CC: The nuclear option

Submitted by Ron Utah on

With Hackett taking his sweet time in firing (or retaining!) Hoke, I have read a lot of material out there that says this search comes down to two names if neither Harbaugh wants the job: Les Miles and Greg Schiano.

To me, those are both unappealing options.  But if forced to choose one, whom would it be?

CLICK HERE  to take the survey.  I will post the results later.

UPDATE: With 100 votes in, it 96% Miles, 4% Schiano.  Actually, there are 857 votes in, but the percentages have been essentially the same all through the voting.

Part of the purpose of this poll was to give an unofficial voice to the fans...I knew Schiano would be unpopular, and I hope in some small way this helps the people in charge of things see how the fanbase views that hire.

I will post a few more polls in the next few days that should be more competitive.

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les miles
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Cali Wolverine

December 1st, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^

...and nobody would like to see Schiano at Michigan...so you can shut your poll down. If an SEC coach that can recruit, win a national championship out of the SEC, consistently send talent to the NFL (and oh yeah...has strong Michigan ties) is not appealing...well I am on board with that unpopular candidate.

Joined: 01/13/2013

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Jaysin1414

December 1st, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^

For the sake of this thread, assuming that neither Harbaugh is a legitimate option, Miles is clearly the best choice. Schiano (as well as Mullen) are products of maximizing one's marketability after a couple of good seasons at best. Miles has routinely competed with Saban and Myers on an even playing ground. Assuming that Urban has to play nice in the B1G, I think it's reasonable that Miles would compete on equal footing against him again, using the same rules that OSU abides by. Sure there's probably skeletons in Miles' closet that we won't necessarily like...but what outright scandals and investigations has he been involved with?

There might be better options, but given Miles v. Schiano, I'd be incredibly happy if Miles were selected.

Joined: 01/12/2011

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Jaysin1414

December 1st, 2014 at 4:10 PM ^

If Urban can recruit top-10 talent at OSU, I imagine Miles can recruit top-10 talent at Michigan. Les has cultivated the same territories that Urban has down south and has to be at least as slick a recruiter to keep LSU a perennial power every 3 out of 4 years.

I don't think he'd necessarily get the same kids he has with LSU, but I think he'd compete for and develop the same kind of kids that OSU gets...and from this vantage point tha would be one heck of an improvement.

 

That all being said, I'd prefer either Harbaugh or Patterson, but I'd take Miles over Schiano any day of the week.

Joined: 01/12/2011

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WolvinLA2

December 1st, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^

I think his recruiting classes would look every bit as good here.  He didn't get those guys to LSU just because he was the hometown guy.  He got them their because he's a  great recruiter and built a great program.  All those elite athletes also had offers from Alabama and FSU and a bunch of other great schools.

And although Louisiana has great talent, he is still able to go to other states and bring in their top talent.  His 2015 class has a 5-star from both Texas and Florida.  So it's not just the hometown kids that he gets.  And it's not because he's a bayou boy himself, because he's not.  He's just a great recruiter.  

He won't be bringing in as many Louisiana kids to Michigan, but he'll pull in tons of MI/OH kids as well as more Southern and Texas kids than Hoke could.  And kids from outside of his typical geography (like the NE and West Coast) will look at Michigan like they always do, just this time we'll have a HC with tons of credibility.

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turd ferguson

December 1st, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^

I'm not a Miles fan, but he's far from a "nuclear option" (if, by that, you mean crappy, worst-case scenario).  I mean:

LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (2005–present)
2005 LSU 11–2 7–1 1st (West) W Peach 5 6
2006 LSU 11–2 6–2 T–2nd (West) W Sugar 3 3
2007 LSU 12–2 6–2 1st (West) W BCS NCG 1 1
2008 LSU 8–5 3–5 3rd (West) W Chick-fil-A    
2009 LSU 9–4 5–3 2nd (West) L Capital One 17 17
2010 LSU 11–2 6–2 T–2nd (West) W Cotton 8 8
2011 LSU 13–1 8–0 1st (West) L BCS NCG 2 2
2012 LSU 10–3 6–2 T–2nd (West) L Chick-fil-A 12 13
2013 LSU 10–3 5–3 3rd (West) W Outback 14 14
2014 LSU 8–4 4–4 T–4th (West)      
LSU: 103–28 56–24  
Total: 131–49  
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title

For all of Miles' faults, that's pretty damn good.

