Yes, this is one of the most prestigious jobs in all of college football, and the title head coach carries with it amazing responsibility. Responsibility to young athletes, Alumni, student bodies...Name one alumni freind from a major university that doesn't identify with it's athletic team...even a little. It's tough, but everyone out there is proud of it's football or basketball tradition. That's just the way it is.
Bill Martin has a monumental task on his hands and rumor has it that 20 names exist on a "super secret" list that Bill put together starting as early as last year...and with Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and others sure to be looking as the coaching carousel begins, it's going to be tough to land the "right" guy....
So, who's on the list MR. MMQ????? Allow me to speculate:
The Obvious (With Ties to Michigan):
1. Les Miles.
Why he's not the Man:
Lloyd might not like him. He's never come out publicy and said as much, but Lloyd's decision on this will count....So, Strike one. Bo Was pissed at him before he died - that is true. Strike Two. LSU doesn't seem to be that upset that he might be leaving....Do they know something we don't? Curve Ball coming, do you swing??? Has already stated that he won't be part of 3 ring circus.
Why he is the man:
A man of integrity (we think). Either hire him, or he's staying at LSU. But Les is a smart guy. He knows that he is only as good as his last win at LSU. One 9-3 or 8-4 season at LSU after this season, 2007, and he's as good as gone anyway and looking for another head coaching job somewhere.... Michigan won't do that. He'll be coach here until he hangs up the whistle. Clearly, Michigan is where he wants to be and if it's smart, Michigan will take him and let him mature into this job the way Lloyd did - If Lloyd can let by-gones be by-gones......Concerns: McGuppy wasn't offered a scholarship at LSU...He has committed to Michigan. Will Michigan make a decision based on a recruits wishes?
Side Note: Les's wife Kathy is a former Michigan Women's Basketball assistant and has been rumored to have been shopping for a home in Ann Arbor....She wants to come home.
Odds: 2-1
2. Mike Trgovac - Defensive Coordinator under the Carolina Panthers...Played for Bo...Could be a potential upset possibility to Les Miles....We just don't know much about him and is unproven at the head coaching spot...Even Bo was a head coach before he came to Michigan. The only guy without head coaching experience before he got the job??? Lloyd Carr.
Odds: 4-1
3. Brady Hoke - (Ball State) - He almost upset the 2006 Michigan Wolverines and was a field goal away from upsetting a lousy Nebraska team....Don't be surprised if he makes the headlines sooner rather than later...He was an assistant under Loyal Lloyd....But I still see Hoke as a long shot...
Odds: 10-1
4. Kirk Ferentz - Hired by former UM President Mary Sue Coleman at Iowa, who was a dear friend of the late Bo Schembechler - she spoke at his memorial. But, he is the HIGHEST PAID Big 10 coach...Did Iowa really know what they were doing or has the recruiting trail in Chicago dried up because of The Weasel in DomerLand??? Kirk has been rumored a lot. But would the Big Ten prey on its own and start something that no one wants to see? This is a longshot at best...
Odds: 50-1
5. DeBord - De NOOOOOO......Central Michigan Fiasco...Enough said...
Odds: How do you write the infinity sign again? - to one.
6. English - Timing is not on Ron's side. If Michigan would have won it all last year, the euphoria would have let this happen...But when the D gives up 1,000 yards in the 1st two games, 572 to a DII school, it's considered "Bad Timing". Given time, maybe. Right now, uh-uh....
Odds: if there had been a Championship and OSU victory in 2006: 2-1
Today: 200-1
7. Harbaugh - If he could have kept his mouth shut....
Odds: See DeBord
The Not-So-Obvious - No Michigan Ties...
8. Schiano - Rutgers. Wants the Penn State Job. Enough said.
9. Pellini - LSU defensive coordinator...May answer momma's call (See Bear Bryant leaves Texas A&M to go to Alabama) and go back to the Corn Fields of Nebraska
10. Bob Stoops - His name continues to get thrown around. The Michigan connection isn't clear. He was an assistant at Iowa under Fry in 1983, but that doesn't mean anything. I think the reason Stoops name comes up is he is CLEAN. He kicked his QB off the team for violations and sacrificed the rest of the team's success in the process. Michigan likes that...
11. Rodriguez - West Virginia - he turned down Alabama stating he was in his dream job...Or was he just saying that to make WVU fans happy? My guess is he knows that WVU will always be a 2nd tier to the Big Schools, one of them being Michigan. Beline might have paved the road for Rodriguez....No Michigan ties...100-1
12. Urban Mayer - had in his contract at Utah options to get out for the Domer job and Michigan. Florida AD made a quiet deal with Urban and Domers lost out publicly...Badly...Don't think the back door thing did anything to enhance his image at Michigan, much less his 2006 tirade to get into the National Championship game, which was probably going to happen anyway...
13. Brian Kelly - This one doesn't make a lot of sense...Thought to be a lead candidate for the MSU job - which doesn't make sense that his name keeps coming up for the Michigan job...No one is clear why he was taken out of the mix for MSU or if he took himself out. But is he going to be looking for the next job if he comes to Michigan? Look for Kelly to land at one of the other vacancies where he will probably do better than the Michigan selection...
Odds for all: 500-1
The Guys I Call to see How Are They Treating you Lately? (No Michigan ties)
14. Pete Carrol - Hear me out, because I know you're laughing. Pete is a guy with a big ego, but I think he is a traditional down to earth guy, too. He tried the pros and came back. And let's not forget that he understands the Big 10 and the "Game"....He coached under Earle Bruce. And he might be looking to make one last statement somewhere that people would really appreciate. Let's face it: In LA, you are either winning National Titles, or you are standing in line waiting for a table at the local hotspot like everyone else....
Odds: 500-1
15. Chris Peterson (Boise State) - This guys name was on every list LAST year after he beat Oklahoma, but nobody is talking about him this year. He would bring a new offensive scheme to Michigan, and he would be cheap. And he's young. At 41, He will outlive whoever makes this decision. ....But does he have the cache to pull off what needs to happen at Michigan for the next 3 years?
Odds: 1000-1
Left Field
16. Mike Belloti (Oregon) - Yeah, he's winning now...But he might listen to an offer...
17. Mike Stoops - If you can't get Bob, he may be on a list to grab after little success at Arizona.....but I think Texas A&M may have their sights set on Bob's Brother...At least they have more to the rivalry game than just the game if they get Stoops competeing against each other...
18. Tommy Bowden - I know - I don't like it either. But I am sure he has worn out his welcome at Clemson and He is probably tired of dealing with their expectations as well...And he might be the Arkansas answer in the SEC with Nutt getting canned. But he is the son of a legacy...
19. The Ole Ball Coach - This was thrown out on some radio station, but the guy made sense...South Carolina will never compete in the SEC the way Spurrier wants them to, but Michigan in the Big Ten with the right QB (Mallet - his arm fits well with the fun and gun offense, and a good defense - and in the weak Big 10 no less - and Spurrier finds himself in the National Title game for 1 or 2 years in a row and he has a chance to win it all one more time at a prestigious University like Michigan.......That's just ond of those Spurrier scenarios that might make him go Hmmmmm, Why Not Indeed? Lloyd would have to approve and he would be a short term solution at best...Golf season is too short and weather is not to his liking....
Odds for all: 2000-1
20. An Unknown....Remember the headlines in the Detroit News from 1969
Odds: 500-1
"BO WHO????"
MMQ
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