I wouldn't wish that job on Todd Graham. Miles is best to consider State Penn and ND. He would be great at ND, and may be the only coach the job wouldn't ruin.
I remember watching Purdue play without an offense against some other Big Ten team in the late 80s and thinking "oh THAT'S why it looks familiar!" Pretty sure Akers got canned that year.
11, That "lack of offense" went 5-4-1 against Barry, while Fred's predecessor was winless. That "lack of offense" lost one regular season nonconference game over 10 years (other than OU), including multiple games against Top 10 teams, including Auburn at Auburn and State Penn at The Meadowlands. That "lack of offense" won over 80% of its games against ranked teams over ten years. I don't remember the exact number, but it was something like 22-5. That "lack of offense" was constantly ranked, and even Fred's worst season was better than the last three years. Nobody wanted to hear about injuries, but we went to Lubbock for the Tech game with only two LBs, one a walkon that had never played. We missed a FG that the wind blew wide. The next year, David got that FG and beat Tech. Difference in 86 & 87 was two points. Compared to what I'm watching now, I'd take Fred's teams in a heartbeat. The best DC I've ever known was Leon Fuller. Next best is Rick Lantz, who I shall quote once again - "Before you can win, you gotta defend"
And I am still trying to find the person that thinks that Barry only had the better team 4 times in that 10 years. We fired Fred because he didn't cheat, played defense and OU won a MNC in 1985.
Akers is a good man of character and a great coach. He didn't take the wrong path when the cheating SMUs, aggie, Ou and the rest of them cheated. Those schools were caught, penalized and embarrassed, (Maybe OU was not embarrassed) while Akers and Texas did not. Purdue might be a good job for Strong.
I don't think a&m was embarrassed either, and, in fact, their fans deny any cheating. At least, fans I have ever brought it up with when they bemoan Evil Texas and how we have ruined their lives.
Chicago, Those Aggies know little of their program, and certainly aren't close to RC, who is great to talk with one on one. He will bring it up, you won't have to. The Aggies were at war with SMU and that continued after the death penalty. They sacrificed Rod Dockery in an effort to preserve the rest. I'd love to talk to your Aggie buddies. You can tell them that a "friend" of yours financed Eric Dickerson's TransAm for Aggies, which he drove to Highland Park. FWIW, those same Aggies offered my daughter free room, board, books, tuition, as well as a new BMW convertible if she would go to A&M, just so they could have the last laugh.
So again, we fired a good man, a man of honor and integrity, because he played defense, beat OU and didn't cheat That'll learn him. And I still have the clear vision Roger of Jennifer being in poor Terry Holland's office, telling him to basically make her a list and she would take care of it. Go Hoooos!
Big difference in Strong and Akers. Akers wouldn't be 14-17 with the same talent Strong has had. Akers is a much better coach than Strong. Also, last time I checked Strong has 1-2 losing record against OU.
*beat OU more than once. Also in 12 seasons at Purdue, Joe Tiller only had 2 losing seasons. Purdue is not an impossible job.
Testy? I didn't say anything about his successes at Texas. I liked the guy and we should have won a national championship with him. I was just saying that it was easy to spot an Akers offense, and easy to see why he should have been without a job by the time he was done at Purdue.