Arizona football: Les Miles-Hugh Freeze combo headed to Tucson?
If Les Miles ever gets another head coaching job, could he really bring Hugh Freeze with him?
After the firing of Rich Rodriguez Tuesday night, plenty of candidates have surfaced for the head coaching job at Arizona. It wouldn’t be an open job at the college level if Les Miles was not attached to it, and right on cue, a report from Sports Illustrated’s Bruce Feldman surfaced Wednesday suggesting “mutual interest” between Arizona and the former LSU coach.
One of the primary criticisms of Miles over his time at LSU was his archaic offense. So a good offensive coordinator hire will be a requirement if/when he gets another head coaching job, and that may explain why he has made it through two hiring cycles now without finding another job.
If he becomes a head coach again, Miles reportedly has his eye on former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. Safe to say, and to put it mildly, it’s a controversial choice.
Have heard Les Miles has interest in making Hugh Freeze his OC if he does get another head coaching job. One of the concerns with Miles has been his offense. Freeze’s spread system might help ease some of those doubts.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2018
Miles wants to make former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze his offensive coordinator. Freeze resigned in July of 2017, amid an NCAA investigation into the Ole Miss athletic department that revealed he used a school-issued phone to call an escort service. Miles was immediately mentioned as a candidate to replace Freeze, and there were some good reasons for him to take the job. But a 6-6 season, which would make the Rebels bowl-eligible if not for a self-sanctioned postseason ban, led to interim head coach Matt Luke getting the job permanently.
After firing Rodriguez for alleged sexual harassment, Arizona will surely have reservations about having Freeze on the coaching staff after his own indiscretions at Ole Miss. Feldman added Miles and Freeze have not (yet?) specifically discussed the coaching vacancy at Arizona.
I have confirmed with Hugh Freeze that he and Les Miles had not spoken specifically about the #Arizona coaching vacancy.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2018
Related Story: 5 candidates to replace Rich Rodriguez at Arizona
There would be no middle ground for a Miles-Freeze pairing, at Arizona or elsewhere. It will either work well and lead to a lot of wins, with an offense that looks like it belongs in modern college football, or it will be an incredible train wreck.