Posts Tagged ‘jeff long’

Les Miles got a contract extension and raise from LSU on Wednesday. In the wake of an SEC championship in 2011 and a 10-2 regular-season in 2012, that LSU decided to reward Miles for a job well done is no surprise. But one can not ignore the timing, just one day after reports surfaced that Arkansas was prepared to offer Miles a five-year, $27 million contract to move one state to the north. It just wouldn't be Les Miles if there wasn't an oddball factor complicanting things.

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva stated that the Arkansas report had nothing to do with Miles' extension although, to his credit, he also said that he knows the media won't believe him. 

"It has been my plan all along to give (Miles) a raise, and that's what we're doing," Alleva said. 

LSU won't win the SEC this season, but Alleva is most pleased with Miles' ability to keep the Tigers in contention year after year. 

"It's not always about winning championships," he said. "It's about being in the hunt to win championships."

Miles, whose 85-20 record makes him the fifth-winningest coach in SEC history, said that he has spoken with Araknsas AD Jeff Long, but not to the extent that was reported. According to Miles, there conversations were preliminary and "fell short of major interests." Miles denied he was offered the five-year, $27 million deal. Miles said he talked with Long to recommend other candidates for the Razorbacks' vacant head coaching position. The two worked together at Michigan where Miles was an assistant coach and Long was an assistant athletics director.

Speaking of recommending other candidates, Miles was asked about LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis' candidacy for the Tennessee head coaching job. 

"John Chavis is a tremendous coach who has a good overview of what a successful program looks like," said Miles. "If Tennessee was looking for a quality candidate, John Chavis should be one."

Miles' extension, which will last seven years, has not disclosed financial terms as, per the press release, they are still being negotiated. The USA Today coaching salary database lists Miles' salary at over $3.85 million.

Miles said that he gets embarrassed discussing money but offered, "I'm fortunate to have an occupation that pays a tremendous market value."

More than anything, he's glad that his family will be in Baton Rouge for the long haul, saying, "I think home is what we call this place."

Arkansas officially dismissed interim head coach John L. Smith on Saturday morning, following a 20-13 loss to LSU on Friday. Smith stepped into an awkward situation on a 10-month contract and, after inheriting a preseason top 10 team, led the Razorbacks to a 4-8 season.

Here is what Arkansas AD Jeff Long's statement: 

"With our 2012 football season concluded, I met earlier today with Coach John L. Smith to inform him we would be making a change in leadership within our football program.  I have great respect for Coach Smith and I thank him for the sincere commitment he has shown our program. He made a difficult decision in uncertain times to return from his alma mater to guide the young men in our football program, and I will always be grateful for his efforts.

"I would also like to express my gratitude to our assistant football coaching staff, and our support staff. They have shown remarkable professionalism and a true commitment to the student-athletes in our program.  They demonstrated great character in maintaining their commitment to our program."

Here is what Long said about finding the Hogs' new head coach.

"Last April, when I appointed Coach Smith for the 2012 season, I indicated I thought this would provide us the opportunity to take the time necessary to identify the right coach for the future and to do so in a time that would allow us to attract quality candidates. Our new coach will be an individual who shares the passion for success our fans do and who is willing to work relentlessly to achieve our goals.  It will be someone who embraces the expectations of winning a national championship and succeeding in the classroom with discipline, honesty and integrity. The leader of our student-athletes will continuously stress academic accountability and the value of earning a degree from the University of Arkansas. Our new coach will embrace what this program means not just to the university, but to the entire state of Arkansas and will share the vision for the future success of Razorback Football."

Smith provided this statement on Saturday's news.

"I am very grateful to Chancellor (David) Gearhart and Jeff Long for the opportunity they gave me to return to the University of Arkansas and coach this football team. I have enjoyed guiding this group and I am extremely proud of how everyone in our program stuck together and showed tremendous character by competing throughout the season. Everyone on our staff has my appreciation as they all believed in our goals and stayed committed to the development of these young men. 

"I would like to thank the Razorback fans for demonstrating their support for these student-athletes and this coaching staff during a challenging time. I enjoyed every day of this experience and this profession has been and will continue to be rewarding to me. During my time here, it has been incredible to be a part of helping this program grow and I wish everyone involved nothing but success in the future."

