Miles not talking about LSU staff changes

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Dec 3, 2008 - UPDATED: 8:42 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

There has been no apparent move to replace LSU’s defensive co-coordinators, but LSU head coach Les Miles on Tuesday failed to offer much in the way of a vote of confidence for Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto.

Asked how he felt about the co-coordinator situation, “I don’t know that I want to go over that piece right now to be honest with you.”

Asked of the advantages or disadvantages of making a staff change now, in the time before LSU starts bowl preparations Dec. 14, Miles was evasive.

“I haven’t given a lot of thought to that, to be honest with you,” Miles said. “Even if I was, I wouldn’t answer honestly.”

LSU’s defense was supposed to be the team’s strength while the Tigers offense was expected to struggle with a new quarterback. But the defense has been a disaster.

LSU has allowed 34.8 points per game in its last six Southeastern Conference games, going 1-5 in that span. (Four touchdowns came on interception returns.)

LSU suffered a defensive meltdown in a 31-30 loss to Arkansas on Friday in Little Rock, Ark. The Tigers allowed 17 points — including a game-winning, 24-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds remaining — in a 31-30 loss to Arkansas.

“We went through each play,” Miles said. “And not only that, we went through the first two drives very well. … We did have, maybe a much more in-depth conversation than frankly I’m going to share.

“… Things that bothered us throughout the year bothered us during that time as well.”

If LSU were to make a change, two high-profile names are available. Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis was let go Sunday. Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning resigned Tuesday.

New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, the former head coach at Ole Miss, has also said he’d be willing to listen.

“I’m not going to address other issues at this point,” Miles said. “I’m just going to operate from the premise that there are going to be some adjustments made, without question. First and foremost attitude, first and foremost to doing the right things. And I think that we will in the short term.”