Carr’s Retirement Creates Vacancy at the Top of College Football - New York Times
Carr’s Retirement Creates Vacancy at the Top of College Football
Paul Sancya/Associated Press
"I’ve never laughed so hard in my life," Coach Lloyd Carr said about his time at Michigan. "There’s so many memories."
Published: November 20, 2007
ANN ARBOR, Mich. –Lloyd Carr announced his retirement as the head coach of Michigan Monday, ending a 13-year run that included a national championship and five Big Ten titles.
Carr to Retire From Michigan (November 19, 2007)
Division I-A
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Lloyd Carr, with quarterback Chad Henne, said he was retiring after 13 seasons as the coach of Michigan.
Carr’s voice cracked as he expressed to a crowd of media, friends and family how grateful he was for the opportunity to coach at the University of Michigan.
“For the last 28 years, I have spent my life in the greatest of places, the University of Michigan,†Carr said at a half-hour press conference. “For the last 28 years, I’ve had the greatest of jobs – Michigan football.â€
Carr said that he knew going into the season that this would be his last. “I know what this job entails,†Carr said. “I know what it takes and it was the time. It was the right time. It was the right time for Michigan and it was the right time for me.â€
The actual announcement, though, was quite difficult for Carr.
“Yesterday was one of the most emotional days of my life,†he said. “I’ve cried more tears than I knew I had. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. There’s so many memories. It was a wonderful day, I’d tell you that.â€
He said that he gave the Athletic Director Bill Martin notice during the season of his intention to step down so Martin could begin the process of looking for a new coach.
At the news conference, Carr went out of his way to down play speculation that the timing of his announcement was a move to filibuster the Louisiana State Coach Les Miles, who is considered the leading candidate to replace Carr. Miles is coaching No. 1 L.S.U. and could well be coaching until Jan. 7, the date of the Bowl Championship Series national title game, if the Tigers beat Arkansas on Friday and then win the Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 1.
“My timing is based on one thing,†Carr said. “What’s best for Michigan, what’s best for Michigan football. This announcement is made at a time when the recruiting process can be handled in a way that this program can go forward.â€
When asked specifically about Miles, Carr hinted that there was some tension with the Tigers coach, but he is at peace with the decision if Miles, a Michigan graduate, becomes the next Wolverines’ coach.
“There’s a lot of things that happen along the recruiting trail,†Carr said in an answer to a question about Miles. “It’s a very competitive business. Those are things that you put to rest.â€
Carr’s Michigan teams played in a way that matched his bulldog grimace and no-nonsense demeanor. While he never did match the daunting win total of his mentor, Bo Schembechler, Carr defined Michigan football for over a decade.
“He’s Michigan, man,†said the Jets rookie linebacker David Harris, who played for Carr at Michigan. “That’s the legacy he’ll leave. He is Michigan.â€
The Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord got misty eyed when reflecting on Carr’s career. He said that when he coached at Central Michigan, he and the Ball State Coach Brady Hoke used to talk about how much they missed working for Carr.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been a man that could get after you one second and turn around and hug you and make you laugh the next second,†DeBord said. “He’s got a special deal about him.â€
“If you look at the overall winning percentage of Michigan, you’ll see that he’s improved it over his 13 years,†said Martin, the school’s athletic director. “And this is the best program in the country.â€
Carr’ final appearance on the sideline will be in Michigan’s bowl game and would give him a chance to end the school’s four-game bowl losing streak and improve on his 5-7 bowl record.
He has a career record of 121-40 and is 81-23 in conference play. Along the way he coached 45 N.F.L. draft picks, 23 All-Americans and one Heisman Trophy winner – the cornerback Charles Woodson.
If Michigan does decide to pursue Miles, it would have to wait about seven weeks to name a new coach or Miles would have to announce he is leaving before his team played its postseason game. Either way, the uncertainty will affect both programs’ recruiting.
Miles is a graduate of Michigan, he met his wife there and he is such an admirer of Schembechler that he keeps a special section of the Ann Arbor News dedicated to the legendary Wolverines coach behind his desk in his L.S.U. office.
Miles has a $1.25 million buy out in his contract for Michigan. (The amount is $500,000 for any other program.) If he does not get the Michigan job, the pool of candidates could include Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh; Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema; Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly; the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator, Mike Trgovac, a former Michigan player; and the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator, Ron English.
Typically understated, Carr injected a bit of humor into how he told the team of his pending retirement. He called a players only meeting for 4 p.m. on Sunday and the coach was greeted by silence.
“I’m going to walk and come back in and want you guys to act like you have a heartbeat,†the sophomore lineman Steve Schilling recalled Carr saying. “Nobody died.â€
The players then greeted him with an ovation and lined up to give him hugs of support when he concluded his remarks.
“It’s sad,†Schilling said. “He’s a good coach and we’re definitely going to miss him. But he’s still going to be around. He told us he enjoyed his time here and that he had a lot of great memories.â€
Carr is expected to take a position within the athletic department of the university where he has spent the past 28 years. What exactly he’s going to do is not settled, but Carr is likely to spend time exploring interests he’s neglected due to the constant demands of coaching.
Though he lost to archrival Ohio State six of the past seven seasons, Carr’s reputation as a leader and a pillar in the community will not be stained.
The Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said that Carr’s final, tumultuous season may be viewed as one of his finest. The Wolverines finished 8-4, the season book ended by a humiliating loss to Appalachian State and a brutal loss to Ohio State. Still, the Wolverines survived a spate of injuries to have a chance to win the league title on the final day of their season.
