rundown of Michigan's riser
Les Miles Buzz: High, Conflicting
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Oh, Lord. Kelvin Grady is using the twitter cryptically:
I have a good feeling about this weekend.... "in DB we trust" #goblue
28 minutes ago via Twitter for iPad
And Flight Aware caught that winged helmet Learjet touching down in Baton Rouge, so it's time to blow up again. Yes, Les Miles is in Dallas. Yeah, I'm pretty sure the winged helmet Learjet has nothing to do with the university. No, WE WILL NOT BE DISSUADED FROM EXPLODING.
So LSU boards are virtually overrun with speculation about Miles leaving Michigan, and Miles was less definitive in his post-Not Cotton Bowl press conference and there's a LA radio station* reporting that Miles will take the Michigan job "within 48 hours." Of course, I'm listening to it at the moment and the first caller is deliciously confrontational, forcing the guy to back off a little bit. "His sources" directly contradict random radio guy's sources, which given the track record of radio stations when it comes to breaking news is just about as worthwhile. They pegged their confidence at "8 or 9 out of ten."
Despite that radio call-in smackdown, there is an absolute ton of buzz about Miles to Michigan from the LSU side of things. I have a second-hand non-gospel report originating from LSU boosters saying he's gone that's two days old now and Tiger Droppings has been burning up with stuff. You take the word of message boards at your peril but as a guy who's wandered around them for years the widespread buzz has the air of something true.
On the other hand, if Miles is leaving he's apparently not only not told his players but bluntly lied to them:
Russell Shepard just told me Les Miles assured team he's coming back. Not going to Michigan. … So have many others.
He did cut that one guy with a form letter so maybe they haven't checked their mail recently.
I've made my opinion clear on this: Miles is old, has enthusiastically adopted the tao of SEC, and just saw his program take a more serious hit from the NCAA than Rodriguez did. Even if it works out in five years Michigan is going to be saddled with a coach exactly as old as Carr was when he retired and will either get to experience the extended senescence of a guy who's already wacky or experience yet another transition. I would prefer Brady Hoke.
I'm probably alone in this, I know.
UPDATE: More from LSU players:
"He said, 'They have rumors going around about (me) going to Michigan, but it's not true,'" Jefferson said. "'It's nonsense.' He said hasn't spoken to anybody, anything about Michigan. We're going to stick with that and get ready for next year." …
"He told us this is his football team and this is where he's going to be," Ridley said. "We respect our coach, and this is our coach for right now, and we're going to enjoy him as long as we can. Coach Miles is a Tiger. This is his group of guys, and he's proud of us. I think this is where he will be next year."
Seems fairly unambiguous there.
January 8th, 2011 at 2:42 AM | 
You're not alone
You're not alone
January 8th, 2011 at 5:51 PM |
Agree
Agree
I tend to agree.... Miles, while his O might be a better fit to our current situation than Hoke's, is still a wack-o with lots of baggage. Baggage doesn't bode well in A2. I'll pass.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:56 PM |
Agree with your second
Agree with your second
Agree with your second paragraph. I'll be annoyed if Miles gets the job, because he should have been hired three years ago. In any case, I'm among those preferring Hoke over Miles.
Twitter: @Raoul_000
January 8th, 2011 at 2:54 AM |
Age means nothing to me
Age means nothing to me
Groom a successor, and there's no indication that Miles will retire at the same age as Carr. The SEC shit bothers me
About the conflicting rumors: either he lied to his players (which, damn), or they heard the same "I love it here, why leave" and interpreted as "I'm staying fo sho". I lean toward the latter, because if he's confirming w/ his players he'll come back, why dance around it with the media post-game? Unless he wants to fuck with them and all of us, and swirl the drama for a few days
January 8th, 2011 at 4:31 AM |
posted from iPhone
posted from iPhone
Alright, my list after a visit with the Crown this evening. Feel'in good! =]
Stoops (my pick as the surprise), Meyer, Gruden, and Miles
Notes:
Miles is pretty obvious but not my pick at the moment. Just too obvious to happen.
Gruden! I guess Chucky's ego doesn't fit in the booth anymore so let'em out of the cage. Unleash the Chuckster! Want'a play! And why didn't Ross make a pitch for him?
As for Meyer, I know it makes absolutely no sense that's why he's in play. And why did that plane stay in Florida for so long?
Hoke is a decoy in my book and no one named Bo is coming back to coach the wolverines anytime soon so Pelini is out.
Stoops is announced on Tuesday...everyone is fooled, let the rally and rebirth begin. He has everything we need and the Big 12 ain't what
it use to be. Let's be smart about this, it has to be someone off the radar but with stellar credentials, can recruit in the Midwest (hello Cardinal-Mooney-Land...all day, take that
Sweatervest), and Defensive Minded! Woe! Like Woe are we talking defensive mind here...
I'll take The Stoopenator for 5.5M Pat!
