For those that care...(Miami related)

[CoeburnCane]

Before it gets said...of course, since he's under contract with ESPN, he's not going to say that he talked turkey as far as contract and dollars goes. If ESPN knew that for sure, they'd likely can him or blackball him to doing drop-ins on SportsCenter.

Fact is--most of my sources were from folks that are close to the Board of Trustees at Miami. Gruden is pulling CYA here by not telling the whole truth. Smart on his part, and I don't blame him. He's just not telling the whole truth about how far the negotiations went.

On to Mullen...but I'm still pulling for Mike Leach to get an interview.

[VOL61]

Before it gets said...of course, since he's under contract with ESPN, he's not going to say that he talked turkey as far as contract and dollars goes. If ESPN knew that for sure, they'd likely can him or blackball him to doing drop-ins on SportsCenter.

Fact is--most of my sources were from folks that are close to the Board of Trustees at Miami. Gruden is pulling CYA here by not telling the whole truth. Smart on his part, and I don't blame him. He's just not telling the whole truth about how far the negotiations went.

On to Mullen...but I'm still pulling for Mike Leach to get an interview.

I can't see Leach getting this job. You know alot more about Miami than me but looking back at those good teams to me it always started with defense. I know they had some awesome players on offense but those defense's is what set Miami apart IMO. Jimmy Johnson was a defensive guy as well as Butch Davis. I think Mullen would win but I am starting to think Tuberville wouldn't be that bad of a hire for you all. He has a ton of ties to Miami and that is the job he has always wanted. I think he would do well. He fits that defensive coach mold.

Is there any other names you are hearing? I would think Malzhan or Venables. Al Golden maybe? Does it have to be a big name guy?

[CoeburnCane]

I can't see Leach getting this job. You know alot more about Miami than me but looking back at those good teams to me it always started with defense. I know they had some awesome players on offense but those defense's is what set Miami apart IMO. Jimmy Johnson was a defensive guy as well as Butch Davis. I think Mullen would win but I am starting to think Tuberville wouldn't be that bad of a hire for you all. He has a ton of ties to Miami and that is the job he has always wanted. I think he would do well. He fits that defensive coach mold.

We just had a defensive coach in Shannon who was regarded by many around the nation as one of the top DC's in the nation. I'm done with coordinators getting a promotion to HC at Miami--I want a proven guy. Tuberville's getting up there in age (56 isn't old, but dude acts 65-70), and if you want to compare--look at what he's done in the wake of Leach at TT. Leach had MUCH more success than Tuberville there so far. Plus--he left the Auburn job b/c he was "burnt out". That doesn't scream passion to me as a coach.

That being said--I'm all in for Leach to get an interview. I think if that happens, he's our next HC. It's a remote possibility, but there is an e-mail campaign out currently amongst Canes fans to the AD's office to voice the opinion that Leach deserves to get an interview, at least, if not get the job.

Is there any other names you are hearing? I would think Malzhan or Venables. Al Golden maybe?

All of those guys you named are being considered. Even though it's remote--feelers will be sent out to Harbaugh, Petersen, Patterson, and a few others. Randy Edsell, Kyle Whittingham, Mario Cristobal, and Marc Trestman are also names that have been brought up.

Does it have to be a big name guy?

YES--a 1000 times--YES! It certainly does. It needs to be a big splash to attract recruits. Even if Leach got the job, he wouldn't get recruits all on his own, it would be more about the buzz in the program getting kids excited about The U again. If it's a guy like Randy Edsell, nice hire--but nowhere near exciting, and he'll struggle to get things built up. A splash hire like Leach would excite the recruiting and fanbases, and would lead to getting back to prominence sooner rather than later.

[The_Sage]

I was thinking Leach was interviewed b/f Shannon was hired... would Leach be considered again? Or does Leach just want to be at MIAMI more than MIAMI wants him there?? Does his current litigations have any clauses about coaching b/f it is settled??

[CoeburnCane]

I was thinking Leach was interviewed b/f Shannon was hired... would Leach be considered again?

