Ray Glier

Tucked inside his white LSU hat is a Michigan schedule. Stamped on his left hip is an ‘M’ tattoo. I went through the LSU media guide and there is not one picture of Les Miles in shorts, so that proves it. He wears long pants to cover the maize and blue socks.

Yes, underneath the LSU colors is a Michigan man, who could be a Michelin man, four tires to the ground driving north to Ann Arbor in January.

But you knew that.

What you didn’t know is that — with Miles set to leave LSU for Michigan — LSU is at a point with its program that it can get the coach it needs. The Tigers have so many resources, so much talent and enthusiasm that they can nab Auburn's Tommy Tuberville.

And when that happens? Why, it’s simple. Bobby Petrino will leave the NFL for Auburn, which is where he almost ended up four years ago.

You can play with these dominos all day.

The timing is right to talk about Miles-to-Michigan — exactly 1,123 to Ann Arbor — and Tuberville-to-LSU because Tiger fans wonder who can keep up with Nick Saban.

Well, he’s right there on the Tigers’ sideline. The Auburn Tigers’ sideline.

Tuberville to LSU isn't as loud as Miles to Michigan, but you will soon have to cover your ears from the clamor.

Miles to Michigan is old news. As soon as Michigan lost to Appalachian State the tittle-tattle started about Lloyd Carr’s successor.

Tub is the second-best coach in the SEC, and not by much to Steve Spurrier. I know, you are thinking Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, and Phil Fulmer have one more national championship than Tuberville. Well, for my money, Tub had a national title team in 2004 with 13-0 Auburn, so there.

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Besides, Meyer still doesn’t know how to draw up plays for a running back, and the good guy Fulmer is struggling.

We’ll see how Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee match up when Tuberville gets to LSU. He will be matched with one of the best talent pools, per capita, in the U.S. Ask any recruiting analyst and they will tell you that for a state its size, Louisiana rocks.

Tuberville has as much cache as any coach in the SEC right now because of what his teams have been able to accomplish on the road in the nastiest conference in I-A. In stadiums made insane by large crowds, Tuberville’s Tigers have won 13 of their last 15 SEC road games. Auburn is also 26-5 in its last 31 SEC games.

You like coaches who can win close games? Tuberville has won 14 of the last 19 games Auburn has played that have been decided by seven points or less.

The rest of the SEC should fear Tuberville-to-LSU because the Tigers are breaking out as a national beast, a dynasty, and he is not a coach who will stay three or five years, like Miles and Saban, and then split. Tuberville, 53, will stay 10 years and win, win, and win some more.

As much as some of those LSU people detest Saban, they should thank him for putting a jet engine on their program because it took off.

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The resources were not being utilized by Mike Archer, Curley Hallman and Gerry DiNardo, the three coaches who proceeded Saban. DiNardo did a better job than Archer or Hallman of keeping talent in state, but then Saban took it to another level by getting the Tigers to not only stay home, but to behave like winners.

Miles has come along and harvested the talent, too. He doesn’t just act like a winner, he plays like a winner with his gift for decision-making in close games.

With Miles leaving for Michigan, Tuberville has to be the LSU coach. He knows the league and he has his recruiting tentacles throughout the south. Recruiting analysts will tell you LSU will give borderline or below average high school kids a chance to succeed academically and that always helps a coach.

Who wouldn’t jump at the LSU job? The fans are passionate, the facilities are upgraded, and with 92,000 fans backing a winner they should be able to beat Tub’s $2 million paycheck at Auburn. Miles is only making $1.8 million, which puts him in the middle of the SEC, but there is a serious upgrade due the position.

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