Why the big problem with Les Miles

Submitted by Michigan fanatic on

I am not saying he will be hired or anything like that but I just want  to know why everyone is so set against Miles coming here if he was to be hired. I mean people act like he is a terrible coack. So he likes to eat a couple blades of grass now and then, So maybe he has a couple boneheaded clock management issues during games. I can take losing a game or two by bad clock management if we are playing in BCS bowls year after year like LSU does, not to mention making it there from a conference liek the SEC. I know he's a little cooky bt he can coach. LSU shredded Texas A&M last night. Anyways I was just wondering what the problem people have with him.

Bill in Birmingham

January 8th, 2011 at 2:10 PM ^

"win and ignore shady BS" program

This is in itself a completely adequate reason to oppose Les Miles as a potential coach. But if you want to ignore the ethical issues, and I can't, have those of you who support him ever watched a big game he coached? The clock management SNAFUs are legendary. His teams have been enormously talented, without a doubt. But they lose games they should not. The offenses are very vanilla. He makes questionable personnel decisions. And I am very afraid that when he doesn't own a talent rich state his recruiting is going to decline. Add to that the fact that he has been known to make batshit crazy comments and I just can't be comfortable with the guy.

gobluednicks

January 8th, 2011 at 1:18 PM ^

its amazing how people still think highly of him.  there are many reasons to not hire him.  the biggest one being...he's no good.  his clock management issues aren't just some accident.  they're because he has no idea what the hell he's doing.  when you have as much talent as he does down there you are going to win 9-11 games every year...yes, even in the overhyped SEC.  A guy like Mullen taking a team with obvious less talent and having a decent record is a far better coack.

bronxblue

January 8th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^

Mullen has quite a bit of talent at MSU...never mind, I'm not even going to argue that point with you.

Miles is a lot of things, but a bad coach he is not.  The guy knows how to win, recruits well, and finds a way to stay competitive in a very difficult conference.  Is Saban a good coach in your eyes - him and Miles have similar records with equally-talented teams?  How about Meyer at Florida - equal (if not more) access to top talent, similar records over the years. 

I get that you don't like Miles and I agree he wouldn't be the best fit, but he knows how to win and would be an upgrade over the nothingness that is currently in Ann Arbor.

mtzlblk

January 8th, 2011 at 3:31 PM ^

Ethical issues aside (which they shouldn't be)...

True he has hired good coordinators and that goes in his favor, but getting Miles by himself is no coup unless he comes as a package.

I don't honestly think he is going to be able to fill out an entire staff at M and be able to win with a roster that is in transition. Aside from the obvious and substantiated concerns with his character, he isn't the best option in terms of coaching skills. 

Wendyk5

January 8th, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^

We all want to win and we want to do it with integrity. That doesn't mean the guy DB picks has to be perfect or squeaky clean. He needs to respect the rules, his players, and Michigan. It's up to DB to decide whether Les Miles or any other candidate fits those criteria. 

bronxblue

January 8th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^

As others noted, Miles is old, very SEC in his views on recruitment and player retention, and brings his own violation baggage along.  Maybe he was a good fit years ago, but now he'd only be a stop-gap and would be replaced in a couple of years.  I think Brandon totally dropped the ball with this situation, and right now he better hope the guy he pegs just exceeds expectations, because right now I'd rather they have dropped Brandon and kept RR - at least he has a track record of being competent at his job. 

phil.hersey

January 8th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^

and increases the chances we could actually get him. He can hold it together for the 4 yrs it'll take to ramp the program up then retire either a hero at the school he loves, or...well just retire. Any "outsider" won't stand a chance here at M and I don't want Hoke...who else now? PS I started playing collegiate rugby at age 50...much of age is in the mind and sitting on the couch... Miles has plenty of mojo left...

macdaddy

January 8th, 2011 at 1:24 PM ^

I'm pretty sure DB will be keeping a very close eye on him. DB's not an idiot (I think) and he is certainly aware of the sleaze factor with Miles so I gotta believe he'll keep the shady SEC-style shenanigans in check.

