Five years ago, everything was fine at LSU.

It was the first week of November, and the Tigers were undefeated and No. 1 in the country. The marriage with Les Miles was still going strong, with his quirky Mad Hatter persona more endearing than dumbfounding. His was a program that ran the football and played top-notch defense, and that was more than enough to get by.

Alabama was doing essentially the same thing. Nick Saban had as many national titles at Alabama as Miles had at LSU, and he had a first-year quarterback in AJ McCarron whose specialty was turning and handing the ball off to Trent Richardson. The offensive and defensive lines did all the work, and the Tide were undefeated as well and No. 2 in both major polls.

When the Tide and Tigers met in Tuscaloosa, it was called the Game of the Century. If you loved defense, it was all you could ask for. Final score: LSU 9, Alabama 6.

In an absolute slugfest, LSU proved the more strapping heavyweight. In the fourth quarter, with the game tied and Alabama threatening to score, it didn’t matter that safety Eric Reid gave up three inches and 50 pounds to tight end Michael Williams. On the jump ball in the end zone, Reid muscled it away for an interception.

LSU's offense became stuck in place under Les Miles. The Tigers' next head coach must be someone who isn't afraid of change. Chris Graythen/Getty Images

After the game, CBS’ Tracy Wolfson asked Miles whether he was prepared for a rematch in the national title game. He grinned, bent over in excitement and said he’d be “honored to face that team again.”

Miles would never see “that team” again. In the weeks leading up the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Alabama’s offense began to change. Then-coordinator Jim McElwain and Saban devised a plan during bowl prep: Throw on first down. McCarron became the aggressor, completing 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards, while Jordan Jefferson and the LSU passing game remained inert, managing just 79 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Alabama won handily 21-0 and never looked back.

In the roughly five years since, it has been essentially the same story. Alabama adapted, while LSU remained stuck in place. Saban embraced the hurry-up, made a bold move in hiring Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator and won two more national championships. Miles stuck with an antiquated offense, never developed a quarterback, never beat Alabama again and was fired after a Week 4 loss to Auburn.

Therein lies the lesson for LSU as it looks to fill its head-coaching vacancy: Find someone different, and whatever you do, find someone who isn’t afraid of change.

This doesn’t mean a call should be placed to Saban or, for that matter, anyone from his coaching tree. Saban is 9-0 against his former assistants, after all. But in the midst of public pressure to hire an offense-oriented head coach, it’s important to remember that Saban, a defensive guy through and through, has orchestrated a substantial evolution on offense.

Kiffin gets the credit, but he had never been a no-huddle type of coach before. It was Saban who pushed the pace, bringing in up-tempo guru Eric Kiesau as an analyst to help Kiffin with the transformation. Jalen Hurts is supposedly a newfangled idea at quarterback, but according to one former assistant coach, Saban’s desire for a mobile QB dates to at least 2012. That’s the kind of forward-thinking LSU needs right now.

Weekday Walkthrough Auburn's Gus Malzahn discusses his team and the Tigers' Iron Bowl showdown with Alabama on Saturday. To watch the conversation with Malzahn and the entire series of conversations with coaches, visit the Weekday Walkthrough home.

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Maybe Ed Orgeron is that type of person. Maybe he can bring the offense into the 21st century and upset No. 1 Alabama at home on Saturday. He has changed things around so far, immediately firing offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and replacing him with Steve Ensminger. It was a small thing, but it showed some self-awareness on Orgeron’s part when he told Ensminger that he could do anything in that first game against Missouri, as long as he didn’t begin the first series in an old-school I-formation.

That said, it’s worth taking a look around before athletic director Joe Alleva decides to remove the interim tag. That's because LSU should be considered a top-tier job. It’s the only program in the SEC that has remained a consistent equal to Alabama in terms of overall talent. There are some evaluators who would tell you this season's LSU roster is slightly better than Alabama’s. All that’s been missing is a quarterback -- or someone who can develop one.

The rest of the ingredients are there, just as they have been there all along. First, it was Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry wasting away at receiver. Now, it’s Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural. In the talent-rich state of Louisiana, there’s no reason to believe more potential playmakers aren’t coming.

There's no reason to believe LSU can’t get back on par with Alabama in a hurry.

It feels like forever since the Tigers beat the Tide. But in fact, it was only 2011 when they were the better team and beat Saban at his own game in his own house. Only the game changed, and Miles didn't change with it.

Catching up won’t be easy, but after getting rid of Miles, the hard part is already over.

It might be five years late, but Saturday against Alabama is the perfect time for LSU to begin its long-awaited evolution.