Both Baylor and Purdue have been prominently mentioned as potential landing spots for Les Miles over the past few days. If The Mad Hatter lands at either program, or any other Power Five program for that matter, his staff could have a decidedly Crimson Tide hue to it.
According to Travis Haney of 247Sports.com, the former LSU head coach, along with Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck, have become the focal point of Purdue’s search for a new head coach. Haney writes that Miles “is telling potential employers including Purdue that he intends to bring current Alabama offensive analysts Steve Sarkisian and Mike Locksley to serve on his offensive staff.”
Sarkisian would serve as offensive coordinator on a Miles-led staff, Locksley as running-game coordinator. While both are talented offensive coaches, both have a bit of baggage that they’d bring along to their new school.
After being given an an indefinite leave of absence Oct. 11 of last year, Sarkisian was fired a day later as USC’s head football coach. Sarkisian, who reportedly had a troubling past involving alcohol, checked himself into rehab shortly thereafter, and reportedly learned of his fate with the Trojans via text messages and emails on his way to a treatment center.
In early September, Nick Saban announced Sarkisian’s addition as offensive analyst.
Locksley four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Maryland, and served as interim head coach for the last half of 2015 season following the firing of Randy Edsall.
Prior to that, Locksley was the head coach at New Mexico for two very “eventful” seasons before his dismissal in September of 2011. From, well, us at the time:
Locksley was added to Saban’s football staff in March of this year.