• For Michigan, Les Miles vs. Brady Hoke

  • By Bruce Feldman | January 5, 2011 7:45:27 AM PST

Rich Rodriguez's firing was hardly a bombshell, especially since we thought we knew it for a part of yesterday as well. The next step in this process, though -- who becomes the new coach at Michigan? -- likely will be a bombshell.

All coaching transitions are tricky; this one is especially tricky. It took RichRod three years to get the right personnel for his spread option offense. He won three, then won five, and this season went 7-6. Then, AD Dave Brandon pressed the reset button. Twenty of 22 starters are coming back, but a bunch of key commitments are bailing on the Wolverines and, perhaps more importantly, the next guy that comes in is likely to run a different type of system. If Jim Harbaugh did get this job, what would happen to Denard Robinson? Would he transfer? Would he be a WR or RB? He likely wouldn't be a QB, given the way Harbaugh sets up a team.

Here are the big names, with my odds:

Les Miles, 3-1: He truly is a Michigan Man, and he's won a national title. There's been a lot of talk about how he still secretly would like to get this job and doesn't feel appreciated at LSU. But he does have a hefty buyout.


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