Goal Line Stand: Job questions await Miles

The question reduced Les Miles to tears – and not because he’s some sort of softie. He remembers. Everybody does. Last year, Nick Saban denied interest in the Alabama job. Said he was going to stay with the Miami Dolphins. Was adamant about it. In fact, he got a little nasty at times as the questions mounted. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Until he left.

Saban’s final answer didn’t come until the end of the NFL season, which meant the Crimson Tide had to wait a month until announcing its new coach. Along the way, it flirted with Rich Rodriguez (and darn near signed him), among others. All the while, Saban was the first choice. And he finally decided to take the gig. Miami fans were furious. The media killed him for “lying.” And while the Tide Nation embraced him, Saban lost a little bit of credibility with those who simply didn’t approve of a coach’s telling people one thing and then doing another.

No wonder Les Miles was crying Monday afternoon. Happily ensconced as the LSU coach, with games remaining against Arkansas and the SEC East champ, not to mention a potential spot in the BCS title game, Miles did not want to hear someone ask him whether or not he had interest in the job at Michigan, his alma mater and clear true football love. There’s too much work left in Baton Rouge this year and too many young men to whom he has become attached. So, sure, Miles was going to cry. He knows what’s coming, and he knows there is no manual out there to direct a coach who is bound to be courted by one school – or at least questioned heavily about the university – while still working for another.

No matter how many times he says, “I am the coach of LSU and happy to be here,” there will be somebody out there doubting him. With every passing day U-M does not have a coach, there will be someone asserting the school is waiting for Miles to finish his season before bringing him home. Every time an LSU player fumbles or doesn’t tackle, critics will float the idea that a lack of focus by the team, caused by its coach’s pending departure, is responsible for the gaffe. In short, the next month-and-a-half will be tough for Miles, who must fend off inquiring minds while trying to keep his players performing at the highest level. If he can do it, Michigan will be getting itself quite a prize, and Miles should ask to be paid a considerable premium because of that.

Not that there is any given Miles will make it that far. First, there is the small matter of two more games to win. On paper, Arkansas and Tennessee/Georgia appear to be manageable challenges for the Tigers, who are clearly the best of the SEC this year (the loss to Kentucky notwithstanding). LSU is more balanced than Arkansas, and neither the Vols nor the ‘Dawgs have the experience and composure to win, although Georgia has looked tough of late and darn good in those black jerseys.

If LSU survives that two-step, it heads to New Orleans for a glorified home game against Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia, Ohio State or Guam. In some ways, the next 11 days will be easy, because Miles can focus on football. The ensuing 38 days, however, will be grueling, as Michigan’s job sits vacant, and reporters run out of on-field angles to cover. That’s when the real clever folks will start twisting the knife in press conferences, trying to get Miles to say something, anything that would indicate he has interest in spending the next 10-plus years in Ann Arbor.

The only way to stop it is if U-M athletic director Bill Martin hires someone else. But why would he? Miles is the perfect candidate. Not only does he fit perfectly into the Schembechler lineage that is so cherished at the school, but he has spent considerable time in two other BCS conferences and therefore understands you can’t beat top-quality opposition with slow linebackers, inadequate defensive backs and a passing game that seeks to cut down on mistakes, rather than taking advantage of opportunities. In other words, Miles knows good teams today cherish speed, not size, and he’ll be quite eager to find it. If Martin hires Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh or Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly or just about anybody else not named Bob Stoops, he’ll be making a huge mistake, even if it means waiting until January to hire Miles and taking a chance on diminishing the impact of a recruiting class. The man is almost perfect for the job.

So, let the questioning begin. Don’t expect Miles to be crying anymore, but do figure on some testy responses and more than a little angst from the LSU coach, who is trying to win a national title. Michigan will have to wait, but that doesn’t mean the press is willing to hang fire. The clock is ticking. Only 49 days until the BCS title game. Can Miles make it? That will be something worth watching.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Missouri at Kansas
Here it is, the first real test for the Jayhawks, who have skated cleanly through their first 11 games with little real opposition. Well, the Tigers have plenty of firepower to provide quite a test for KU, which must play the game in Kansas City, Mo., because the school moved the home game to attract more fans. Wonder if Kansas would like to move it back to Lawrence? The Jayhawks have proven themselves to be the consummate team this year. They have talent but few true standouts. Mark Mangino’s offense is crackling, and Todd Reesing knows how to operate it almost flawlessly. But Missouri is pretty potent on offense, too, and will test a KU secondary that surrenders more than 200 yards through the air per game. Mizzou is pretty generous in that department, too, and that will be a problem. In the end, Chase Daniel will outduel Reesing, and the Tigers will move on to the Big 12 title game and perhaps a shot at the BCS title.
Missouri 30, Kansas 27

BUMPS AND RUNS:
Sources say Baylor will make alum Mike Singletary, former standout Bears (in Chicago and Waco) linebacker and current San Francisco assistant, its new head coach by Dec. 1. Singletary wants to be an NFL boss, and this will help him make strides in that direction.

Did Mike Stoops save his job with the win over Oregon last week? It’s too early to tell, but a Dec. 1 win over Arizona State would certainly give him some breathing room.

Looking for a couple interesting names hoping to hop on the next coaching carousel? Try Glen Mason and Rick Neuheisel.

Two more fearless predictions: Boise State over Hawaii and West Virginia to beat Connecticut by at least 20.

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