Just over a week ago, LSU’s Les Miles debunked an ESPN report about him becoming Michigan’s next head coach. While the report might have been made erroneously, it might not have been totally inaccurate, either. Apparently Miles is still very much in the picture to become Michigan’s next head coach.
Miles had a phone conversation Friday morning with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and school president Mary Sue Coleman, according to several people with knowledge of the call.
Michigan received permission Nov. 28 from LSU athletic director Skip Bertman to speak with Miles, as long as it was after the Dec. 1 SEC championship game. So asking LSU again for permission was not an issue; U-M is believed to have initiated Friday’s call.
Bertman said Monday night he didn’t know if Miles had had contact with Michigan. But he said he doubted anyone could sway Miles to leave LSU.
“He and Bo Schembechler were real close,” Bertman said. “If Bo Schembechler were alive, I doubt he could have got him to go to Michigan. It’s hard for people who don’t live in the South to understand.”
While there might be truth to Bertman’s comments, the fact of the matter is that college coaches have a tendency to lie. The sticking point with this situation, however, is that Miles signed a two-year extension with LSU just last week. Although hey, breaking commitments hasn’t stopped college coaches before – just ask Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino.