"Don't stop your feet on contact!"
-Brady Hoke
Newsflash, if we don't win Rose Bowl '13 we will have little choice but to lay the blame on Kate Upton. That is all!
January 8th, 2011 at 2:39 PM |
Stoops!
Stoops!
I could see this announcement followed immediately by a few seconds of stunned silence, then applause.....that would be my reaction anyway.
"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."
Follow the random tweets of a Michigan alum - http://twitter.com/#!/LorneEC3
January 8th, 2011 at 6:44 AM |
New possibilities for coach
New possibilities for coach
Looks like it's down to Hoke and Miles (Probably Miles). Pardon me while I puke. Neither of these guys is a long term solution (20 years) and the younger guy isn't as good as the older one. I think Brandon would be dumb if he didn't consider other options. Based on the chatter in the media, the search firm has contacted, Fitzgerald (NW), Pelini (Neb), and Patterson (TCU). Peterson at Boise I hear wants to be a lifer there.
That leaves...not much.that people have talked about..
Wittingham at Utah (58-20)
Bronco Mendenhall at BYU (56-21)
Martin, an asst at ND who did a great job at Division 2 GVSU (74-7), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Martin_(American_football)
Mike Sirianni at Division 3 Washinton & Jefferson (88-16). He's only 38 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Sirianni
Who knows, maybe he'll pull a surpise and get a currently established coach you and I may think is off the board. I'm really not thrilled about Hoke or Miles, but they fit part of Brandon's criteria of getting a coach that understands Michigan. The other major criteria that he mention was getting someone who could work with our existing talent instead of doing what RR did. Dunno if any of these coaches fit that.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:12 PM |
Neither of these guys is a
Neither of these guys is a
Neither of these guys is a long term solution (20 years)
I don't think that's a realistic criterion. Not in this day and age.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:26 PM |
Bull. This is exactly why you
Bull. This is exactly why you
Bull. This is exactly why you don't see a ton of schools rushing out to sign 58 year old head coaches. Generally, you'd like someone to be around for at least 10 years.
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
January 8th, 2011 at 5:32 PM |
Ideally, yes. But in
Ideally, yes. But in
Ideally, yes. But in reality, coaches change jobs more often than that nowadays. If a guy like Miles can come in and give us 6-8 good seasons and leave us in strong shape for the next hire, I'm fine with that.
January 8th, 2011 at 8:22 AM |
Miles > Hoke
Miles > Hoke
For one simple reason: he would use Denard as he was born to be used. Hoke is philosophically opposed to the read-option.
But my headline should read RR >> Miles >> Hoke. I mean seriously, firing RR without a replacement lined up...I can't get over the stupidity.
"I call that Communist football. I'm so tired of it. Good, red-blooded Americans snap the ball, hand it to the guy and have a normal run game or pass game."
—Steve Szabo, Michigan linebackers coach, November 2007
January 8th, 2011 at 11:01 AM |
This.
This.
Agree completely with the Denard reason. Also, regarding Miles' comments to his players, usually when a coach says " I haven't spoken to anyone at that school" it is a giant qualification of the "I'm not going there" statement
"Everyone gets dumped Gabe. Let me give you some advice: a little coverup on your Adams Apple will make it appear smaller. Which will make you appear less like a transvestite."
January 8th, 2011 at 3:13 PM |
But my headline should read
But my headline should read
But my headline should read RR >> Miles
Why? Miles has gone up against tougher competition and he's consistently won.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:31 AM |
Miles = Harbaugh in 5
Miles = Harbaugh in 5
I cannot help but think that hiring Les Miles is a way to satisfy the desire to have Harbaugh be the coach in 5 years should he fall like Saban, Spurrier, and Davis, etc. to the rigors of the unpredictable NFL. Miles would get to coach his dream job and turn around his Alma Mater before he retires comfortably. If Harbaugh lands an elite NFL QB at SF he will be successful and be there for the long haul, and the possibility of Harbaugh to Michigan will die for good.
All hail Hoke!
January 8th, 2011 at 2:08 PM |
Re: Harbaugh
Re: Harbaugh
If Harbaugh lands an elite NFL QB at SF he will be successful and be there for the long haul, and the possibility of Harbaugh to Michigan will die for good.
That possibility died for good yesterday, IMO.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:15 PM |
Agree
Agree
And it probably won't matter down the road. Five years ago, Harbaugh was completely off our radar. Five years from now, someone that we aren't thinking about now will be the hot name.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:39 PM |
No, Trade for Vince Young!
No, Trade for Vince Young!
Or other possibilities remain for JH at 49'ers.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:35 AM |
How about.....
How about.....
