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Les Miles

starhusker

Walk On
Dec 2, 2004
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If Mike Riley was fired today, 1. Would Les Miles be interested in coaching for Nebraska? 2. If he did take the job, would he be able to pull top recruits across the country like he did at LSU and win here at NU? 3. Be in top 10 year in year out and possibly win the National Championship game whoever he plays?
 
He would probably recruit decently, but he struggled to have anything resembling an offense at LSU with all world athletes in his backyard.

He had all the money in the world (shady or otherwise) to bring in a top notch coordinator to fix the problem over a decade, and never figured it out.

Personally I'd rather have the guy do something else on staff, for Riley. Like something with recruiting and defensive side of the ball.
 
Since we are playing the hypothetical game.

Is Nebraska a destination job??

In the future if we hire a young head coach and he wins a couple of conference championships - 10 wins a year, etc and a Texas, LSU, Alabama, USC, Florida State, Ohio state come calling - does he stay??

I know there are many factors involved but curious others thoughts.
 
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If Mike Riley was fired today, 1. Would Les Miles be interested in coaching for Nebraska? 2. If he did take the job, would he be able to pull top recruits across the country like he did at LSU and win here at NU? 3. Be in top 10 year in year out and possibly win the National Championship game whoever he plays?
Since Riley is not going to be fired I am curious about why you pose this as a hypothetical?
 
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Les Miles dictated the offense that Cam Cameron ran. Cameron was head coach at Indiana when Antwan Randle El was playing QB there.

His Chargers offense and Ravens offenses were decent too.
 
Since we are playing the hypothetical game.

Is Nebraska a destination job??

In the future if we hire a young head coach and he wins a couple of conference championships - 10 wins a year, etc and a Texas, LSU, Alabama, USC, Florida State, Ohio state come calling - does he stay??

I know there are many factors involved but curious others thoughts.

For Frost maybe. But even Frost has said, he really likes the fact that UCF is in the middle of a talent hotbed.

Its a big deal for coaches. I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska was viewed somewhat as a stepping stone to some.
 
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Since we are playing the hypothetical game.

Is Nebraska a destination job??

In the future if we hire a young head coach and he wins a couple of conference championships - 10 wins a year, etc and a Texas, LSU, Alabama, USC, Florida State, Ohio state come calling - does he stay??

I know there are many factors involved but curious others thoughts.


Depends on the coach. If a young Urban Meyer, with ties to Ohio St, was hired probably not. For a coach like Scott Frost, yes. Then a guy like P J Fleck is the wild card. But o think if you are doing well enough at Nebraska that USC or Alabama is trying to poach you, then you are probably competing for titles already, so unless there is a draw to another school. Probably stay put.
 
Since we are playing the hypothetical game.

Is Nebraska a destination job??

In the future if we hire a young head coach and he wins a couple of conference championships - 10 wins a year, etc and a Texas, LSU, Alabama, USC, Florida State, Ohio state come calling - does he stay??

I know there are many factors involved but curious others thoughts.

It would be really hard to make a case that Nebraska is a destination job. Really dusty trophies and no D-1 talent in your state does not a destination job make. Doesn't mean we can't win a lot of football games, but few coaches would turn down the opportunity to coach at all the schools you listed, plus and a few more on top of that list.
 
It would be really hard to make a case that Nebraska is a destination job. Really dusty trophies and no D-1 talent in your state does not a destination job make. Doesn't mean we can't win a lot of football games, but few coaches would turn down the opportunity to coach at all the schools you listed, plus and a few more on top of that list.

I agree. We are not going to compete for a new coach with those teams. I am wondering if we get someone young, who the above schools wouldn't consider, PJ Fleck is a good example and he is successful - does he stay if the big boys come calling?
 