Hopefully. That's what all the FB pages/groups and e-mail campaigns are all about. And yes--Leach was informally interviewed at a coaches conference by Paul Dee before retired as Miami AD, and the rumors about Leach being drunk in flipflops were false. That came to light in the past few days--both Dee and Leach said it was during the AFCA conference at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC and that they just floated ideas about the job at each other, and nothing ever got more serious than that...never got to negotiations, b/c Dee felt Leach wasn't really serious in his interest in the job, when it turns out he would have taken a pay cut from his salary at TT to take the Miami job (Leach's words, not mine).

Or does Leach just want to be at MIAMI more than MIAMI wants him there??

Entirely possible. That's the way it looks right now, but that's why some fans are putting pressure on the University leadership to give him a shot...b/c the fanbase does indeed want him there.

Does his current litigations have any clauses about coaching b/f it is settled??

Not that I'm aware of, but I think his current litigations are a deterrent to Miami's leadership b/c they don't want to hire a guy suing another University for fear of a PR backlash.

I say as a fan--screw that, and don't worry about the PR. Even with high graduation rates and kids staying out of trouble under Shannon--people still looked at us as Thug U. Perception won't change, so don't worry about it. Do what's best for the program, which at this point is Leach.

[Biggin]

Tubbs has only been at TT one year. You cant say he is better/worse than Leach after one year with someone else's recruits.

Ive said it all along, Leach is not a good fit for Miami IMO, he cares nothing about defense and runs a gimmick offense.
Miami is too talented to not get a coach that loves defense. It would be a huge waste to not have a great defensive coach there.


and nobody regards Miami as Thug U any more. Shannon did a great job in that department. He had what, 1 player arrested under his tenure? He built the Miami reputation solid, he deserves credit for that.

[CoeburnCane]

Tubbs has only been at TT one year. You cant say he is better/worse than Leach after one year with someone else's recruits.

Well, Leach recruited those guys for the most part, and he took the same type of players and had TT competitive in the Big 12 almost every year...at the very least, had them overachieving. 7-5 is OK, but Leach likely could have squeezed 2 more wins out of that squad, given his history.

Ive said it all along, Leach is not a good fit for Miami IMO, he cares nothing about defense and runs a gimmick offense.
Miami is too talented to not get a coach that loves defense. It would be a huge waste to not have a great defensive coach there.

Shannon was considered a "great defensive coach" when he was hired. Named Asst Coach of the Year a few times. I'm done with lifetime assistants getting their promotion to HC at Miami. We need a HC with a background in the job.

I can solve that problem real quick--hire Jim Leavitt as Leach's DC. Leavitt is another guy who is looking to get back into coaching after a controversial exit from head coaching, he could definitely get his foot back in the door with a DC gig at Miami--and he's always been a pretty good defensive coach. When USF got ranked #2, it was b/c of their D, not just Matt Groethe being a great college QB.

Even if it's not Leavitt--put an accomplished DC on Leach's staff and let him run the thing. Leach doesn't have to touch it at all.

and nobody regards Miami as Thug U any more.

WOW...maybe you don't, but that's what I still hear here at work amongst VT/UT fans, at every HS football game from the same group, and from opposing teams on gameday walking to the stadium when I go to watch a game in person.

The perception is there, and though some (like you) may see Shannon's accomplishments off the field, lots of people will still remember the FIU brawl, the Pell Grant Scandal, and Randall Hill firing fake pistols out of the Cotton Bowl tunnel WAY before what we've done academically, and what we've not done in the police blotter as of late.

Shannon did a great job in that department. He had what, 1 player arrested under his tenure? He built the Miami reputation solid, he deserves credit for that.

Yes--and that one player is at Purdue now--Robert Marve. I fully know what Shannon did at Miami as far as kids not getting into trouble. I like that he stressed academics.

