You guys are misinterpreting Omar Kelly’s opinion as fact. He’s been saying over the weekend that Gruden wants $4 million a year. As in, Kelly thinks he wants $4 million a year. So when $3 million a year gets floated publicly and Gruden says he wants to stay on Monday Night Football, Omar adds 1 plus 1 together and gets “oh, he’s just holding out for another million bucks a year.”
In contrast, people who have (or at least claim to have) sources say that Gruden is done, all terms agreed to, for $3.2 million a year. Board of Trustees still needs to be notified. There’s way too much chatter here for this not to be true. And in case it’s not, or it falls through, the same guy says UM isn’t interested in Leach (told you, Alen), Richt, or Malzahn.
It’s a mistake in that they’re eliminating from the search a very good coach, sure. But it’s not a mistake to them, because they think they can get just as good if not better a coach who won’t get into national controversies over putting a kid by himself in a room and suing the organization that employs said kid’s father. They want to avoid controversy. “The U” documentary was considered a negative portrayal of the school. They want to get as far away from the ‘80s renegade “Raiders of the NCAA” rep as possible. That means not giving anyone any excuses, which means no Leach.
I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for Jon Gruden. Personally, I just don't believe that Miami would sign someone that high profile, and not because they don't want to. I think they'd sign him yesterday if possible. They're getting all the monies ready to pay his contract. The sticking point is the cost of Gruden's staff. People who know people who know people say that detail is what's holding up the signing. Gruden won't coach at Miami if the school can't pay for the best assistant coaches, something Miami hasn't done in the history of the football program. So call me pessimistic and negative, but its not going to happen. The Board, AD, President even the dude in the Sebastian the Ibis costume wants Gruden, but reality is Miami is NOT going to pay for a $5-6M staff. Understand also that the school is in the middle of a construction drive to improve the on-campus facilities and the revenues from the new ACC deal won't materialize until next season. I also don't know how prudent it is to sign Gruden with Jim Harbaugh out there. I wasn't a believer until Desides and I spoke on the topic. He's great and he has all the experience of getting kids to qualify, playing in a non-football town, etc.
To be fair, this can be solved with a short-term loan. A freaking university is good for the money, and with QE2 going on, it’s not like there’s a shortage of money to lend out. Glad you saw the light. Guy is a great college coach. Could be a good NFL coach one day as well. If the Gruden thing falls through for monetary reasons, luring Harbaugh with a chunk of that $3.2 million shouldn’t be difficult at all.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2010/11/making-sense-of-gruden-coaching-search.html Some stuff from Navvaro, most of it we've heard before but I found a few things I thought were interesting. This along with other things said really implies they arn't going to let money get in the way for a big coach hire which seems to be a departure from how they previously did things. Also has anyone heard Jim Harbaugh name at all? I know you guys bring him up alot but I havn't see a single report out that that says anything. Is he on their rader at all? I do remember reading somewhere that the U wanted to wait to see if a highly ranked BCS teams coach would be interested in coming(though that would be several people).
Now that TCU is moving to the Big East, I suspect Patterson would be out of the running, if he ever was considered a possibility.
I haven’t seen anything linking Harbaugh to the coaching search. I’ve seen (and posted) names that are NOT on UM’s list, so the best I can say is that Harbaugh has not been confirmed as being crossed off our list. But then again, neither has Bobby Bowden, so that’s an unreliable method of inference. It’s a mistake to assume a) that Patterson is on the list, and b) that he’s automatically happy with a move to the Big East.
If UM really is willing to offer $3.4M, then they can have almost anyone not named Saban, Farentz, Stoops, Brown, or Tressell. If that price point is true. And to be honest I would rather have a guy like Chip Kelly over a guy like Gruden.
I tend to believe the $3.2 million figure. $3.4 is a little much, and I’m sure Hocutt made the point that it’s an extra $200k that can go towards his staff.
I wouldn't mind Gruden at all cause I think he has an intelligence about the game that few coaches have but I think I would like a more proven college coach.
Don't know if it's posted yet. The "mutual interest" between the program and Gruden is noteworthy. I'd be happy with Tuberville, and Patterson has to be a prime target. Not so much Richt, though. I think he's overrated as a HC.
Update: It's all but a done deal. http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/gruden-to-miami-rumors-persist-sides-close-on-3-year-10-2m-deal/
You know that I'm not crazy about Gruden as a HC in the pros, but that's because he's a terrible talent evaluator and personnel director at that level. But I think he can be at least an adequate HC at the college level. Gruden's greatest impact would be in recruiting; the moment this became official every top recruit in the nation would be on the phone to UM begging to get on board. It would blow up the recruiting landscape immediately.
I know, it's curious that the one guy with the 411 seems to be this guy with a radio show. And we all know what those ****ers are like.
He also used to work for ESPN, and knows people who still do, which would imply that he has a decent pipeline into what Gruden is telling coworkers at ESPN. And he is not the only guy saying Gruden to UM is a done deal, he was simply the first. Others with sources at UM say it’s done. Of course, you have guys like Le Batard saying his sources are denying this and it’s not happening. Worst case scenario, Gruden is using The U to get his name into headlines again with NFL coaching vacancies on the horizon; likewise, Hocutt is using Gruden to be able to say “See, this big-name coach wants our head coach position, this is a major job, come coach for us.” Best case scenario, the contract is agreed to and Gruden is trying to line up staff before signing anything.
Gruden is potentially a ****ty hire. Poor track record of developing quarterbacks. Still, he’s an awesome short term hire. And I emphasize short term, if that three year contract talk is to be believed. Then again, I guess anyone UM hires would be on a shorter length contract. Give the new head coach enough time to bring in and develop his recruits, see how things go. If he’s doing well, you extend him after year two.
