I knew both Coach Mac and the Bear. I think both were good coaches. Mac wanted to move the Alabama game away from the Ole Miss game, as LSU was too emotionally drained after Ole Miss. Mac would tell Bear let Bama play LSU after Auburn and see how many times they would win. Bears reply, "I got you where I want you, Mac". In 1968, with less than 2 minutes to go in the Bama-LSU game, Little Joe ran an 80 yard TD. It was called back due to a ref being out of place on the field. That was Coach Mac's luck against the Bear. Wrong place at the wrong time. Bama won 7-6.
Re: Is there another choice? Your Dad wasn't alone in that assessment, but Cholly Mac won with defense. The final straw came when Mac decided to go with the Veer offense which was perfectly suited to his stud recruit QB Mike Miley. At the last minute, Miley opted for Pro Baseball and the team was stuck with the Veer and no QB siuited to run it. Even though it wasn't really Mac's fault that Miley flew the coop, the team and the won-loss record suffered and that was just what his detractors needed. He was gone the next season. It's a shame he had to go out like that because he was a great coach and a better person.
Re: Re: Is there another choice? ?????? The veer was put in place for 1974 season and yes there wasn't a QB that could run it. I think Trimble was put in as the QB and he couldn't pass. Defenses put 8 in the box and Mac returned to the I in the middle of the season. Macs last season was in 1979. After Miracle Mike, QB were in short supply for a while.
Re: Re: Re: Is there another choice? I stand corrected. Do you remember what year it was that Miley bolted for MLB?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Is there another choice? I think it was either 1974 or 1975. The first game with Trimble LSU beat a highly regarded Colorado team something like 42 - 0 and everybody thought we were going to be good that year.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Is there another choice? Bert was there in 70, 71 & 72. Mike was the starting QB in 73 and left in 74 before the season started. Broussard and Trimble ended up starting in 74. 75 & 76 gave us Paul Lyon's brother Pat and God only knew where his passes were going. Moreaux backed him and was moved to LB in 76, as he was worse than Pat. I don't have my book; however, I believe this is correct. :geaux: :geaux: :geaux: :geaux: :geaux: :geaux: :geaux: :geaux:
Bear was a good man. He helped many guys get a job and some he didn't coach. Henderson, an Auburn grad and a sportscaster in New Orleans got his break in Birmingham with Bears help. :lsug: :geaux: :lsug: :geaux: :lsug: :geaux:
Bear was a great coach, and he knew his ball. The fact is he bought players. I have no respect for him. Cholly Mac was also a great coach, who ran a clean program, and was screwed by his own people. But he never spoke poorly of LSU. Cholly Mac is the epitome of what a college coach should be.
Re: Re: Cholly Mac or the Bear This whole thread is about whether the past could be altered and would you do it if you could. Like ex Saints coach Jim Mora said: "Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda" If I woulda won the lottery last week like I shoulda, I coulda bought a new yacht, a new house and a new Benz this week. Bear Bryant was a great coach. Mac was a very good if not great coach. Both of them were great men and class individuals. Both of them have the undying respect of all of their former players. Both of them won with great defense but both of them had quarterbacks that made it in the NFL. Bryant won with the wishbone after the Joe Namath, Kenny Stabiler era. We'll never know how Mac would have done with the veer offense after the Bert Jones era because Mike Miley jumped to MLB. If both of them were still alive and coaching both of them would have adapted to the modern high powered passing game as it is played today.
I have nothing bad to say about Coach Mac. He and my father were good friends. They never talked about football, as far as I know. I often wondered where all those who wanted to help Mac Pack went after he was fired. He didn't get any help. As for buying players, boosters from all schools can be a problem.
