🎙️ Now Streaming: Les Miles on the Jayhawker Podcast

Episode 19: Les Miles | May 14, 2020

For Kansas head coach Les Miles, family has always come first. From a young age, he remembers his father, Bubba, instilling that mindset in him to achieve his dreams.

“He was the guy that I played for, he and my family were those people. He was special.”

In episode 19 of the Jayhawker Podcast, Miles recalls his upbringing with his family, his entry into coaching and his return to football with the Kansas Jayhawks, among other stories.

A National Champion at LSU in 2007, Miles reflects upon his journey of coaching as a graduate assistant at Michigan, under head coach Bo Schembechler, and his journey as an assistant coach at Colorado from 1982-86 and at his alma mater, Michigan, from 1987-94.

From there, Miles made stops at Oklahoma State as an offensive coordinator and the Dallas Cowboys as the tight ends coach, before ultimately earning his first head coaching job at Oklahoma State in 2001. Along that journey, he focused on his family and the relationship with his players.

“Family was always big in my house. My father, my mother, our kids, we are always family. It was who we are. It just never changed, it’s just who I am. It’s a comfort that says you belong to this group and you are going to give everything you have, because you are family.”

After instilling that family culture at Oklahoma State and LSU, ultimately leading LSU to the 2007 National Championship, Miles discusses the relationship he developed with his teams and why it led to his return to coaching in 2019 with the Kansas Jayhawks.

“I care for the players of Kansas. I am going to go see them, I am going to be a part of their life. If invited, I will attend their wedding if I can. This is a commitment that is not just for a couple of years, it’s a commitment for a lifetime.”

Listen to Miles and Voice of the Jayhawks Brian Hanni in episode 19 of the Jayhawker Podcast for the full story.