Nebraska was considered a destination job for 47 year old Bob Devaney. TO gave a look at Colorado, but was pretty much a lifer (as was most of his staff). Solich wasn't going anywhere until he was notified. Maybe Cally goes back to the league as a HC if things had worked out. Bo couldn't land a job elsewhere. Riley probably stays until he retires or until he is notified.
Seems like a "it's what you make of it" type of position. In the future, if Frost comes here and wins, he probably stays as long as he wants.
Right coach+right school=destination job. TO-Nebraska; Barry-OU; Saban-Bama, Alvarez-Badgers.
 
For Frost maybe. But even Frost has said, he really likes the fact that UCF is in the middle of a talent hotbed.

Its a big deal for coaches. I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska was viewed somewhat as a stepping stone to some.
I get the feeling Frost could be potentially setting himself up for the Nebraska job. First, he learns under a revolutionary head coach. Second, takes a stepping stone job in the middle of 5 star country, setting up connections and learning how head coach. Next step would just be winning enough games to get noticed. UCF was 0-12 in '15 then went 6-7 including a bowl game in Frost's first year.

Not saying he's coming back for sure, just saying he's making some smart moves and setting himself up for the future.
 
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He would probably recruit decently, but he struggled to have anything resembling an offense at LSU with all world athletes in his backyard.

He had all the money in the world (shady or otherwise) to bring in a top notch coordinator to fix the problem over a decade, and never figured it out.

Personally I'd rather have the guy do something else on staff, for Riley. Like something with recruiting and defensive side of the ball.

Bringing on the Mad Hatter as DC and recruiter/closer would be interesting. Don't see it happening.
 
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Crazy to think that a guy who wanted to coach here (as the D.C. I believe) is now the head coach of LSU. A pipe dream but I wouldn't mind at all seeing Les Miles as HC here. An even more pipe dream would be Les Miles and Scott frost coaching together :D.

I'm just not sold entirely on SF being a head coach, but I would like to see how he does at UCF for a couple more years
 
Crazy to think that a guy who wanted to coach here (as the D.C. I believe) is now the head coach of LSU. A pipe dream but I wouldn't mind at all seeing Les Miles as HC here. An even more pipe dream would be Les Miles and Scott frost coaching together :D.

I'm just not sold entirely on SF being a head coach, but I would like to see how he does at UCF for a couple more years

We were the hype man for Ed O's aspirations. He was never coming here.
 
If we needed a HC right now 2 coaches come to mind. Craig Bohl & Scott Frost. Bohl was a disaster of a DC but a very good HC. Frost is a young Osborne. These 2 are tops of my list.

We need to shore up the 500 mile radius, have an identity, and be the most physical in the trenches.
 
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You are crazy for thinking that.

Correction researched and noted.

I for one though would welcome our Les Miles overlord if he became coach here. Let's say the Riley experiment doesn't work - so what then, exactly? I like to think in the long term and would like to assume others do as well, and someone similar to him would be a good option. So Les Miles would be great, that is if he even gives a shit about Nebraska in the first place.
 
Since we are playing the hypothetical game.

Is Nebraska a destination job??

In the future if we hire a young head coach and he wins a couple of conference championships - 10 wins a year, etc and a Texas, LSU, Alabama, USC, Florida State, Ohio state come calling - does he stay??

I know there are many factors involved but curious others thoughts.

Depends on that individual's personality and what's important to him. We know it is a little harder to recruit elite talent to NU than it is to these other places so if he he doesn't mind that disadvantge and embraces it he stays if not he goes.
 
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Someone give Mike Riley the memo that he's too old to coach. Pete Carroll is 65....

Miles isn't going to wait around for Riley to fail or retire. That's a minimum of 2 more seasons unless we go 5-7 again or worse next year.

It wasn't about his age in that he is too old to coach. It about him being too old to wait.
 
Let's replace Riley with someone that is older, a late career guy. I would think that if Frost can win at Central, he would be a tempting candidate if he really wants the job.
 
Possible. But then again why? Just to coach at the college you attended?

I would guess so. Imagine winning NC's as a player and coach as the same school. I can see him doing it but Clemson has money that they can throw at him as well.
 