ItsGreatToBe

January 8th, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^

I'm sure DB will keep a close eye on whoever ends up in the HC position.  However, I'm also sure he doesn't want to go through this sort of process again anytime soon.

 

My guess is DB will choose someone who is above reproach and as such, requires very little close supervision. 

JimBobTressel

January 8th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^

Sigh...I could live with Les Miles.

- Nickname is the Mad Hatter + 2

- Plays in a Tougher CONFERENCE + 1

- Confident and has his own hilarious way to deal with media +1

- Big recruiter + 1

- Can bring southern talent up north +1

- Eats grass, but the Big House has astroturf...? +0

- Has already beaten Saban, Urban Meyer, and Jim Tressel

- Would give Tressel a heart attack + 5

- Would kick off onside kicks, giving other coaches heart attacks +1

- .....but if they didn't work, would give us heart attacks -3

- seems content with a crap offense - 4

- But loves him good defense and special teams....our areas of need +5

- Takes poor pictures -1

-Says stupid shit -2

-..but hilarious shit too +1

- Loves fake field goals, fake punts, fake snaps, fake boobs, fake everything + 2

- Would bang your wife - 4

- Would bang your wife and successfully recruit your 4 star player son while doing it +2

Did I cover everything?

 

TennBlue

January 8th, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^

Rich Rodriguez than Les Miles, but I would rather have Les Miles than pretty much anybody else who is currently in play.

Maybe Dan Mullen from MSU, but of realistic candidates, Les is pretty close to the top of the list.

crazedmaize

January 8th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^

....over LM is out of your mind. LSU is consistently one of the best teams in the SEC....you know....the conference that dominates everyone year in and year out. Doesn't anyone find it odd that after RR was terminated.....the majority of the players were sad that he was gone but no one seemed to put up a fight that he was removed as HC? The overwhelming sense I get is that RR was a terrific guy but not a good HC. Even DB said the conversations he had with current players helped him out immensely in his decision.

I would be extremely excited and content getting someone like LM to take over UM. LSU has been one of the upper echelon teams each year since he has taken over. Added bonus is he has worked with a spread offense. Anyone who wouldn't want him on our sidelines is nuts.

maizedNblued

January 8th, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^

...but wins. I'm also quite sure that LSU never had issues with liniing up or making sure all 11 guys were on the field.

And the whole OTL story on the QB is extremely exaggerated. The kid wasn't good enough to compete at that level and had a poor attitude about things....ESPN fails to say anything about that.....but when the coach is publicly asked...he HAS to tip-toe around the subject or else he looks like an ass. Last time I checked, the majority of 19 year old kids are immature and have poor attitudes and the coaches are forced to take the high road.

SanDiegoUmFan

January 8th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^

If you are DB, would you rather make the majority of the fan base mad and past players/ath department happy by hiring Hoke or would you rather please most of the fanbase and risk pissing off your peers int he department by hiring Les?

I have no inside information but if we did not even give LM a look last time around, you have to believe there are some giant sized skeletons in that closet.

plaidflannel

January 8th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^

It's ridiculous that Les Miles supporters want Dave Brandon to babysit our new coach because he might sign too many players. That's awful. Plus, Big Ten recruiting still allows 27 commits per class. 27*4 > 85.

plaidflannel

January 8th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^

You're putting way too much on Mary Sue Coleman here. She would eliminate our athletic department if it didn't turn a profit for the University. I don't think she cares who the next coach is. As for Dave Brandon, we have no idea how well he is with personnel decisions because he hasn't been at UofM long enough. Quite frankly, I don't agree with him treating the athletic department as business (and this is coming from a Ross student). He's been underwhelming so far to me.

And I disagree that they have more to lose. Brandon is still the Chairman of Dominoes' Board of Directors. He has cushy landing spots. As for Coleman, a bad head coach hire will not hurt her position at this University whatsoever. As long as she still raises enough money, she's here until she wants to leave.

BornInAA

January 8th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^

has the winning touch

and charisma - good or bad

Miles seems like we will have a shot every year

Hoke seems like a good coach for a perpetual 9-3, 8-4.