How about KC Keeler from Delaware? Like Tressel he has won championships everywhere he's been and he's not as od as Miles. Plus he's already used to the uni's.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:44 AM |
KC Keeler is 50
KC Keeler is 50
If we're going to get someone with no M ties, I would prefer a younger coach like Bronco Mendenhall from BYU. Better record than Bo at comparable points on the careers. Outstanding defensive mind. Coached Erlacher. He's 44. Does he get the Michigan Way? I hope DB finds out.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:55 AM |
Disturbing Image
Disturbing Image
This has nothing to do with Miles specifically, just wanted to share that I was jolted awake in the middle of the night with an image of DB dressed as a chauffeur at the Phoenix airport with a sign reading: "Michigan football coach."
"Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football" -- John Heisman
January 8th, 2011 at 1:37 PM |
RE: Hoke
RE: Hoke
Check out Jason Whitlock:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/566067-cotton-bowl-2011-andrew-luck-m...
Interesting to see a different spin.
"If people really want peace, they need to avoid the pin pricks that lead to cannon shots." Napoleon
January 8th, 2011 at 2:27 PM |
Grass eater...
Grass eater...
that's just weird. If Miles came to Ann Arbor, would he then become a tree hugger?
Indoctrinated into a true blue fan by marriage in 1991 to my Michigan Man, B-school grad of '81. Go Blue!
January 8th, 2011 at 2:37 PM |
Art Briles
Art Briles
OFF THE WALL coaching candidate:
Art Briles: head coach at the University of Baylor
coached under Mike Leach at Texas Tech
turned around a struggling Houston program
and has turned around a LOWLY Baylor program.
could utilize the talent that we have in place by running a similar style spread offense
i know he is not a "BIG NAME" or even on the rumor wire, but the "BIG NAMES" that are on the rumor wire, would be awful, in my own opinion. Les Miles? Brady Hoke? seriously??? ill say no to both thank you.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:29 PM |
Good Idea
Good Idea
Pretty good idea on someone that might fit the bill that no one has mentioned.
January 8th, 2011 at 2:39 PM |
Maybe a better question,
Maybe a better question,
although much more difficult to answer, is "Who will the coordinators be?" After all, that's basically what got Rodriguez fired.
I'm not sure I care that much about who the coach is, as long as it's someone who doesn't fit in with the SEC way of doing things. What I care about is that he doesn't screw up the offense and that he fixes the defense, and that he does it cleanly and with respect for the players. I don't want someone whose first action upon landing in Ann Arbor is going to be checking out car dealerships.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:06 PM |
Agreed,
Agreed,
coordinators are crucial and, one would guess, an important factor with returning (or not returning) players.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:45 PM |
In RR's case, I'd say it was
In RR's case, I'd say it was
In RR's case, I'd say it was more the position coaches. He had a good DC in Shafer, but position guys undermined him.
January 8th, 2011 at 2:45 PM |
Pelini is out
Pelini is out
Washington Post (source)
"Don't stop your feet on contact!"
-Brady Hoke
Newsflash, if we don't win Rose Bowl '13 we will have little choice but to lay the blame on Kate Upton. That is all!
January 8th, 2011 at 4:29 PM |
Les Miles Contract
Les Miles Contract
Received word that les miles' attorney was picked up in baton rouge yesterday and flown to Hilton Head to finalize the contract. Les should be arriving there later today
January 8th, 2011 at 5:21 PM |
gobluestu
gobluestu
and what "word" did you hear this from?
January 8th, 2011 at 6:08 PM |
Reply
Reply
Cannot reveal my source, but it's from someone with direct knowledge of the situation.
January 8th, 2011 at 6:36 PM |
Well i sure hope you are
Well i sure hope you are
Well i sure hope you are right.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:26 PM |
Les miles
Les miles
Lloyd Carr also owns a home in Hilton Head. Interesting
January 8th, 2011 at 4:37 PM |
RR for Coach
RR for Coach
It has all devolved far enough that I'm thinking the best candidate out there now is RR. I wonder what it would take to get him back? Kidding, but not really.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:04 PM |
Concur
Concur
I'm not entirely sure why the option wasn't keeping RR with a high powered DC coming in that had something in his contract that said, even if the HC gets fired in a year you stay or get paid a big payoff. That would have attracted some good DC talent and given the team more time to gel, given stability to the recruiting class and been more effective than what is going on now.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:39 PM |
WELCOME HOME!!
WELCOME HOME!!
If the reports are true then............. WELCOME HOME LES!!
Damn Glad to have ya back and wearing BLUE Coach!! Now lets get this thing turned around and get the MICHIGAN TOUGHNESS and ATTITUDE Back !!!
I'm tired of getting sand kicked in my face!!!
GO BLUE !!
January 8th, 2011 at 7:33 PM |
What a difference
What a difference
3 years makes. Remember this blog circa 2007?
Inspire our songs of loyalty, and may thy blessings be
On Michigan, dear Michigan, our university.
But why the heck does everyone listen to you about Hoke but not Miles??
Heck, we should have just hired him 3 years ago then. Could have has him younger, saved the last 3 years of horror, and maybe not had him get even MORE baggage down there.
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk