2008 Woodie Awards
Strong memories of Kelly
Miles' situation reminiscent of former CMU coach's departure to Cincy
By: David Harris
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
The whole Les Miles fiasco got me thinking Saturday.
There was speculation all last week that Miles, the coach at LSU, was going to coach the football team at Michigan.
ESPN reports a coach is leaving a school. That coach steadfastly denies it.
Where have I heard this before?
This all sounds so familiar. Oh, wait, Brian Kelly!
Remember him?
It was one year ago today that Kelly left CMU for Cincinnati. After he left, there was a campus-wide uproar. Multiple Facebook.com groups with unmentionable names sprung up.
Some called him a traitor. A Central Michigan Life editorial called him a chump.
Players were shocked. They were told there was a team meeting two hours in advance of Kelly's departure.
Some, such as offensive lineman Eric Tunney and former defensive end Dan Bazuin, were home and didn't make it in time. They were told via telephone their coach had left.
Miles on Saturday called an impromptu press conference to deny the reports he was leaving LSU. He said he will coach there next season.
I couldn't help but think back to the press conferences and interviews with Kelly. He said he was committed to CMU. That he was happy at CMU and he wasn't looking for a step up.
First the Detroit News erroneously reported that Kelly interviewed for the Michigan State job. Then ESPN erroneously reported he was taking the Iowa State job.
But Kelly denied each report. And he continued to say he was committed.
For some reason, everyone ate it up. Perhaps it was because everyone was so caught up in the Mid-American Conference championship.
We were all wrong. Dead wrong.
Just three days after the title game, he left Mount Pleasant for good. Sure, we all knew it was inevitable he would leave.
If you learn anything from the Miles or Kelly coaching situations, you know that college football isn't about the game anymore, it's about the money and fame.
It's too bad, really. But that's just the way it is.
A lot has happened since Kelly departed.
CMU did just fine without him. It won its second consecutive MAC title Saturday.
Kelly, on the other hand, also has been successful.
He led Cincinnati to its first final Associated Press ranking in school history and its first nine-win season since 1953.
Kelly was even mentioned briefly as a candidate for the Michigan job. However, the Detroit Free Press reported he is not considered a candidate.
But no matter what Kelly does in the college football world, I will always remember him in the same way.
As someone who said one thing, and then did another when no one was looking.
editor@cm-life.com
There was speculation all last week that Miles, the coach at LSU, was going to coach the football team at Michigan.
ESPN reports a coach is leaving a school. That coach steadfastly denies it.
Where have I heard this before?
This all sounds so familiar. Oh, wait, Brian Kelly!
Remember him?
It was one year ago today that Kelly left CMU for Cincinnati. After he left, there was a campus-wide uproar. Multiple Facebook.com groups with unmentionable names sprung up.
Some called him a traitor. A Central Michigan Life editorial called him a chump.
Players were shocked. They were told there was a team meeting two hours in advance of Kelly's departure.
Some, such as offensive lineman Eric Tunney and former defensive end Dan Bazuin, were home and didn't make it in time. They were told via telephone their coach had left.
Miles on Saturday called an impromptu press conference to deny the reports he was leaving LSU. He said he will coach there next season.
I couldn't help but think back to the press conferences and interviews with Kelly. He said he was committed to CMU. That he was happy at CMU and he wasn't looking for a step up.
First the Detroit News erroneously reported that Kelly interviewed for the Michigan State job. Then ESPN erroneously reported he was taking the Iowa State job.
But Kelly denied each report. And he continued to say he was committed.
For some reason, everyone ate it up. Perhaps it was because everyone was so caught up in the Mid-American Conference championship.
We were all wrong. Dead wrong.
Just three days after the title game, he left Mount Pleasant for good. Sure, we all knew it was inevitable he would leave.
If you learn anything from the Miles or Kelly coaching situations, you know that college football isn't about the game anymore, it's about the money and fame.
It's too bad, really. But that's just the way it is.
A lot has happened since Kelly departed.
CMU did just fine without him. It won its second consecutive MAC title Saturday.
Kelly, on the other hand, also has been successful.
He led Cincinnati to its first final Associated Press ranking in school history and its first nine-win season since 1953.
Kelly was even mentioned briefly as a candidate for the Michigan job. However, the Detroit Free Press reported he is not considered a candidate.
But no matter what Kelly does in the college football world, I will always remember him in the same way.
As someone who said one thing, and then did another when no one was looking.
editor@cm-life.com
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