Well, I would think that LSU would pay a DC more than an NFL team pays a position coach, but I really have no idea how much top college coordinators earn, or what NFL position coaches typically make. I would think the money isn't the issue -- Pepper Johnson would probably earn comparable salaries as either the LSU DC or Patriot's D-line coach. However, the promotion to coordinator, and at a top SEC program like LSU, would seem to be an attractive prospect to him. Maybe Boston Bengal can pulse the Boston sports talk and give us fellow Tiger fans an idea of whether Johnson is indeed a viable candidate (i.e., he's on Miles' radar, and he's interested.)
I wish I could offer more insight to what Johnson's thoughts would be, but just like Saban (gee, I wonder where he learned this from), Belichick does not allow his assistants to interview. In my 4 years living up here, I've NEVER seen an interview with an assistant coach. THe only time Charlie Weis gave an interview was 2 seasons ago, when he had a gastric bypass and became so ill that he was in the hospital for 2-3 weeks. When he came back, he answered questions about that. And then obviously, he speaks to the media reguarding his Notre Dame position--but nothing Patriots related. I couldn't even tell you what any of their coaches even sound like! :shock: But you can bet that should anything materialize up here, Tigerforums is the first place I'm going to share it with.
Ott said it was no one from the two remaining teams so that rules out anyone from the Eagles or Patriots. He said it will be announced Feb. 10-12 because the coach has a prior committment. But he said after hearing the name, that he would certainly be on top of the list and will make some waves when hired. That's all he said. I would guess Campo maybe.
Ott usually has pretty good info. I don't think it's Campo. Frankly, I have no idea who it is. I didn't realize that Ott had said that it was no one from the Eagles or Patriots, could have saved myself some time! Well heck though, if Miles doesn't have a firm agreement with whomever Ott is talking about, then he should take a look at Pepper Johnson, dude looks like an outstanding candidate.
What I really don't understand is the timing. I don't think Miles is going to give someone the option of waiting to see if there is a better opportunity in the NFL - he's been burned once with this already. I don't think that is the reason for the speculated timing of the announcement. What is? I have no idea, but for him to basically agree in principal with someone (if that's what happened), stop searching for a coordinator, and then hope that the guy doesn't sign somewhere in the NFL, well, I just don't think that's what's happening.
I agree. I heard the same thing on OTT and he made it sound like it was a done deal but that the GUY had a committment to something and that Miles agreed to wait till Feb. 10th-12th to announce. It really sounds strange to me too....no idea who it is. He has to be telling recruits who it is though so I'm surprised no names have come out.
I read Dandy Don a lot, I appreciate his efforts but it is true his reports are not always well-founded. Then again to those who criticize him, hey it's a free country don't read him! As for Ott, I find him abrasive and opionated, not unusual for a radio talk show host. I lived in BR in the mid-90s and used to listen to him on the radio ... I now live in Ohio, discovered I could listen to BR sportstalk radio on the internet on 1210 "The Score," and started to listen every now and then. It was hilarious, I mean, I actually recognized some of the callers from TEN YEARS AGO ... the same guys that called in back then are still calling in. Anyway, it does seem though that Ott's reports are usually accurate. I didn't hear what he said -- what I read on some forum though was that it would be a coach on one of the Super Bowl teams, which made sense as far as having to wait to make the announcement. Then one of the posters on this forum wrote that Ott said it was NOT a guy from the Eagles or Patriots (?) There are probably numerous assistant coaches in the NFL ranks that would make a good DC for LSU, many of whom I've never heard of. I had never heard of the Patriot's D-line coach, Pepper Johnson, but when I read his resume it blew me away. Hopefully the coach Miles hires has a similarly impressive resume.
Ott made a point to say that the person is NOT coaching in the Super Bowl, but that there are other reasons the person does not want to be made public yet. I hope that he is right, and I don't think that he would be reporting this if he was wrong. He did a great job of reporting Miles was going to be hired before he was and I don't think that he would risk the good publicity that he recieved from that by screwing this up. As for Dandydon, I don't know who his sources are, although I have a few guesses. He does the best that he can on these issues, just take what he says with a grain of salt. I will continue to read him, because there is no reason not too.
I wouldn't think Coach Miles would be risking telling the recruits a name of who he is trying to get for DC, not if they don't won't it to leak. I'd imagine he's telling the general type stuff, like he's a defensive position coach for a very good team in the NFL... something along those lines.
"As for Dandydon, I don't know who his sources are, although I have a few guesses. He does the best that he can on these issues, just take what he says with a grain of salt." previously posted. Follow that with a squeeze of lime and a shot of tequila. Works for me!