“This year, he never lost faith,†Delany said. “He kept his team focused through everything. This may be as gritty a coaching job as I’ve seen in a while. It speaks to his resoluteness, toughness and leadership.â€:SLEEP:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/sports/football/19jets.html
Carr’s Retirement Creates Vacancy at the Top of College Football
"I’ve never laughed so hard in my life," Coach Lloyd Carr said about his time at Michigan. "There’s so many memories."
- By PETE THAMEL
Published: November 20, 2007
ANN ARBOR, Mich. –Lloyd Carr announced his retirement as the head coach of Michigan Monday, ending a 13-year run that included a national championship and five Big Ten titles.
Carr to Retire From Michigan (November 19, 2007)
Division I-A
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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Lloyd Carr, with quarterback Chad Henne, said he was retiring after 13 seasons as the coach of Michigan.
Carr’s voice cracked as he expressed to a crowd of media, friends and family how grateful he was for the opportunity to coach at the University of Michigan.
“For the last 28 years, I have spent my life in the greatest of places, the University of Michigan,†Carr said at a half-hour press conference. “For the last 28 years, I’ve had the greatest of jobs – Michigan football.â€
Carr said that he knew going into the season that this would be his last. “I know what this job entails,†Carr said. “I know what it takes and it was the time. It was the right time. It was the right time for Michigan and it was the right time for me.â€
The actual announcement, though, was quite difficult for Carr.
“Yesterday was one of the most emotional days of my life,†he said. “I’ve cried more tears than I knew I had. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. There’s so many memories. It was a wonderful day, I’d tell you that.â€
He said that he gave the Athletic Director Bill Martin notice during the season of his intention to step down so Martin could begin the process of looking for a new coach.
At the news conference, Carr went out of his way to down play speculation that the timing of his announcement was a move to filibuster the Louisiana State Coach Les Miles, who is considered the leading candidate to replace Carr. Miles is coaching No. 1 L.S.U. and could well be coaching until Jan. 7, the date of the Bowl Championship Series national title game, if the Tigers beat Arkansas on Friday and then win the Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 1.
“My timing is based on one thing,†Carr said. “What’s best for Michigan, what’s best for Michigan football. This announcement is made at a time when the recruiting process can be handled in a way that this program can go forward.â€
When asked specifically about Miles, Carr hinted that there was some tension with the Tigers coach, but he is at peace with the decision if Miles, a Michigan graduate, becomes the next Wolverines’ coach.
“There’s a lot of things that happen along the recruiting trail,†Carr said in an answer to a question about Miles. “It’s a very competitive business. Those are things that you put to rest.â€
Carr’s Michigan teams played in a way that matched his bulldog grimace and no-nonsense demeanor. While he never did match the daunting win total of his mentor, Bo Schembechler, Carr defined Michigan football for over a decade.
“He’s Michigan, man,†said the Jets rookie linebacker David Harris, who played for Carr at Michigan. “That’s the legacy he’ll leave. He is Michigan.â€
The Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord got misty eyed when reflecting on Carr’s career. He said that when he coached at Central Michigan, he and the Ball State Coach Brady Hoke used to talk about how much they missed working for Carr.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been a man that could get after you one second and turn around and hug you and make you laugh the next second,†DeBord said. “He’s got a special deal about him.â€
“If you look at the overall winning percentage of Michigan, you’ll see that he’s improved it over his 13 years,†said Martin, the school’s athletic director. “And this is the best program in the country.â€
Carr’ final appearance on the sideline will be in Michigan’s bowl game and would give him a chance to end the school’s four-game bowl losing streak and improve on his 5-7 bowl record.
He has a career record of 121-40 and is 81-23 in conference play. Along the way he coached 45 N.F.L. draft picks, 23 All-Americans and one Heisman Trophy winner – the cornerback Charles Woodson.
If Michigan does decide to pursue Miles, it would have to wait about seven weeks to name a new coach or Miles would have to announce he is leaving before his team played its postseason game. Either way, the uncertainty will affect both programs’ recruiting.
Miles is a graduate of Michigan, he met his wife there and he is such an admirer of Schembechler that he keeps a special section of the Ann Arbor News dedicated to the legendary Wolverines coach behind his desk in his L.S.U. office.
Miles has a $1.25 million buy out in his contract for Michigan. (The amount is $500,000 for any other program.) If he does not get the Michigan job, the pool of candidates could include Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh; Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema; Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly; the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator, Mike Trgovac, a former Michigan player; and the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator, Ron English.
Typically understated, Carr injected a bit of humor into how he told the team of his pending retirement. He called a players only meeting for 4 p.m. on Sunday and the coach was greeted by silence.
“I’m going to walk and come back in and want you guys to act like you have a heartbeat,†the sophomore lineman Steve Schilling recalled Carr saying. “Nobody died.â€
The players then greeted him with an ovation and lined up to give him hugs of support when he concluded his remarks.
“It’s sad,†Schilling said. “He’s a good coach and we’re definitely going to miss him. But he’s still going to be around. He told us he enjoyed his time here and that he had a lot of great memories.â€
Carr is expected to take a position within the athletic department of the university where he has spent the past 28 years. What exactly he’s going to do is not settled, but Carr is likely to spend time exploring interests he’s neglected due to the constant demands of coaching.
Though he lost to archrival Ohio State six of the past seven seasons, Carr’s reputation as a leader and a pillar in the community will not be stained.
The Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said that Carr’s final, tumultuous season may be viewed as one of his finest. The Wolverines finished 8-4, the season book ended by a humiliating loss to Appalachian State and a brutal loss to Ohio State. Still, the Wolverines survived a spate of injuries to have a chance to win the league title on the final day of their season.
“This year, he never lost faith,†Delany said. “He kept his team focused through everything. This may be as gritty a coaching job as I’ve seen in a while. It speaks to his resoluteness, toughness and leadership.â€:SLEEP:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/sports/football/19jets.html