However, Leach cares about academics as well. When he got to TT, they were on probation as a program b/c of academics. By his 3rd year, he started a 7 year long run of honorable mention in AFCA's Academic Excellence reports. The only team to show up on that report that long in that span? Notre Dame. So...as good as Shannon/Coker was academically--they didn't do what Leach did at TT.

[Biggin]

Well, Leach recruited those guys for the most part, and he took the same type of players and had TT competitive in the Big 12 almost every year...at the very least, had them overachieving. 7-5 is OK, but Leach likely could have squeezed 2 more wins out of that squad, given his history.

Leach recruited those guys for his system, they are not fitting in TT's system. Its unfair to say that Leach might have gotten two more wins, because those are his players ,that fit his system, surely he would have won a couple more games. But TT's runs a radically different system than Leach, it will take more than a year with Leach's players before we can say how well Tubbs is at Tech.

Shannon was considered a "great defensive coach" when he was hired. Named Asst Coach of the Year a few times. I'm done with lifetime assistants getting their promotion to HC at Miami. We need a HC with a background in the job.

I agree, but that does not mean you have to throw defensive accumen away because Shannon was not successful. Shannon was a great DC, but was not head coaching material. But I think Miami should look for a former HC that has a reputation for defense. Miami's best shot at becoming elite again is on the defensive side IMO.

I can solve that problem real quick--hire Jim Leavitt as Leach's DC. Leavitt is another guy who is looking to get back into coaching after a controversial exit from head coaching, he could definitely get his foot back in the door with a DC gig at Miami--and he's always been a pretty good defensive coach. When USF got ranked #2, it was b/c of their D, not just Matt Groethe being a great college QB.

Im just not a Leach fan. Leach's system is so gimmicky, I just do not think he will ever be a NC-type coach. I dont see why Leavitt could not be the Miami HC. He was a great coach and built USF into a good program. You cant win titles with no defense, and Leach has never had one. Miami wants to win titles, not just 10 games, right?

WOW...maybe you don't, but that's what I still hear here at work amongst VT/UT fans, at every HS football game from the same group, and from opposing teams on gameday walking to the stadium when I go to watch a game in person.

The perception is there, and though some (like you) may see Shannon's accomplishments off the field, lots of people will still remember the FIU brawl, the Pell Grant Scandal, and Randall Hill firing fake pistols out of the Cotton Bowl tunnel WAY before what we've done academically, and what we've not done in the police blotter as of late.

Sure, some people still say stuff like that, but thats just razzing fans. In the national media, Miami is no longer the biggest thug college in the nation. Shannon did a really great job getting rid of that label.

Yes--and that one player is at Purdue now--Robert Marve. I fully know what Shannon did at Miami as far as kids not getting into trouble. I like that he stressed academics.

However, Leach cares about academics as well. When he got to TT, they were on probation as a program b/c of academics. By his 3rd year, he started a 7 year long run of honorable mention in AFCA's Academic Excellence reports. The only team to show up on that report that long in that span? Notre Dame. So...as good as Shannon/Coker was academically--they didn't do what Leach did at TT.

Leach does care academics, i wont dispute that. But academics is not the bottom line at Miami. They want a football powerhouse again,a national title contender. And Leach has never proven to be an elite coach. He always had decent teams but never won the Big XII and never competed on a national stage.
Mullen has never won a title either, but he also has great offenses, and turned MSU, a lowly terrible program, into a top 20 program in two years.
Mullen's offense is nowhere near as gimmicky as Leach's, plus he is able to develop QBs for the pro's. Leach does not.
No Leach QB is a current QB in the NFL.

[The_Sage]

[QUOTE=CoeburnCane;1847447]Before it gets said...of course, since he's under contract with ESPN, he's not going to say that he talked turkey as far as contract and dollars goes. If ESPN knew that for sure, they'd likely can him or blackball him to doing drop-ins on SportsCenter.

You said in an earlier post that the contract talks had his brother involved,, and the future coach.. would ESPN not know that also??

[VOL61]

Cane,
Are you hearing Malzhan now? There is alot of talk in SEC land that he has been offered the job and will accept.....