re: U. of Michigan interviews begin..........

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You havent scanned the board since Friday night have you?

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actually, no, i haven't been on the board since tuesday. tiger dropings is only for when i'm at work.

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Urban Meyer - From the area, high on the list
Bob Stoops - Played at Iowa, would relish the challenge

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Michigan has ZERO chance at either those.

Bill Martin has promised to keep his recruitment effort "underground." Don't know that he can do it, but he sure is off to a great start. He has fan bases around the country spinning scenarios and chasing their tails, and the first meeting of the advisory committee was today! They just started. The Deboard and English interviews were cursory and focused on why they are not the choice.

You would have to know Mich to know they move at glacial speed, and that's not just on the football field. With this hire they will use all their "alloted" time.

Don't know about Bob Stoops, but no harm in asking. Fans think they know what coaches want, then Saban jumps to the NFL, Spurrier goes to SC, Tx. A&M hires Sherman. Never say never unless you know the guy personally.

Like Urban Meyer. Now a rational person would correctly surmise he is well off (even I admit that). But if you know that he is a Cinci kid, coached at OH St., thinks the M vs. OSU game it the greatest, then coached at Bowling Green, grew up idolizing Bo Schembechler and loved Mich., twice contacted the University for a coaching position and "absolutely" feels the job is prestigous. Then maybe the heart wants what the heart wants and he would listen to a Michigan offer.

I am positive Mich will ask! Never say never.

Absolutely,

When Carr wanted to retire after the '07 Rose Bowl, both Martin and Mary Sue Coleman asked him to stay. That kept Hart, Henne, Long and Manningham in Ann Arbor, they did not have to make a late coaching choice, and they kept the recruiting class intact. Even more important they looked like responsible stewards of the athletic program to the Board of Regents, who two months later they would ask for $280 million to overhaul Mich Stadium.

They even gave Carr's assistants two year extensions (never in Mich history has any asst. coach had more than a one year deal...ever) so they would be taken care, all to keep Carr and the rest of that stuff in place for the extra year.

Now, at least in their minds, they are in sync with the flow of coaching changes and able to compete for them, as opposed to taking the leftovers after last year's bowl season.

Still their jobs are on the line. The football program supports all 25 mens and womens sports, and the plan is to get to 32. So the program and that stadium have to pay off. Lee Bolinger, immediate past UofM Pres, was sent packing to Columbia because he messed with the stadium without any alum input. He was toast! Martin and Coleman know that and will do their due dilligence carefully.

Bill Martin likes to see people at their best, and under duress. Handling a tough loss like the one to Ark. would be used as a measure of his character.

Carr was very careful to outline in his press conference that Michigan wins with integrity. That seems to have launched the frenzy for a Michigan Man (something neither Carr nor Martin has said is a requirement). Carr also was careful to point out that Mich three greatest coaches WERE NOT Michigan Men (Fielding Yost - KS, Fritz Crisler - OH Wesleyn, and Bo - Miami of OH). That whole Mich Man/Miles thing is a media creation. Based on the evidence he is not ruled out, but the Mich connection seems no great advantage either. Stoop, Meyer, Tedford, Rodriguez, Kelley and others will be looked at and contacted. You don't know until you ask!

Uhh yea.. Urban is an OHIO man.. Not Michigan last I checked they were rivals. Odds at him considering leaving a better program to one that lives in the past.. ZERO.

Stoops.. Again not a Michigan man who would have to leave a better program.

Miles.. Would also be leaving behind a better program but for his dream job because he is a Michigan man.. ding ding ding..

And dont give me this we won x amount of games crap.. The current state of those three programs are much better than Michigan.

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Like Urban Meyer. Now a rational person would correctly surmise he is well off (even I admit that). But if you know that he is a Cinci kid, coached at OH St., thinks the M vs. OSU game it the greatest, then coached at Bowling Green, grew up idolizing Bo Schembechler and loved Mich., twice contacted the University for a coaching position and "absolutely" feels the job is prestigous. Then maybe the heart wants what the heart wants and he would listen to a Michigan offer.

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He had the chance to coach at Notre Dame and said no.

That should tell you something.

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am i the only one who might be kinda disappointed if les dosen't leave

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You have the crowd behind you like the guy in the verizon wireless commericals

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This is hot off the press so to speak.
Ferentz - I know, I know, he's getting an interview, etc. And Coach Carr and Mary Sue Coleman are in his corner - and for good reason. The coaches I have been busy talking to in the past 24 hours think he'd be dynamite as a U-M coach ... that admittedly the program would look a lot the same ... but that the O-line would be great (remember, he's an O-line guy as well), the S&C would be great. And I know, as a member of the press who has cover many Big Ten Kickoffs, that Ferentz gets an A+ in all the off-field areas ... the University community would absolutely love him. He's as classy a guy as you'll ever meet.

However, Bill Martin has a problem in hiring Ferentz ... 6-7, 6-6 the past 2 seasons ... and losing to WMU at home in the last game to not be bowl eligible ... well people in Michigan noticed that. So the problem is: selling 80 luxury boxes ... excitement. Would Ferentz generate excitement coming in?

So ... I started there, with Ferentz ... but I have to say ...

I am told that it's still Miles. Not that I THINK it's Miles, not that I WANT (or don't want) Miles.

All the former players who played with and under Miles are strongly in his corner.

And what Miles has had to overcome is the skeletons - recruiting-wise and personal (during his U-M coaching days).

Lloyd Carr coached at U-M with Miles from '87-94. I do believe those skeletons kept Carr from hiring Miiles when LC became head coach. I also believe LC and the other guys who coached with Miles are not in his corner like the former players.

In fact, I believe, Lloyd would be advocating Ferentz as his successor, and against Miles. However, publicly - Carr 'signed off' on Miles of course ... a smart move on Carr's part.

Will Carr stay at U-M if Miles is coach -- that will be an interesting sideline to watch.

Miles IMO has to sell U-M on his character somewhat ... and he's 54 now with young kids, so IMO he could convince U-M that the wild stuff is in the past.

*So ... *I'm just told it IS gonna be Miles ... and stick around a week from today. Not PREDICTING, just what I'm told.

Plan A would be for wins Saturday (problematic) so the excitement would still be there (Headline: SEC Champ Comes Home!).

Who would Miles keep on staff: again I'm told.
- Scot Loeffler,
- Soup Campbell,
- and Fred Jackson (if Fred wants to stay ... remember Jackson coached with Miles as well, and has had to recruit against him the past couple years ... I am going to guess (this one is opinion) that Jackson will swallow hard and stay ... Fred's not that young, he has kids in school in A2, he is, just my guess, ensconced).
- PERIOD (some others have been told they'd be helped to find jobs elsewhere ... not sure if all others have been told this).

Also I've been told that Curt Mallory will be the DC (time to re-read MILES FILES: mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=1...agestart). English would have a decent chance of being retained under Ferentz, NOT (I'm told) Miles.
IMO (this one is opinion) Doug Mallory would come with Miles as DB coach.

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Re Sam McGuffie, a recruit to worry about a little. If Jackson stays, IMO, Sam will stay. Altho Miles will have to re-sell Sam since he (Miles) didn't offer Sam at when Sam made an unofficial visit with Shugarts in the spring. McGuffie is, IMO, SUCH