Miles to Michigan: For real this time?

Michigan Men

It appears, at least according to a faction led by super-booster Eldridge Harris, Jr., that Brady Hoke has had "more than enough time to re-establish the Wolverine program to its "proper place in college football."

Harris is a 1971 graduate of the university and a member of the family for whom the U-M Head Coaching position was honorarily named. In February of this year the university bestowed the honorarium on the long-time benefactor family by officially naming the position the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Coach.

Mr. Harris, Chairman of the Harris Development Group, one of the largest privately owned commercial development companies in the Midwest, with holdings reportedly topping $11 Billion, spearheaded a group back in 2010 that pushed for the hiring of LSU Head Coach Les Miles, with the battle cry of hiring a "Michigan Man." While no confirmation was ever documented, many believe Miles' agent was approached by the Harris group during the final season of Rich Rodriguez' ill-fated stint at U-M.

Sources are saying that Harris' group, after heated internal debates, eventually went along with the Hoke hire, accepting him as a "compromise candidate." The hotly-contested booster-split was centered around Miles' Michigan roots on one side, (Harris' group), versus the continued questioning by a group led by current AD David A Brandon, formerly of Dominoe's Pizza, whose stance was that the LSU coach did not have the "qualifications" to hold what is known by many as the premier coaching position in college football.

"I think Coach Miles has put that argument to rest," says Harris, and we are prepared to fund a proposal to bring him home." Sources say the offer would make Miles the highest paid coach in college football, in the neighborhood of $10 Million per year for 5 years, with the Harris group guaranteeing the entire $50 Million with private funding.

AD Brandon stated emphatically that "The University of Michigan does not have an opening for the position of Head Football Coach, period!"

However, after the three years of being an also-ran in the B1G, and with the poor showing to open the 2014 season, many highly placed sources are of the opinion that Hoke may not last the year.

A spokesman for Miles stated that they had not been approached by anyone regarding the Michigan position, and that Miles is perfectly happy at LSU, even opening his 10th campaign with a statement to LSU fans of his family's "love" for Louisiana.

Of course, in the high stakes world of college coaching, this type response is almost a given.

(Note to Admins, I didn't have a link to article)