CC: To Les or Not to Les/Is Les More?

Submitted by James Burrill Angell on
So I got the opportunity to watch LSU beat Ole Miss tonight. Let's assume for a moment that for whatever reason (wife doesn't want to leave Bay Area/He doesn't want to leave the NFL/he doesn't want to work under Brandon/Oakland gets him before Schlissel gets off his rear end) that Jim Harbaugh doesn't come to Ann Arbor and that John Harbaugh doesn't either nor would Mullen from Miss St. If that logically turns eyes to Les Miles AND whatever off-field "personal" issues that kept him out of Ann Arbor in the past can be overcome, is he the savior? I think it's probably safe to say he can't be worse than Hoke. That said, his teams haven't been ones that have overwhelmingly outscored other teams. They've won with defense and recruiting very high end southern athletes to play that defense. I've heard all the other criticisms (his age, the fact that his biggest accomplishment was done with leftover Saban players) but my primary question is whether a Miles led team will be that much better on offense than what we're seeing now?
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goblue20111

October 26th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^

Meh, when everyone except Meyer/Muschamp and Richt are doing it, you have to keep up somehow.  I'm not saying i like it, but it's a conference wide problem because their recruiting rules permit it.  It's keep up or we'll bring in someone else who can't.  It's a shit world out there and it's partly why I believe the world of major college atheltics doesn't mix with the mission of a University, but that's a debate for another day.

Basically, he does it to survive because that's what you have to do in the SEC.  Urban Meyer, for all the shit he gets, never did it and he had trouble keeping up with Saban.  Mark Richt doesn't do it and UGA is always good, but never spectacular.  

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DanaGoBlue

October 26th, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^

The Harbaughs, Miles, nor Mullen are coming here. We need to get over it. We need to accept the fact that we are in a very bad spot and no proven coach wants anything to do with Michigan.

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J.Madrox

October 26th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^

Can we please stop this no big time coach will ever want to come to Michigan. I will maybe buy the fact that no big time coach will work under Brandon, but to imply Michigan is somehow in some uncharted territory of bad and no coach will come as a result is ridiculous.

From 2000 to 2006 Alabama had season records of 3 - 8, 4 - 9 and two 6 - 6 seasons. They seemed to get a decent proven coach to turn around their program. Since the 1994 season ND won 10 games twice and yet they somehow managed to get a coach with a proven track record in Kelly.

Michigan is terrible right now, but it is not a level of bad no other big time program has ever seen. If Michigan wants to offer up the cash they will get a big time coach, if they don't they wont, its that simple. 

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Tater

October 26th, 2014 at 9:24 AM ^

If a team wants to be "leaders and best," they have to pay like leaders and best.  The team with the largest stadium and what I will assume is in the top five in producing revenue is going to have to pay a top five salary.  If they do, they will get a great coach to change schools and try to rebuild the team with the most wins in college football.  

Even though David Brandon has devalued the program and the job, firing him will go a long way toward being able to convince an elite coach to turn one of the most storied programs in history back into an elite program.

Michigan should have its choice of nearly any coach in the country, Dan Mullen included.  Of the top of my head, there should be seven programs whose coaches would be "untouchable" due to being on a par with Michgan: Alabama, FSU, USC, OSU, ND, Texas and Oklahoma.  

Michigan should be able to hire a coach from most other programs in the NCAA by offering enough money.  If they can't have their pick of coaches, it's their own fault, as it was when nobody with a decent resume would even bother to talk to David Brandon.

 

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BLUEDOZER

October 26th, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^

I've had the same thoughts about Miles. We already have poor offense , but without the high quality recruits he has down south. How much worse would his offense be here? I really feel Michigan needs a coach with a strong personality, attitude and the ability to make the most of what he has to work with. The only one I can think of that fits the bill is.....Jim Harbaugh. So back a dump truck full of cash up to his door and get us the coach we needed four years ago!

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BlowGoo

October 26th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^

I don't buy that Michigan cannot get a great big-name coach (with a better AD). But I do think we have a bit of a dilemma for the long term regardless. One of the remarkable draws for Michigan to a coaching candidate is how highly visible the big house and the size of the U of M following. It allows HCs to demonstrate on an enormous stage their skill. So it is an appealing job for those who really want to go to the NFL. So unless we get someone who has already done the NFL, or has already declined thr NFL, then we're in a trap: if the HC is bad, we lose. If the HC is good, they stay just long enough to get an NFL offer and move on. Either way, we only get them a few years. That's why we shouldn't be too upset at an older HC, who would only be coaching a few years. I think we're destined to only get someone who will last a few years regardless of age... ...unless Harbaugh: young, post-NFL, possible loyalty to UM that transcends $. and UM Old Guard acceptability to boot. Not saying we ever get him. Just saying he is SUCH a good long-term fit, he's worth serious dough. Despite ragging on OSU about something like this, I'm fully in favor of QUIETLY running AD candidates by Harbaugh before hiring.

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funkywolve

October 26th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^

I don't understand why people are so concerned about age, especially for someone like Miles who is 61.  At this point UM needs someone to pull them out of this funk.  Whether that person is 65 and coaches at UM for 6 or 7 years or that person is 48 and coaches at UM for 20 years, I don't care.  IMO, The sole purpose of this next search should be to find the best coach without concern for age.

As for Miles, in terms of what his teams do on the field I'd take him in a heartbeat.  His offenses sometimes struggle but it's mainly due to QB play.  For whatever reason, they don't seem to develop QB's well.  However, his teams are almost always very solid in the running game.

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mackbru

October 26th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^

Great recruiters are great recruiters. Miles is a great one. And he's a big name coach with a certain rock star appeal to recruits. This wouldn't change at Michigan -- especially since Michigan, given its popularity and resources, tends to recruit well regardless. Plus he'd be recruiting against generally inferior competition (aside from Meyer) in this league. Now if you want to knock Miles for being sort of a dick with SEC ethics, there's a more viable argument, I'd say.


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Ruffneck61

October 26th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^

How can any Michigan fan disapprove of les being hired. He does a lot of frustrating things I agree but the man can coach. He's in by far the hardest division (sec west) in football and fully competes against them every year. More importantly this is a much better team than they were in week 1. He's not at the top of my list but I would not be disappointed in him as the coach. He is easily a good enough coach to average double digit wins in a week big 10 every year. Even though he's the worst game manager ever he'd be great candidate to right this ship

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mackbru

October 26th, 2014 at 11:54 AM ^

Miles has strongly implied, on multiple occasions, that he covets the Michigan job. Now, yes, maybe that's just a negotiating ploy w LSU. But I'm guessing it isn't (or isn't entirely). He loves the place. And, boy, wouldn't he love to stick it to Lloyd (as it were).

People over-estimate how much coaches want to be in the SEC. What they want is to be in the best position to win a major conference and get one of the four playoff spots. And, of course, to get paid. Given the dearth of talent in the B10, and given his track-record, Miles may well think he has a better path here than he does in the SEC. 

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Eye of the Tiger

October 26th, 2014 at 1:20 PM ^

The only question that *really* matters for me is: can he take raw talent and turn it into on-the-field ability? The answer is: yes, it appears he can.

There are of course other important questions, but this one is paramount.


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