A young man from Arkansas called last night to ask me a few questions about the search at Arkansas. He asked a number of logical questions (would they really be interested in Charlie Strong, would Gary Patterson take the call, could Tuberville win here, etc...) and we had a very good talk for the first few minutes...

And then the whole conversation changed when he asked me if David Shaw would take the job! 

I was in stunned disbelief when he asked me that.  "David Shaw, Stanford's coach?" Yes, that's who he asked about.  I literally didn't know how to answer that in a polite manner. Why in the world would he ask if David Shaw would take the job.?.? 

Well he tells me that someone who he thought was credible said Shaw might be the guy.  The conversation got real, real weird at this point.  

Readers of FootballScoop generally are a pretty smart group when it comes to coaches and coaching. We're not trying to insult your knowledge, nor were we trying to insult that of the young man who called and asked; but allow us to recap who David Shaw is...

First, Shaw's father is Willie Shaw (longtime NFL coach who also coached in two different stints at Stanford). David himself played at Stanford for four years. He then went into coaching...with the goal of getting back to Stanford, his favorite place in the world. After a couple of stops in the NFL (Eagles, Raiders and Ravens), Shaw spent one year at University of San Diego before coming to Stanford with Jim Harbaugh for the '07 season as the offensive coordinator. Harbaugh, Shaw and their entire staff completely rebuilt Stanford's program in four seasons and when Harbaugh accepted the job with the 49ers, Stanford's administration offered the head coaching position to David. Unless he has aspirations to become President one day, we're pretty sure David Shaw has the job he has worked towards his entire life. 

This past Spring I had the pleasure of visiting with Shaw and his staff in their offices in Palo Alto and I routinely stay in touch with them. Great staff. These guys enjoy working together, they are on the same page and they have a great plan. To a man, every guy in the building looks up to Shaw. He has a presence and is a tremendous leader and a great representative of Stanford University.

Anyone who has ever been to Stanford's campus, much less worked there should no that there is no chance in the world that David Shaw would be looking for another job. 

OK, sorry for that. Back to last night. In less words than above I tried my best to be polite about this one and simply said that I'm highly, highly confident that David Shaw would not even consider listening to talk about the Arkansas job. 

Next...he says, "What about Mike Gundy?"   ---   What? Why would you think Mike Gundy is looking to leave Oklahoma State? Again, he said this is a guy that people are talking about.  

I just don't know who people are listening to. Mike Gundy is not leaving Oklahoma State. Not now, not anytime soon.  Seriously people. Talk to these coaches (or someone who knows them...or someone who knows anything about them) before offering this speculation that "Mike Gundy is a candidate at Arkansas". This stuff is ridiculous.

And just when I thought the call couldn't get any crazier, he says "Would Chip Kelly take the job if offered?" My head exploded. 

Why on earth would you think Chip Kelly would leave Oregon to come to Arkansas? 

Same response, "Well this guy says the Chip could be interested." 

I had to end the call. Simply couldn't take it. Didn't mean to be abrupt; but c'mon man. Chip Kelly? Have you guys ever been to Eugene and seen what Chip has to work with? The assets available to him are the best I've seen at the college level. Anything he needs for his program is there. If Nike's working on something new, guess who they are testing it with? Sure, the NFL is intriguing to Chip; but Arkansas? What in the world would make someone think that Chip Kelly would ask for that job?

I apologize for a bit of a rant here; but if anyone says (or said) that David Shaw, Mike Gundy or Chip Kelly has a shot to be the next head coach at Arkansas the person, or people, saying that needs to be questioned. 

So who will be the next head coach at Arkansas... in all honesty the indications that I have from sources in the profession are that Jeff Long doesn't know yet who he will hire. He has a list of coaches he plans to speak with and those conversations will take place at the appropriate time. One of those conversations will spark the "I've found my man" moment in Long's head and then he will know who he is moving forward with.  Sure, we've heard the whispers of "this coach is interested" and "Long's interested in speaking with ____". We'll keep you posted as more concrete information becomes available to us.