Mike Leach to The "U" ?

Shannon has brought that program back from the dead, he is incredibly well liked and respected, and Miami is the best team in the ACC; I say that even after what Ohio State did to them. Miami has the best chance at an ACC championship, looking at the teams right now.

Why would anyone be anticipating a coaching change? Miami is likely a 9 or 10 win team this year. And even if Shannon did decide to leave, him and Mike Leach could not be more different -- in terms of backgrounds, personalities and coaching styles. After where Shannon has brought that program, I don't see why they would want to step into the circus Mike Leach brings with him.

 

One other thing. Miami attracts some of the best talent in the country and probably will continue to because of the "U" reputation and the fact that it is in Miami and Florida is a football-rich state. When they do well in the recruiting battle with Florida, they get some serious players and can pretty much count on always having as much speed as any team in the country.

Leach's success has been in taking programs that get second-tier talent and finding a way to win offensively with those lesser players. His variation of the spread can take a flawed QB and a few decent, but not blazing fast receivers, and exploit weaknesses (even teams that are more physically talented) -- by spreading the field and attacking it with passes all over the place. You could run a spread type offense with the types of players Miami gets, but an Urban Meyer type of spread-option would make a lot more sense with the kind of players Miami traditionally gets. A run first orientation, a mobile, stunting offensive line. A QB who is mobile. I could see Chip Kelly coaching there. But not really Leach, with those types of players.

The pro style offense Miami runs really suits what they have. Even though I have always had more respect for Leach as an offensive coach than a lot of people do, Mark Whipple has done a great job there and has been pretty perfect for the job. He is one of the most underrated coaches in football.