Putting it in reverse

Cowboys' Miles is back in the college ranks, and loving it

Les Miles gets the question a lot, but he remembers one particular instance when it came from his quarterback.

"Well," asked Troy Aikman, "do you like college more or do you like pro more?"

At the time, Miles, who spent 17 years as a college assistant, was serving a three-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.

On a recent Friday afternoon, he was in about the furthest environment imaginable from America's Team -- Stillwater, Okla. -- passing out Houston Bowl souvenir footballs in the hallways and making plans for a quiet dinner with his wife.

So you can probably guess his answer.

"I did enjoy pro football, it's the highest level of competition, it's exciting and it's the finest football in the world," said Miles, the head coach of Oklahoma State's Cowboys. "But I enjoy the calling of a college coach."

He's not alone. The past few years have seen a new breed of football coaches who are reversing the traditional career path. And succeeding at it.

In 2000, Miles joined former New York Jets head coach Al Groh, former Jets and New England Patriots head coach Pete Carroll and Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Gary Crowton in returning to the college ranks.

Last year, in their second seasons at the schools, Miles ended a five-year bowl drought at Oklahoma State, Groh helped Virginia improve from 5-7 to 9-5 and Carroll led USC to its first 11-win season since 1979, while Crowton went 12-2 at BYU in his 2001 debut.

Now they may have started a trend.

A year after their hirings, former Cowboys head coach Chan Gailey went to Georgia Tech while New Orleans Saints assistant Ron Zook became the man at Florida. Last month, former San Diego Chargers head coach Mike Riley, after interviewing for seemingly every college opening in the country, landed a second stint in charge of Oregon State.

"I think it's all a matter of what you know and what your preference is," said Miles, who longed for the Oklahoma State job ever since serving as offensive coordinator there in 1995-97. "I think longevity, and the ability lay roots at a place and build long-term relationships, is really special to the college atmosphere."

Such stability would appear to be setting in for at least a few of them.

Carroll, who followed up last season's success with a dominating recruiting class, has talked repeatedly about how much fun he's having as USC regains its powerhouse swagger. Miles turned down offers from both Michigan State and Baylor after the season and, with star quarterback Josh Fields and All-America receiver Rashaun Woods returning, is poised to lead Oklahoma State to its first consecutive winning seasons since 1987-88. And after finishing second in the ACC with one of the youngest teams in the country, Groh's Cavaliers figure to become a national force over the next couple years.

It's not that college coaches are immune to the pressures felt in the NFL; in some cases, they're even greater. But in the pros, they have far less control over their fate -- egotistical owners, like Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder, are the ones calling the shots, while general managers and personnel guys orchestrate the draft and player acquisition.

"The thing I like is that I'm in charge of everything, so I can structure things the way I like. I get to wear all the hats," Carroll said. "There are a few guys in the NFL who have that opportunity, but not many. You basically have to win a Super Bowl."

From a Xs and Os standpoint, the differences between the college and the pro games lessen more and more each year. Players want the best opportunity possible to showcase themselves for the NFL, so it's no surprise they're attracted to pro-like systems.

All of which makes coaches with NFL experience especially appealing to recruits.

"College athletes want to experience a style of football that would benefit them into getting drafted by the NFL," Miles said. "It's pretty to easy to figure that those coaches that have coached in the NFL would surely want to run a program in college that's similar to that at the very highest level of football."

Recruiting, of course, marks the biggest difference between the two levels, and it takes a certain type of personality to embrace. Steve Spurrier, it's said, never enjoyed the process and thus left the college ranks for the Washington Redskins, while his Florida replacement, Zook, relishes it.

While the evaluation part is similar to that of the NFL Draft, the results, as Carroll points out, involve actual competition rather than luck of the draw and thus becomes all-encompassing.

But for all its negatives, the human aspect of recruiting -- and the college game -- is appealing to certain coaches.

"To meet a family, introduce them and their son to a school, help them survive and have success in that environment and prepare them to go on for the rest of their life -- that's a tremendous calling to have," said Miles.

Sooner on the run

While the featured attraction at Oklahoma this spring is the Sooners' four-headed quarterback competition, running back Kejuan Jones has been stealing the show.

The sophomore, who ran for 607 yards and 14 touchdowns last season when spelling star Quentin Griffin, is looking like he'll have little trouble stepping into the featured role this fall. A similarly small (5-foot-9, 187 pounds) and darting runner, Jones carried 10 times for 62 yards in OU's first scrimmage.

Fellow runners Jerad Estus, Donta Hickson and Renaldo Works combined for 167 yards on 38 carries. Sooners coaches would like to see one step up as a reliable short-yardage replacement, as Jones' performance in that role last season helped keep Griffin fresh and durable.

As for the quarterbacks, sophomores Paul Thompson and Brent Rawls and redshirt freshman Noah Allen all looked similarly crisp in the first scrimmage. The real derby begins next week, though, when former starter Jason White -- whose past two seasons have been ended by ACL tears -- is cleared to return to full-contact drills.

"I think I'm fighting an uphill battle," White told the Daily Oklahoman. "You've got to look at it from a coaching standpoint: 'Can we rely on this guy?' That's what they have to think. But I'm just going to go out and play. If I get hurt again, I get hurt again. But I've got two bionic knees now."

Valiant offense

As Michigan begins spring practices, head coach Lloyd Carr is hoping for his offense to complete a two-year transformation from anemic (ninth in the Big Ten in 2001) to respectable (last season's 38-30 Outback Bowl win against Florida) to potentially dangerous in 2003.

John Navarre, coming off a junior season in which he threw for 2,906 yards, 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, returns as one of the nation's most experienced quarterbacks. So, too, does 1,000-yard receiver Braylon Edwards, who in a symbol of respect from Carr will switch to David Terrell's old No. 1 jersey this season, plus the Wolverines are taking a good look at promising redshirt freshman Steve Breaston and sophomore tight end Tim Massaquoi.

But Michigan's biggest priority in 2003 must be to develop a more explosive running game. Tailback Chris Perry returns after running for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns but must improve on his 4.2-yards-per carry average. And a replacement must emerge for departed fullback B.J. Askew from among such unproven candidates as Sean Sanderson and Kevin Dudley.

Sanderson, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound monster, would seem the ideal fit if Michigan wants to get back to its power-running roots, but Carr has been noncommittal about his status. The good news is, Tony Pape and three other starters return to what should be the Big Ten's top offensive line.

Worth noting

USC wasted no time getting a leg up on the Class of 2004, landing an early commitment from Shreveport, La., quarterback John David Booty, brother of former LSU quarterback Josh Booty. John David is expected to be among the top prospects in the country next season. ... The surprise of Trojans spring practice has been sophomore Justin Wyatt, who has dazzled at receiver and tailback after switching from cornerback. ... With Brandon Everage injured and Eric Bassey switching to cornerback, Oklahoma is getting good looks this spring at two highly touted young safeties, juco transfer Donte Nicholson and sophomore Brodney Pool. ... All-Big 12 receiver Justin Gage has departed, but Missouri coach Gary Pinkel has been pleased with the progress of likely replacement Thomson Omboga, reinstated following a late-season suspension for arguing with an assistant coach. It also appears that last year's No. 2 receiver, former partial-qualifier Darius Outlaw, will complete his degree in enough time to gain an extra season of eligibility. ... In what's believed to be a first, the NCAA has granted Louisiana-Lafayette defensive end Justin Venable a sixth, seventh and eighth year of eligibility. In his five years thus far, Venable has had three ACL tears and a broken jaw, missing two complete seasons and all but the first few games of another two.

Stewart Mandel covers college sports for SI.com.

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