into the limelight, serving as a reminder of the challenges broadcasters face when handling sensitive information.
For Les Miles, the Michigan report was just a small chapter in a much larger, complex career. However, for Kirk Herbstreit, it was a pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of his approach to broadcasting. As these old stories resurface, they offer fresh lessons for those in sports media and provide an interesting look back at one of the more dramatic moments in college football history.