Joined: 12/09/2009

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Class of 1817

December 1st, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^

a Michigan loyalist all my life. Especially when it comes to football...The Big House was like a second home to me growing up.

But if Schiano gets hired, M football would be dead to me. After the turmoil and ineptitude of the last 7 years, most of what was built up over the years has been severely rocked. A move like Schiano would be a heartbreaking nail in the coffin when it comes to M football for me.

 

 

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Bergs

December 1st, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^

I'm eager to see how this coaching search plays out in relation to what Henson has been saying.

I think he's gotten an unfair amount of flak around here for his tendency to embellish and because his prose is that of a clickbait writer, but he's been fairly accurate thus far. He was more or less right about everything surrounding Dave Brandon's removal so I'm curious to see if his Harbaugh predictions come to fruition.

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Eye of the Tiger

December 1st, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^

As others have pointed out, how exactly is Les Miles a "nuclear option?" He's won consistently at LSU, would almost certainly improve upon Hoke's record and is popular with a large--and by large I mean very large--portion of the fanbase?

Schiano, on the other hand, really had one good season out of 11 at Rutgers before leaving to crater everything at Tampa Bay, would almost certainly not improve upon Hoke's record and is not popular with anyone anywhere.

I'm guessing Miles gets at least 90% of the vote here. Some people don't like him, sure, but I'm wagering nearly everyone would take him over Schiano or Hoke.

 

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UMFanstuckinOhio

December 1st, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^

Les does not have the swagger that I believe this program needs right now. We need someone who is going to make both the team and the opposition uncomfotable. Jim fits that bill much better. Plus I believe in Harbaugh's ability to hire compitent assistants that might be able to take over after five years.

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UMFanstuckinOhio

December 1st, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^

Les does not have the swagger that I believe this program needs right now. We need someone who is going to make both the team and the opposition uncomfotable. Jim fits that bill much better. Plus I believe in Harbaugh's ability to hire compitent assistants that might be able to take over after five years.

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ShadowStorm33

December 1st, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^

I don't think that changes anything. I prefer Harbaugh because I think he's the better coach. Maybe not as good of a recruiter (though this isn't the same JH that was at Stanford; his NFL run has to help him in the recruiting dept.), but gets more out of his players, as well as being the superior game manager. Plus, look at Stanford. Shaw rode what Harbaugh built for another three years. Even just five years of Jim will get you close to a decade of impact.

Honestly (if we can't get Harbaugh), I'd kill for a five year run from Saban. At this point, a solid five years, national championship or two, even considering the costs, has me salivating. The fact that Jim's on the younger side is an added plus...

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PhillipFulmersPants

December 1st, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^

that even if JH came to Michigan, it wouldn't be a decade long stop.  Could be wrong but I get the sense this would be Miles' last stop, if he came and he was successful.  

Maybe a hypothetical Harbaugh regime is around longer, but it's far from a given.

Anyway, I'm tired of hypotheticals.  Would just like a coach at this point.  The seemingly inexhaustible bad news around this program is draining. 

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Blue Balls Afire

December 1st, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^

Fine.  I'll be the sacrificial lamb.  I would pick Schiano over Les.  Who needed mgopoints anyway.  Still, it's a sincere sentiment.  If I had to choose among the two, I'd take Schiano.

Joined: 12/17/2013

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Blue Balls Afire

December 1st, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^

The job he did in turning around Rutgers was a monumental feat of not just coaching, but sheer will-power, and the ability to impose one’s will onto a program and resurrect a corpse.  Michigan needs stability and a firm hand right now--someone who will demand more from his players and get it.  Not a nice guy, not a hot name, not a former alum whose best coaching days may have passed. 

