I seriously think what is at stake for the Miami program in this hiring decision is really the end of it if they select anyone other than Butch. We have spent 12 years watching mediocre football. We are sick and tired of it. The current team has given up more than 400 yards a game each year. We know, as smart fans, the problem is on the defensive side of the ball. We haven't recruited an elite defensive lineman since Forston and he ended up being a bust. We haven't sniffed anyone like that since. We used to be LB U and since Perryman left, other than Grace, there isn't anyone on the roster who is even close to a difference maker.
So who do we talk about other than Butch, a man known for recruiting defensive talent? Cristobal, a guy who never made FIU respectable on defense and had two good years at FIU with a good QB. But nothing he did at FIU suggests he can come in and solve the defensive problem Miami has.
Schiano, he hit a home run with Ray Rice in college and he recruited a good O line. Decent college coach but didn't exactly do it in a power 5 conference. When he went to Tampa Bay, he flopped. In the one year he was at Miami, and I emphasize the one year part of it, he rolled the dice on every play by blitzing almost every play. It was a smart strategy but really didn't fix the defense.
Chudzinski? No college experience really. An offensive guy. Was a head coach at Browns but they never let him coach beyond one year. Why would people whose livelihoods depend on being successful let a guy go after a single year? I suspect he alienated players and management that they understood, as the top guy in a program, he wasn't the man. He wasn't close to fixing the defensive side of the ball at Cleveland.
Herman. He won tonight only because the kicker missed. He river boat gambled because Memphis was kicking his team's butt all game. He is no fix for what ails UM and that is defense. He would have to name an unquestioned defensive guru to be considered and, since he didn't appoint one on his first college job, I doubt his ability to do so. Plus, do we really want a OSU guy running the U given the history?
Fuente? His team was defenseless against Navy. No adjustments during the game. In the second half tonight, his team was defenseless against Herman. Plus, when his team got the ball with a chance to score points, he went into conservative mode mostly. I wouldn't bank UM's future on this guy.
Larry the Dr Pepper guy? Probably more qualified than above.
Strong? Even less qualified than Larry? How do you ***** up at Texas, the third most populous recruiting base in the nation? Texas produces great players. Without Bridgewater, Strong is a nobody. His defenses at Texas have been far from stellar. Maybe he will change that but how far down the line?
So what are the options? None right now other than Butch. And if he is to do what we need him to do, lets give him the chance NOW! We need to recruit Defensive beasts. Especially on the DL and LB. Butch has a history of doing so. Hire him and let him do the job we need to do. He isn't a fall back option. He is the ONLY man qualified for the job. Don't wait to hire a guy in January when the pickings are slim. Hire him now so he can evaluate the current commitments, get rid of the reaches, and bring in the best talent available. An extensive search committee is not in the best interest of the program.
If the AD goes a different route, I predict no fans will be in attendance next year. I mean that. They will have alienated all long time fans and will have to somehow market UM fans to a skeptical public. Less than 20,000 will attend a first game. No more than 15,000 would attend any game after the first loss.
