UM update

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Word has it that Michigan athletic director Bill Martin is out of town until Tuesday … he’ll be meeting with LSU head coach Les Miles either Monday or Tuesday, with first contact likely coming on Sunday. It’s the way Martin works - by the book, not willing to interfere with a coach whose team still has a lot to play for. The Tigers will play Tennessee in the SEC Championship game Saturday, and some believe there’s an outside chance (as in Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn outside) they could sneak into a national championship game.

What are the chances a deal will be reached? Very, very good, according to sources close to the situation. It’s been leaning that way since earlier this week, when we initially posted that barring something unforeseen, Miles would be Michigan’s next head coach. It’s looking that way now more than ever, though again, it is NOT a done deal.

LSU sources maintain that the Tigers will match or beat any Michigan offer, and believe Miles would seriously consider staying as a result. Our take on that - Miles’ next contract is going to make him a rich man (heck, he’s already a rich man) - how much richer would LSU have to make him to force him to give up his dream? And make no mistake; the Michigan job is his dream job. As we’ve said all along, Miles wants to come home. “It’s personal,” sources close to him said - not only maintaining what Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr have built, but bringing order back to the universe in the Ohio State series, maintaining recruiting dominance over Michigan State and others in the state and surrounding himself with an outstanding staff.

Miles loves LSU and is intent on finishing the season strongly in Baton Rouge - we can’t stress that enough - but when “momma calls” …

While there’s still a faction in Ann Arbor against Miles’ hiring, it’s a much smaller group than the pro-Miles crowd. Some former Michigan men in the profession (people in a position to know) have told us Miles has a reputation of being clean but relentless - and he emphasized relentless - on the recruiting trail, with great connections throughout the country. A close friend of former U-M defensive coordinator and Colorado head coach Bill McCartney told us recently that McCartney, still loved in Colorado (and who had an offer from a major university recently to come out of retirement to coach), loves Miles and believes he’d be a great fit in Ann Arbor.

Miles, of course, served as an assistant for McCartney at Colorado.

What about other candidates - As of right now, Miles is No. 1, 2 and 3 on the hot board. Other names have surfaced, including Cal’s Jeff Tedford and even N.C. State head coach Tom O’Brien, but there’s every indication that they are fallback candidates now.

Finally, as for a assistant coaches … several names have been thrown about (in addition to the current Michigan staffers’ names we gave you yesterday). Former U-M captain Doug Mallory, the secondary coach for Miles at LSU (and at Oklahoma State), is considered a lock to come back, but LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini is considered the frontrunner for the Nebraska job, while assistant Larry Porter (Miles’ right hand man) has his roots established in Louisiana and could be a tough pull. Others on Miles’ staff remain question marks.

Some of the former Michigan men coaching at other schools whose names have been mentioned, meanwhile, have been stunned to hear their names brought up. In other words, there’s been no contact behind the scenes or otherwise.

Bottom line - the whole thing is still a work in progress. However, it would shock many at this point if it’s not completed in the near future.

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