 Now that the college season is almost at its end, decisions are going to be made. With all of the leaps and bounds that were experienced this year, certain organizations are going to have to change directions so that they can do what they need to improve.
After 13 successful seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, Coach Lloyd Carr will finally be retiring. While the announcement may have come as a surprise to many, his decision did have reasoning; Michigan finished with a 6-2 record in the Big 10 conference and did not qualify for a BCS Bowl Game. The failures of the season were highlighted by a shocking 34-32 loss to unranked Appalachian State. Carr evidently felt that it was time to pass the torch, and there has been no shame in his tenure. With a career record of 121-40 as the Wolverines head skipper, it is hard to argue the positive impact that he had. Carr spoke of his plan to throw in the towel after Michigan lost to rivaling Ohio State on November 19. The Wolverines still have unfinished business, as they are playing the Florida Gators in the Capital One Bowl on January 1. This match up will serve as Carr’s last game with the Wolverines.
Where does this leave Michigan? Carr has not mentioned anything of a successor, as he believes that it is not his job to go and find a replacement.
"Bill Martin is heading that search," he said. "I won't have any comment on it. That's his job."
Martin hoped that the coaching transition would be smooth and simple, but that has definitely not been the case. It appears that his prime target has been LSU coach Les Miles, but Miles has stated on repeated occasions that he does not want to leave the Tigers.
"I had a conversation with Michigan that covered a wide range of topics. I was doing nothing more than helping them with their search for a football coach," Miles said. "I'm not a candidate for that job and I will not be a candidate for the job."
After hearing Miles response to the continuous attempts to get him to take over Michigan, it is hard to believe that he is refusing one of the top coaching jobs in the country. His decision exemplifies his loyalty to the LSU organization, and with his team competing for a National Championship against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Tigers are fortunate to have such a dedicated leader.
In other College football coaching news, former Atlanta Falcons’ coach Bobby Petrino shocked the football world this month by announcing his plans to leave Atlanta and take over the Arkansas Razorbacks. Going just 3-10 with the Falcons, it was clear that Petrino was not providing the results that the Atlanta organization desired. We have seen from past examples, such as with coaches Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and Pete Carroll, that transitioning from college to the pros is not all that easy. With the Atlanta coaching job up in the air, team president Rick McKay has his hands full in finding a new team leader.
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