LSU head coach Les Miles is carried off the field after an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015. LSU won 19-7. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman)

Just two days after University of Kansas athletic director Jeff Long informed David Beaty he wouldn’t be around for another season, the idea of Les Miles becoming Beaty’s replacement is beginning to seem more feasible.

Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports and The Athletic reported Tuesday a source told him “a lot of momentum” exists for Miles to become the program’s next head coach. What’s more, according to the report, Miles has emerged as a “frontrunner.”

Later in the day, Tim Brando, national commentator for FOX Sports, posted on Twitter that he spoke with Miles Monday night and their conversation led Brando to “feel confident that he embraces coming to KU big time.”

Brando, who began working with Miles at FOX when the former LSU coach began dabbling in broadcasting in 2017, also pointed to Miles’ decades-old relationship with Long. For a six-year stretch beginning in the late 1980s, both worked at Michigan — Long as an assistant athletic director and Miles as an offensive line coach.

Brando characterized their connection as “strong,” adding the “credibility factor is huge.”

When someone replied to Brando’s post, doubting Miles’ ability to win at KU, a program that has experienced nothing but three-, two-, one- and zero-win seasons since Mark Mangino left nearly a decade ago, Brando didn’t hold back.

“You couldn’t be more wrong,” Brando replied, pointing to Miles’ time as Oklahoma State coach (2001-04).

“He’ll recruit Texas better than (it’s) ever been recruited at KU,” Brando added.

Of course, Miles’ reported $9.6 million buyout from LSU in 2016 included a stipulation that he must seek another college coaching job. So it remains to be seen what type of fire exists beneath all this Miles to KU smoke.

Miles has a 142-55 career coaching record and won the national championship at LSU with a 12-2 season in 2007. Miles turns 65 next week.

I spoke to Les Miles last night and feel confident that he embraces coming to KU big time. His relationship with @jefflongKU is strong and the credibility factor is huge. Nonsense about age?Out the window. Les is a vegan and in the best shape of his life. Hope reports are true.

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