Wow! I don't understand this hire at all. I was hoping for Justin Fuente, but I understand he never really talked to Miles or at least he said he didn't. Miles has famously said, "We're going to run the football", yet he hires a guy who has been involved in pass happy offenses wherever he's been. I guess Kragthorpe has had some successes here and there, but overall pretty much a lukewarm career. I looked at Kragthorpe's resume and then had to find his picture to make sure he wasn't Gary Crowton in disguise. Their resumes are that similar. Sorry to be so negative, but look at the bright side. I've been wrong before. The scary thing is, I've been right before too.
Didn't Miles hire Crowton? Just sayin'. Here's hoping we figure it out on offense and hover around damn strong.
per jayb in the frank wilson thread.... good point. and that may have been a factor here. seems to me clm and crow didnt mesh too well. nothing was ever said, but it just kind of appeared that way in the past couple of years. and it also seems to me that a good working chemistry/relationship is a much needed factor among the coaching staff. we dont know how all the interviews went, but if there seemed to be a good match of philosophies and comfortable with each others personalities, that could have tipped the scales krag's way. personally, i am willin to sit back and see what he can bring to our offense before i judge the man.
To answer the question on how to understand this hire it's pretty easy. We have a want to get better production out of our QB's. Kragthorpe will bring that. The rest is all Miles.
A feel-good article about the hire: 2theadvocate.com | Sports | Slocum loves new LSU hire — Baton Rouge, LA A few highlights: (Per former aTm coach R.C. Slocum): "Steve is the kind of guy you can't help but like. And I think a lot of Les and what he's done since he got to LSU. Those are two very good people who are going to work very well together." "A lot of guys come in with a big ego, especially when they've been a head coach like Steve, but he's not that kind of guy," Slocum said. (On LSU's QB's next year): All four quarterbacks fit the system Kragthorpe has designed in the past: a pro-style, run-first offense that sets up play-action passing. Kragthorpe also has deep connections to Texas and will be leaned on more in recuiting than Gary Crowton was. Kragthorpe finished his college career at West Texas State in the Texas Panhandle and was a coordinator at both A&M and North Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His college roommate, James Morton, is a coach at tradition-rich Midland Lee. (On his leave of absence last year): "He did what a real man does," Slocum said. "He did what was best for his family and put that in front of his professional career." I'm choosing to focus on these positives and see how it plays out.
Speaking of the play action pass, I can count on 1 hand the amount of times we had true play action with JJ in at QB. That will be quite an adjustment to have JJ under center on pass plays. Again, I reiterate, I hope to God Mettenberger wins the starting job.
Good read. His association with the play-action makes me feel all warm inside. I think that this is the most telling quote: “He’s very knowledgeable and will offer a lot, but he won’t come in and try to fight the head coach every step of the way." This seems to offer some insight as to the way things were with Crowton. He & Miles just couldn't agree. Seems more and more like this hire had much more to do with the OC's ability to gel with the coaching staff/HC than it did with individual accomplishments.
I sure this was a quality that Miles liked. Les seems to gravitate toward those like him. A guy who knows how to bend and do what's right in these times where everyone is chasing the $$$$$, shows he is a guy that is pliable and will listen to what his other coaches and Miles are telling him. Remember the present staff stays in tact. The other guys may have wanted to bring in their own people. This is Les Miles offense and Krag (QB),Wilson(RB),Stud(OL),and BG(WR) are his helpers.:milesmic:
