Les Miles Mum on Former Tennessee Vols DC John Chavis

When asked of former Tennessee Vols and current Texas A&M Aggies defensive coordinator John Chavis at SEC Media Days, LSU Tigers coach Les Miles was quiet.


LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles is no stranger to awkwardness, and he showed it again Thursday at SEC Media Days.

More from Vols Football

When asked about whether or not he has a relationship with current Texas A&M Aggies defensive coordinator John Chavis, who left the same post with LSU to take that position, here was Miles’s response:

"“John has been a great guy for us, and I have great respect for him. He’s just a tremendous person. I suspect he will coach great defense at A&M.”"

Then came an awkward pause. Notice he did not say there was any relationship there anymore. But that is typical Miles, who is likely upset about him leaving.

Obviously, Chavis is remembered in Knoxville for his years as an assistant coach at Tennessee, the final 14 of which he served as defensive coordinator under Phil Fulmer from 1995 to 2008.

Chavis could always be frustrating to a degree because of his excessive need to blitz, his failure to make in-game adjustments, and his tendency to get confused by new offenses.

But he still can develop talent and always has aggressive defenses that are fun to watch.

Chavis will fit in perfectly at Texas A&M because they simply need a defense to be competent, and he is more than capable of doing that. If he can get the defense to a decent level with Kevin Sumlin’s offense taking off, the Aggies could be serious contenders.

After Sal Sunseri’s one year at Tennessee, Vol fans were likely missing Chavis pretty heavily at that point. Again, he’s not great, but he’s good, and you know what you’re getting with him.

Texas A&M will be happy with that, and Chavis probably knows that, which is probably why he left LSU in the first place.

Next: Peyton Manning Wins Another ESPY Award

More from All for Tennessee