Rutgers was not just an afterthought, but not even a thought at all in the college football world when he took over.  He built that program up and (yes) had one great year, but he was also able to sustain moderate success in following years—not a small feat at pre-B1G Rutgers.  His only known downside is that he’s too intense and a bit of a dickwad.  That schtick won’t play in the NFL and we know what happened there.  Still, that doesn’t mean he can’t be a success (again) in college.  Bobby Knight wouldn’t last a season in the pros, but he won 3 NC’s in college.  Some are just college coaches and not pro coaches—Bo, Izzo, arguably, etc.  Also, not being successful in the pros is not indicative of college success—Pete Carroll, Jim Mora, Jr., Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz, eg.  Furthermore, the latest reports seem to indicate he’s developed some self-awareness and toned down the dickwad act a bit.  What’s left is an intense, SOB, who has proven he can turn a college program around, who has endeavored to be less of a dickwad. Not bad.

I say all this with the caveat that Schiano is not my first choice to be HC.  I'm just playing within the rules of the OP and prefer Shciano over Les.  

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True Blue Grit

December 1st, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^

In fact, I really don't want him as coach if at all possible.  My main reasons are his weird behaviors, questionable recruiting tactics in the past, and age.  HOWEVER, for the purposes of this poll, it's an easy choice of him over Schiano.  I have a strong feeling that if Harbaugh isn't interested or Michigan can't offer him what he wants, Miles will end up being the choice.  The reason is I just don't think all the top coaching candidates are going to be lining up to come here.  The last 7 years (other than 2011) have tainted Michigan's reputation enough to discourage elite guys to want to come here.  So, it'll be either another Hoke, a DC or OC, or Miles when the dust settles.  And a proven winner at a big time school will trump all the other options.  And probably Lloyd Carr will not attend any more home games in that event. 

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Braylon_Edward…

December 1st, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^

The age argument is heavily overrated. For starters, 62 is not that old. He's got plenty of coaching still in him. Hell, Saban is a better coach but he's 63 and we wouldn't care about his age. Besides, I don't think anyone expects him to coach the rest of his career here. Give him 4-6 years to get us back on track and he'll leave a great young coordinator for us (Or maybe when he decides to go there's a candidate out there?). And if he does decide to spend the rest of his career here, that's great too.

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WallyWallace

December 1st, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^

Perhaps in my 'Unicorns Exist' , 'Whole Foods is Worth It' and 'Peguins can Fly World' he would be open to the prospect of  not facing Murderer's Row every year?

Mutual disinterest I'm sure but I left the caps off my magic markers..

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FrankMurphy

December 1st, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^

I've never been a fan of Les Miles, but if the choice is between Les Miles and Greg Schiano, then it should be Miles for sure. There's nothing to think about.

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charblue.

December 1st, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^

or retaining its current coach, and your other targets aren't currently available because of existing contracts and buyout stipulations, does it matter whether you wanted a new coach in place yesterday?

If you fire your coach like Nebraska did and owe him 4 and one half years of monthly payments of 150,000-plus to cover his buyout, that means the decision to fire him was already a foregone conclusion based on whether Nebraska made it to the Big Ten championship game. That wasn't a decision made over night after Nebraska came back to beat Iowa in Iowa City. 

So, if Jim Harbaugh who has the second-best winning percentage in the NFL since taking over the 49ers in 2011, second only to the New England Patriots and his team has appeared in three consecutive NFC chmapionship games, you gotta wonder why the organization is doing everything in its power to get rid of him, suggesting his coaching rights for another year would be available to another team with insiders casually predicting his departure at season's end. There are four games left in the49er's season and little chance of the team making the playoffs unless they win out. 

Brady Hoke's buyout reduces at the end of December about the same time as the 49ers last game, and about the time that most bowl games involving coaches and assistants that Michigan likely has an interest in will also be available based on contractual obligations. 

Isn't whether Michigan is searching for a coach and looking at possible people while having lined up their actual candidates for hire around the first week of January about the time you'd expect a hire to be formally announced. Given the circumstances of scheduling and legal obligations, I would think so. 

 

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Eye of the Tiger

December 1st, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^

If we whiff on Harbaugh, which is a distinct possibility, yet fail to take Miles because of IDK (again), and so end up with Schiano, I will puke in my mouth for for the entirety of his hopefully short tenure.



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