MILES AND YEARS
The behind-the-scenes stories of Miles from his Cowboy tenure
Former players remember Les Miles at OSU as he returns with Kansas team
STILLWATER — From slow car chases to chewing on grass to breaking whiteboards, Les
Miles brought more than just wins to Oklahoma State in four seasons.
He brought entertainment. “I remember him coming in with a lot of energy,” former OSU defensive back Ricklan
Holmes said. “I noticed him eating grass. I always thought he put the blade in his mouth and didn't realize he chewed it as long as he did.”
From 2001-04, Miles had his share of big moments, on and off the field. On the field, he took over a program that had not had a winning season since 1988 and went 4- 7. Then, the Cowboys went to three straight bowl games for the first time since 1983-85.
He left after the 2004 season for LSU. When he departed, his quirkiness came to light more than before.
The Oklahoman spoke with several former players ahead of Miles' first return to Stillwater on Saturday when the Cowboys host Kansas at 11 a. m. Here are those stories:
Greg Gold, RB Broken curfew
Greg Gold was homesick in his first fall camp, and that led to a fateful decision that has become a bit of a legend.
A highly-touted running back from Irving, Texas, he was mentally drained when his high school girlfriend came to town late one night. It was just past curfew. “What was crazy was the following day I had free time,” Gold said. “I lived in the basement in Bennett ( Hall). The windows are basically up top. All you've got to do is prop it open, you climb up, you climb out and you're in the alley. You can still duck down and they couldn't see you.
“I hop out and boom.” Gold's girlfriend had the wrong getaway car — an orange- and- black Volkswagen bug. They were spotted immediately as he ran to the car.
One car turned around. Soon, a low- speed pursuit through Stillwater was underway with another car joining.
One car was Miles' white Dodge Durango. The other was Mack Butler's.
The three cars weaved through the streets of Stillwater until they finally trapped Gold near the Atherton Hotel.
“At that point, I knew that if in the strange event I got away with it, the next day somebody had to fess up or everybody paid.”
When Gold emerged from the car, Miles had a priceless reaction.
“It's Gold! It's Gold!”
Charlie Johnson, OL A broken whiteboard
Miles was known for his usage of a whiteboard in pregame.
Inside a theater room at the Atherton Hotel, he wrote three goals for the upcoming game ahead of the Cowboys' walk to the stadium.
But in 2002 ahead of
Oklahoma State coach Les Miles talks to Billy Bajema during senior day ceremonies in 2004.
Bedlam, he appeared to be in a different mood. He looked extremely serious.
“He doesn't say anything for it seems like forever, but it was probably a minute or so,” Charlie Johnson said. “All of a sudden he paces back to the board and he just punches it and knocks it over.
“In a clean version, he says, ` Let's go win this game.' Everybody in the theater stood up and started telling. We went to the walk and won the game, obviously.”
Johnson is sure Miles punched a hole in the whiteboard. It was a big moment multiple players recalled.
“I think everybody in that room remembers that moment,” Johnson said.
Billy Bajema, TE Baggies of grass
Before Miles was even known for chewing on grass, it was common to see him doing just that in Stillwater.
And he wanted his players to follow his lead.
“I remember him chewing grass in front of us back then and talking about loving the grass,” said Billy Bajema, a tight end throughout Miles' entire tenure.
Known as “Young Bajema” to Miles, Bajema remembers one of his first road trips. He doesn't remember the destination or opponent, but he remembers the plane ride.
Each player had to have a baggie full of grass prepared by the staff.
“I guess to remind us of our practice field and the work put in and things like that,” Bajema said. “It's just always the way he was. He's just a different personality than anybody. He's one of a kind for sure.”
Ricklan Holmes, DB `Fall on his face'
Ricklan Holmes expected Miles to struggle. Every OSU defensive back did.
But Miles, lined up like a cornerback, executed the backpedal Joe DeForest was teaching to near perfection one day in practice.
“He actually has pretty good feet,” Holmes said. “It shocked us at the time. We all expected him to look like an old man and fall on his face.”
But that wasn't all that Holmes remembered about Miles.
Miles and his wife were instrumental in making Holmes available for his pregnant girlfriend. They assured he had quick travel to Oklahoma City after a game to watch the birth of his daughter.
Kathy then helped them find a good daycare.
“His wife is amazing,” Holmes said. “I'm always going to have a special place in my heart. He was just a good guy.”
Josh Fields, QB Trust and discipline
Former star quarterback Josh Fields laughed at the question. What story stands out from his time with Miles? Two, he says.
First, Miles showed a lot of trust in Fields early.
As a freshman quarterback, Fields played in a win against Baylor and the following week he was inserted into Bedlam. After making a poor decision and throw, Miles called a timeout. Fields immediately said he knew what he did. He wanted to run the play again.
“I had no college credibility other than I played in the Baylor game and we won,” Fields said. “He just looked at me and he said, ` Call it again.' went back onto the field, called the same play, T. D. Bryant caught the pass over the middle of the field in between like three defenders.
“That's always stuck with me a long time, just the fact he entrusted other people, which is an awesome sign of a leader. I'll always remember that. He didn't have to show any trust in me, but he did. It worked out, thank God.”
The second story involved missed discipline.
Fields was preparing for his final game — the Cotton Bowl to end the 2003 season — Fields decided to break curfew on New Year's Eve inside the Anatole Hotel.
Running around the top floor in his tighty whities and yelling, he caused quite a scene. The next day, Miles attempted to get the “idiot” to come forward. Fields never did.
After the game, Miles likely learned it was Fields. But it was too late for punishment.
“I got out of that one pretty good,” Fields said. “He had a way of holding people accountable, he had a way of trusting people and he had a way of disciplining people that it always seemed relatively fair and the timing was always right. When you treat people like that and do things like that, you earn a lot of respect.”