Don’t pencil Les Miles in for ESPN just yet

In the wake of LSU firing Les Miles earlier this year, there have been plenty of thoughts on how he’d be a great fit as an ESPN commentator, but that may not be what winds up happening. ESPN’s reportedly “very interested” in Miles, and most of the big head coaching jobs out there have been filled, but Miles told Dan Patrick Tuesday he’d still rather coach than head to a TV job:

Now, the phrasing here does indicate there’s still a chance of Miles winding up in TV this season. Patrick asks “Are we more likely to see you on the sidelines or in the studio in 2017?” and Miles answers “If it’s my choice, absolutely on the sidelines.” That may depend on the quality of job Miles is offered, though; he’s presumably not going to take just anything to coach (especially considering that LSU is already paying him not to coach), and if high-quality head coach, associate head coach or coordinator gigs aren’t forthcoming, TV may wind up looking like a better option. It’s also notable that he mentions he doesn’t see any announcement coming in the next week or so; that, combined with his comments about the process, suggest there’s nothing really close to being done.

It’s going to be interesting to watch and see what happens with Miles. Coaching is obviously still near to his heart, but the idea of TV work may become more appealing if there aren’t great coaching opportunities to be had, and going to TV for a year or two while considering further coaching options might also be a plan. TV also can be more forgiving from a workload and schedule standpoint, which may let Miles spend more time with his family, and he’d seem to be a great fit for a TV gig. However, TV isn’t coaching, and while it doesn’t carry some of the downsides of coaching, it also doesn’t have some of the rewards. We’ll have to watch and see what happens; Miles certainly could be a nice fit for ESPN, and they seem interested in bringing him in, but the question is if they’ll be able to land him.

The Dan Patrick Show airs weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern on AT&T’s Audience channel, NBCSN, and radio affiliates.