Icehole Woody

January 8th, 2011 at 2:13 PM ^

Miles is only five years older than Hoke.  I don't think Miles is coming to Michigan but he would be way better than Hoke.

Michigan needs someone younger.  With head coaching experience, Midwest contacts,  and a background at Michigan.  Good luck with that.

 

 

 

 

CompleteLunacy

January 8th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^

It's not like he's 70. He's 57 (or whatever). Sure, it's not an up-and-coming coaching age, but who says we need that to win? Penn State seems to be doing just fine with a 200-year-old coach. Obviously that's a unique scenario...but my point is Brian and others using throwing "age" as a factor is overblown.

Not saying I necessarily want Les Miles as coach here...but I doubt DB is going to discount Miles because he's "old".

Michigan fanatic

January 8th, 2011 at 2:34 PM ^

Did anyone even stop to think that maybe the kid had it in for Miles. Maybe he was lazy like Boren, Maybe it's his own fault he got his scholarship cut. I would like to point out that Tony Clemons bad mouthed Rich Rod as well as Boren about lack of family values and shady dealings which we believe to be untrue. Maybe this kid just wanted to make Miles look bad because he got his scholarship cut because he's lazy or whatever just like Miles said. I'm not saying it's true, I'm just saying maybe there's another side. Oh yeah and I looked it up and for all you that says Dan Mullen should be hired. Mississippi State ranked in the top ten for schools that oversigned last year. He should be dragged out of his house and shot.

Soulfire21

January 8th, 2011 at 2:44 PM ^

Oversigning his classes really left a bad taste in my mouth, perhaps too much time in the SEC.  Michigan is not a "win at all costs" school like most schools in the SEC.

mgoblue0970

January 8th, 2011 at 2:59 PM ^

I see a few comments about ethics in here... something along the lines of not squeaky clean but not a sleaze bag either.

Well, if we start rationalizing things that way, then we're really no better than Tressel.

Dare I say, perhaps Carr (who is dead to me now) was right?

Michigan is better than that.  We do not need to be that desperate for a HC.

MichiganStudent

January 8th, 2011 at 2:54 PM ^

So, can someone please tell me how anyone knows without any sense of doubt that Les kicked kids off the team for no just reasons other than to make room for a incoming recruit?

I watched that video of the QB, and I do not believe that its the full story. Could it be? Yes, but could it also not be? Yes.

I watched the same video about the kid getting a "grey shirt" and find that to be much more damning, but I still do not know if the kid or Les is telling the truth. 

 

Les Miles (as I see him):

Red Flags

1. I have watched many LSU games over the years with Les at the helm and have witnessed some dumb clock management moments that either cost him the game or made it more nerve wracking than it should have been. *This makes me question his competence in this aspect of coaching. 

2. Recruiting: the above examples cited. Sleaziness level possibly being high. *This does not make me worry he will hurt Michigan with NCAA sanctions, but needs to be understood and watched. 

3. Not sure if this counts as a "red flag", but I worry how his recruiting would translate outside of the fertile SEC recruiting grounds. (i.e how much does "southerness", perceived conference prestige, and location factor into his recruiting ability, is Les the great recruiter or is it LSU and its characteristics?)

4. His age: how many more years does he have in the tank? Is he winding down?

5. He eats grass: yuck. I prefer carnivores.

6. This one is really grasping at straws, but when LSU loses it tends to be because of the offense and not the defense. Which, whatever.  

7. My anxiety level would go through the roof. He seems to go to a ton of overtime games: 8 OT games in 6 years at LSU and 1 in 4 years at OSU.

 

Pros:

1. Winning: constant winning in a very difficult conference. Won a national championship, beat OSU (2007) and Appy State (2008). Excellent resume. 

2. Understands Michigan: went to school here, understands the rivalries, Bo, etc. 

3. Supposedly a great recruiter: but as I listed above, I'm not sure how much you can attribute to Les. He would bring more southern pipelines. 

4. His offense is very dynamic with formations, trick plays, and aggressiveness level. I think he would be able to adapt to our current players easier than a true prostyle guy like Hoke. 

5. His defense and special teams always seems to be among the nations elite.