Coaching Talent... Where do we stand?

Ok, in reading the boards on a slow sports day, with football coaching changes and recruiting dominating the headlines and basketball fans waiting anxiously for the next game, I see the boards are full of lovefests for Miles. No doubt, a good recruiting year and a very solid OC hire point to good momentum for the football program.

But, stepping out of my usual pro-LSU fan shoes, I'm curious as to whether the naysayers really have an argument on the success of Miles and perhaps others. While everyone is loving the 22-4 record the past two years, two dominant bowl wins, I throw this out there for sake of discussion: Florida is the only school to ever own the national football and basketball championships in the same year. Meyer is a two-year coach, like Miles.

I'll start the discussion this way. Back a few years ago, when the college coaching carousel was in full swing (this was the year Meyer went to UF, Weis went to ND, Spurrier went to SC, Miles went to LSU... Miles was an afterthought), I remember after the many hires, "rankings" of the SEC coaches came out... many listing Miles in the botttom half. Just so we we have it, here were the coaching changes in 2004: http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/coaching_changes_2005.html

Now, I think most would agree that was unfair, and after two years, proven wrong. Miles has moved up. He has proven his worth. But, would it be fair to assume that Meyers is still better? Are we not where we should be? Do Miles and Brady get us where we need to be over the long haul? Do the folks feel M&B get us the SEC championships, much less the National Championship? Poll please.

For what it's worth, this link is one theoretical listing of the best football and hoops coach duos in the country...

http://florida-basketball.aolsports...p-coaching-duo-urban-meyer-and-billy-donovan/

I suppose that LSU fans should be glad that there are only two SEC duos listed, Meyer & Donovan, and Miles and Brady. The naysayers will say they're not the ones to replicate the success of the Gators.

Discuss.:grin:

 

I'd say that even if Urban turns out to be the best coach in ther world, that wouild not mean we aren't where we are supposed to be. It means that UF did a great job of hiring a guy and getting him off the market before we had our shot. It would not refelct on Miles at all IMO.

 

As far as duos go, it's hard to argue with UF, with Urban Meyer and Billy Donavan. Let's face it, right now, they hold the championships in BOTH sports. Donavan's current team looks to be heading in the same direction, but Meyer will have a tough time coming close to what he did this year. As for the question of "Where do we stand", I think we're right there in football, and not even close to UF in basketball.

 

Unless you are a totally dominant undefeated team that just crushes all comers (see Miami 2001) winning an NC is like catching lightning in a bottle. Things just have to break your way. Florida had a magical season. Everything that needed to go right for them pretty much went their way. LSU had that happen in 2003. Let's see if Urban repeats next year before we get out the anointing oil. Good chance Fla winds up with 3 losses in the regular season next year. Long term I really don't know who is better, and neither does anybody else. BTW: Crowton is a really impressive hire for Miles and LSU. Hope we get the OL coach from Miami. That would cap off a great series of staff hires.

 

Saban left on Christmas day. Florida had Meyers shortly after New Years while we were still putting together a search committee. Meyers is a good offensive minded coach. Right now he's recruiting against changing coaches in Miami and foot in the retirement door Fla State. When those programs retool, he may have some trouble. Let's hope so.

 

It seems to me you continue to bash Fisher...

Fisher produced in his recruiting 23 players that are in the NFL

Our offense last year was as follows in the SEC

#1 scoring offense
#3 passing offense
#2 rushing offense
#1 Total offense
#1 Passing Effiency
#2 First Downs- Fla #1 due to an extra game
#2 4th down conversions
#3 in the red zone
#1 in 3rd down conversions.

Hard to argue that improving these numbers might be a stretch..I think we have hired a guy that is on the same level as Fisher...And that is good.

 

Not even close.. come on... UF just happened to have kids that wanted to stay in school... Noah has more money than he knows what to do with... Tyrus was downright poor....with Tyrus, would play FLA anywhere anytime anyplace.

 

Meyer, just like Saban at LSU and Richt at UGA, had a respectable amount of talent when he arrived ...... certainly enough to serve as a core building unit in their first couple of seasons. Zook may have had some questionable gameday skills, but there's no doubting that he scored an exemplary performance in recruiting quality players for UF.

Meyer also had the benefit of a high level of continuity on the defensive side of the ball with CCS and staff. As did Saban on the offensive side with Fisher.

Personally, I'm not impressed with Meyer's offensive scheme, but he's a solid football coach, a superb motivator, and prepares his teams well ..... and he deserves credit for getting UF into the BCS game courtesy of his outspokeness.

As an objective observer, I'd say Miles is already well-respected among knowledgable SEC fans and the only blemish thus far has been the UT meltdown in 05. Other than that, the man has been solid and has demonstrated he can coach in a conference loaded with elite coaches.

JMO, but the LSU fanbase has been significantly more critical of Miles than most everyone else, so maybe it's good karma that y'all have finally come around, regardless of what it took to get there. The road less travelled ......:thumb: