I guess the question that keeps popping in my mind is why do we need this new innovative position? If Blake was doing his job we wouldn't need a GM of Football. If he's not doing his job, then fire him and hire an AD with a better grasp of running a football program. I completely understand that something higher up than an offensive coordinator needs to change, but if things are so broken and the BOT is bent out of shape, fire Blake, offer HIM a role as Chief of Staff in charge of Fundraising and tell him to kick rocks if he doesn't want it. Then do a national search for a qualified AD. Like every other university on the planet manages to do. If Zo wants in at that time then you make a position for him, but not while there's already an AD and HC in place. It's just a weird situation on paper. Or on a message board.
I think you could do both things. Miami definitely needs a new AD. That is indisputable. But you could also have a Director of Football Ops. The innovative model would be innovative for CFB, but pretty much standard practice for professional teams that have a Team President, GM, then Head Coach in that pecking order.
Yes, I know the counter arguments-
1. no one else does it that way
2. No high profile coach would come here if that's the model
So here's the thing, when Miami last won a championship, it was before the era where ESPN was paying $8 billion to broadcast a few games.
CBS currently pays the SEC $55 million per year for broadcast rights. You know how much it is speculated Disney will pay the SEC for the rights?
350-400 million PER YEAR.
College football not only is making professional league levels of money, but now "student athletes" are going to be getting paid as well. Innovation would be to be the 1st university to recognize this and setting up the football operations to function like professional teams.
So what about big name coaches? Miami isnt going to outbid a Michigan or a Notre Dame for a coach like Urban Meyer. So then we settle for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tier candidates (remember- everyone's favorite alternative to Diaz was Bootch Davis). Now the flavor of the month is Cristobal.
I think the model that turns Miami back into national champions isnt trying to be a poor man's Alabama. It's by doing what Miami did in the 80s and hiring innovators (esp Schnelly in terms of recruiting, Erickson and JJ for scheme). Those innovators will have success, then jump to the NFL. That's fine. If Miami is setup like a pro organization, then it should be plug and play. Scouting, recruiting and football operations already setup. Next guy walks in and just has to coach football. It becomes the proving grounds for the next crop of NFL head coaches. Miami would become "the school" for innovative coaches (especially coordinators) that don't want to deal with all the schmoozing and recruiting aspects of college ball. Those dudes are tailor made for the NFL.
Here's a perfect example- Joe Brady. LSU will pay him to be the full time OC. Maybe the NFL hires him as an OC. He's not going to be a P5 coach or NFL coach next year. So let's say instead he has an opportunity to make 3 million as the HC of Miami, where all he has to do is coach. Recruit evals are already complete since the scouting dept is run by the GM. That would be attractive to a lot of young innovative coaches. Would Saban be interested? No. But he wouldn't have been interested anyways.
Miami could offer other unique opportunities that would help players take advantage of the new rules for making money of their likeness. You know who HATES that idea? Dabo and Saban. Miami could be the complete opposite and embrace that, and have a group dedicated towards helping players find opportunities to market themselves and make $$$. 5 star recruits can answer the question themselves- is it better to be rich (taking bags from the bagman) or rich and famous (with Miami helping them market themselves on everything from Instagram to TV commercials?)
