So now it has come to this: intimidated restaurant employees stepping in and enabling Ryan Perrilloux.

Who’s next, the president of LSU?

It’s time for LSU coach Les Miles to end this comical carnival and cut ties with his enigmatic quarterback. The very life of his program is riding on it.

Instead, we have this: Perrilloux, he of the three suspensions in 10 months, he of the recent episode/non-episode at a swanky Baton Rouge restaurant, he of the multiple second chances, has been reinstated yet again and will travel to the White House on Monday to meet President Bush with the rest of the team.

Let’s make something very clear: Perrilloux isn’t the issue. The problem is that Miles, the highest-paid coach in the college game and a coach with more job security than the Google guys, continues to allow Perrilloux to dictate rules and punishment within the program.

Coaches have lost control of programs over less. Don’t think it can’t happen here.

LSU players have steered clear of the mess so far—most have stated that it’s between Perrilloux and Miles. Earlier this week, however, comments from defensive end Tyson Jackson changed that.

”It’s hard to comment on Ryan Perrilloux’s situation because he’s not out there on the field practicing,” Jackson said.

Understand this: Jackson walked away from NFL millions to return to Baton Rouge for his senior season. He is invested in his team, his university. He is unquestionably the team’s leader.

And the leader isn’t happy.

The team’s star quarterback is cutting class. He’s missing workouts with his teammates. He’s setting the agenda, and everyone else is following.

This is how locker rooms are fragmented, how teams with championship potential deteriorate into unfocused, undisciplined underachievers. And that’s why none of this makes sense.

LSU has won two national titles in the last five years. Both times, the Tigers played serviceable quarterbacks—Matt Mauck and Matt Flynn—who managed the offense and didn’t get in the way. Why in the world, then, would Miles be so hell-bent on enabling Perrilloux to the point where it’s detrimental to the team?

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Neither Perrilloux nor Miles are fooling anyone—especially not the players. To believe the rest of the team is immune to outside distractions is an insult to basic psychology. If one player gets away with constantly flouting rules, why wouldn’t another try to do the same?

Moreover, by bending over backward for Perrilloux, Miles is telling backups Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch that they’re just not good enough. And that, for the immediate future, could have huge consequences.

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Star tailback Keiland Williams told the Shreveport Times, “At some time during next season, we’re going to have to look to them.”

If the players can see it, why can’t Miles?

End it already.