Why doesn't Nebraska start hiring Head coaches to be on staff? Does anyone notice that Bama And Ohio state are doing this every year. They make up different titles for them but it seems to be working.
I will also add to the question about could Les recruit to Nebraska. I would say not much better than Bo or Riley. Remember Bo was coming off of a National Championship with LSU at the time and couldn't keep it going. I don't think Nebraska is a stepping stone job by any means, but a tough one to win championships at ? yes. Like someone else said, Not enough talent at your finger tips. You have to work 5 times as hard as a lot of other programs, when it comes to recruiting.
I still believe that it takes several "head coaches" (atleast a major DC and a major OC to go with your HC) on staff to win championships and thats when you have some serious talent. I know we have some, but we are not loaded like a bunch of the other programs that I talked about above.

*Not complaining. I am excited to see next couple of years if we can get players to stay.*
Just trying to point out things I see the best doing.
 
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I watched a 20 minute mike up on him during his practice and him off watching film. Has the same demeanor of Osborne, same philosophy it seemed. Plus he would give us an identity and shore up the 500 mile radius.
 
Miles isn't going to wait around for Riley to fail or retire. That's a minimum of 2 more seasons unless we go 5-7 again or worse next year.

It wasn't about his age in that he is too old to coach. It about him being too old to wait.

Fair enough, I can see that.

Why doesn't Nebraska start hiring Head coaches to be on staff? Does anyone notice that Bama And Ohio state are doing this every year. They make up different titles for them but it seems to be working.
I will also add to the question about could Les recruit to Nebraska. I would say not much better than Bo or Riley. Remember Bo was coming off of a National Championship with LSU at the time and couldn't keep it going. I don't think Nebraska is a stepping stone job by any means, but a tough one to win championships at ? yes. Like someone else said, Not enough talent at your finger tips. You have to work 5 times as hard as a lot of other programs, when it comes to recruiting.
I still believe that it takes several "head coaches" (atleast a major DC and a major OC to go with your HC) on staff to win championships and thats when you have some serious talent. I know we have some, but we are not loaded like a bunch of the other programs that I talked about above.

*Not complaining. I am excited to see next couple of years if we can get players to stay.*
Just trying to point out things I see the best doing.

It seems Nebraska for reasons doesn't approach that concept of hiring ex coaches like Alabama and Ohio St. Les Miles on staff in some capacity would be great, for example.

A lot of consistent and good teams that don't have an elite coach have at least a good/pretty good coach (Stoops) and an excellent side kick as an OC or DC. Nebraska hasn't had that this past decade +, but it would be nice to have that combo in the near future, though who knows who that could be (Frost - if actually any good - and....?).
 
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Don't we have room for one more coach??? for some reason I am counting 10 in my head...
Isn't the number 11?
I agree though. I too think Les would be benifitial for recruiting and getting another view.
 
We will be lucky to win 7 games next year. This staff isn't going to out coach anyone. They are very mediocre recruiters as well.
 
Let's replace Riley with someone that is older, a late career guy. I would think that if Frost can win at Central, he would be a tempting candidate if he really wants the job.

He would have to understand though that, by the time he gets the job, Bo Pelini coached here like 8-10 years before he got the job and it takes 22-25 years to recover from his coaching transgressions.
 
The problem with a guy like Les is that Les does not appear to want to be a lackey in someone's front office to do film work, drink coffee, and glad hand recruits.

Les went on National TV and basically gave a first line interview that says he'd like to win championships again as a head coach for whatever school wants to embark upon that journey. Him doting around our facility and patting his boy on the head in between recruiting visits, does not appear to be in his plans.

If you look at the last few head coaches the guys at OSU and Bama hired as sidekicks, they were coaches who had problems (Kevin Wilson player treatment and Sarkisian alcohol) or just plain sucked as a HC and wanting to rebuild an image (Kiffin). These are clearly not the peers of Les Miles, and really, Bo P would be a guy in the mold of these others who gets back on the wagon underneath another reputable guy.

Everyone else's wayward problem child, does not seem to be on NU's agenda for harvesting coaching talent.
 
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