The new DMAC, Michael Dyer

[Carl Lazlo]

Dyer has the potential to be better than Dmac.

[Tammany Tom]

Well, what does THAT prove?  Maybe that if Nick can set the recruiting table for him, he can hold down most of the commitments?  I wouldn't crow about that first class if I were you, as it was mostly Saban's doings.

I've read your posts for a long time, you seem to be a very objective and knowledgeable person. However, on this point, I firmly disagree.

Miles recruited and convinced the following players from his first class to commit to LSU. None of these players were committed to LSU while Saban was the coach, each was recruited by and committed to Miles: Ciron Black (our starting OT as a soph, Ryan Perrilloux (MVP of the SEC Championship game), Trindon Holliday (fastest player in college football & key special teams player), Ricky Jean Francois (Defensive MVP for the National Championship game), Brandon LaFell (starting WR & scored TD reception in Title game), Lyle Hitt (starting guard this year). Three of the six players that committed to Saban quit the team in 2005.

I respect LSU - not so much your coach's ability.  If both he and Petrino stay where they are for the next few years, it will be VERY interesting to see who has the upper hand.

I really don't understand why anyone would not think much of Miles' ability to coach. Because he doesn't come across well over the TV cameras? The man is 34-6, 19-5 in the SEC, 3-0 in bowl games of which all were blowout wins, 2-0 in BCS Bowl games, 8-4 head-to-head against the so called elite coaches of this conference (Meyer, Spurrier, Richt, Tubberville, Fulmer, and Saban). What the man did in his first season after Hurricane Katrina is simply remarkable. I don't think that fans outside of the state of LA can comprehend the challenges he had in keeping the team focused and together after that catastrophe.

I said this in another thread on MMQ: Miles is held to a higher standard by fans and media outside of Louisiana. A higher standard than Meyer, Richt, Saban, and Tuberville (who are all at talent rich and tradition rich schools). Meyer inherited a program just as talented as Miles did in 2005. Meyer is considered the second coming even though he is 1-2 against the inferior Miles, has a worse record, won the same amount of championships as Miles, and got out coached and beat in his last bowl game against a much inferior opponent in Michigan. Richt's Georgia program has recruited the best, overall, than any program in the SEC this decade. Richt has not won a national championship, but is considered a much better coach than Miles. Saban loses to programs like UAB and LA-Monroe, gets completely blown out by Florida, Bama, Auburn, and Georgia while his teams quit on him in the second half of these games.

Richt and Meyer have all the recruiting advantages that Miles has. They had all the pieces in place when they became head coach at their programs just like Miles had. They had rosters full of talent just like Miles did. However, Miles has a better overall and better SEC winning percentage than these two coaches and has won a SEC title and National Title, but is considered far inferior to them. Why? Really. The only reason I can come up with is that Miles isn't as good in front of the TV cameras.

To answer the people who think Miles has not recruited as well as Saban did at LSU. Miles has signed 7 5 star & 46 4 star players in his 4 recruiting classes at LSU. Last year Miles recruited a class with an avg. star rating of 3.88 and signed 17 players in the Rivals Top 250 while signing 26 players in the class. Compare that to Saban's awesome, unbelieveable class this year at Bama while signing 31 players. Please, go ahead and compare the two classes and then tell me Miles can't recruit well.   

[wacohog]

I've read your posts for a long time, you seem to be a very objective and knowledgeable person. However, on this point, I firmly disagree.

Miles recruited and convinced the following players from his first class to commit to LSU. None of these players were committed to LSU while Saban was the coach, each was recruited by and committed to Miles: Ciron Black (our starting OT as a soph, Ryan Perrilloux (MVP of the SEC Championship game), Trindon Holliday (fastest player in college football & key special teams player), Ricky Jean Francois (Defensive MVP for the National Championship game), Brandon LaFell (starting WR & scored TD reception in Title game), Lyle Hitt (starting guard this year). Three of the six players that committed to Saban quit the team in 2005.

I really don't understand why anyone would not think much of Miles' ability to coach. Because he doesn't come across well over the TV cameras? The man is 34-6, 19-5 in the SEC, 3-0 in bowl games of which all were blowout wins, 2-0 in BCS Bowl games, 8-4 head-to-head against the so called elite coaches of this conference (Meyer, Spurrier, Richt, Tubberville, Fulmer, and Saban). What the man did in his first season after Hurricane Katrina is simply remarkable. I don't think that fans outside of the state of LA can comprehend the challenges he had in keeping the team focused and together after that catastrophe.

I said this in another thread on MMQ: Miles is held to a higher standard by fans and media outside of Louisiana. A higher standard than Meyer, Richt, Saban, and Tuberville (who are all at talent rich and tradition rich schools). Meyer inherited a program just as talented as Miles did in 2005. Meyer is considered the second coming even though he is 1-2 against the inferior Miles, has a worse record, won the same amount of championships as Miles, and got out coached and beat in his last bowl game against a much inferior opponent in Michigan. Richt's Georgia program has recruited the best, overall, than any program in the SEC this decade. Richt has not won a national championship, but is considered a much better coach than Miles. Saban loses to programs like UAB and LA-Monroe, gets completely blown out by Florida, Bama, Auburn, and Georgia while his teams quit on him in the second half of these games.

Richt and Meyer have all the recruiting advantages that Miles has. They had all the pieces in place when they became head coach at their programs just like Miles had. They had rosters full of talent just like Miles did. However, Miles has a better overall and better SEC winning percentage than these two coaches and has won a SEC title and National Title, but is considered far inferior to them. Why? Really. The only reason I can come up with is that Miles isn't as good in front of the TV cameras.

To answer the people who think Miles has not recruited as well as Saban did at LSU. Miles has signed 7 5 star & 46 4 star players in his 4 recruiting classes at LSU. Last year Miles recruited a class with an avg. star rating of 3.88 and signed 17 players in the Rivals Top 250 while signing 26 players in the class. Compare that to Saban's awesome, unbelieveable class this year at Bama while signing 31 players. Please, go ahead and compare the two classes and then tell me Miles can't recruit well.   

Count me as one of the legions that felt that Miles was a stretch when LSU hired him.  I really didn't think he was worthy of the job.  Last season,  there was a time or two that I thought he took incredible gambles. Gambles that worked and ultimately gained LSU another NC.

I think that there is still a bit of a anti-Miles bias in a few people's minds.  Some believe that he will end up being more like Larry Coker than Bear Bryant.

I think he has done enough at LSU to earn our respect.  Period.

[Milton]

He has a 1/100000 chance in being the next dmac.He's good certainly but in my opinion there is only 1 dmac and will ever only be 1 dmac.

[Hog Waller]

For Arkansas to get another DMAC would be incredible, but unlikely as backs like that don't grow on trees and programs are lucky just once to have someone like that they can point to in their program's history.  And personally, by what I have seen of a Petrino coached offense, we don't necessarily need that again.  If you can get a solid 1000+ yd back, with some good role playing backs (i.e. 3rd down bruiser or dual threat back run/catch) to keep the defense honest in the passing game, the offense will be lethal.

[Wu Tang Clan]

Dyer has the potential to be better than Dmac.

I highly doubt that. 

[Dragon I]

I wonder if Razorback fans would treat Petrino the same way they did Nutt if he lost the top offensive player (Dyer) and top defensive player (Jones) (according to the top 40 of 2010 list) in the same season?  Everyone says Dyer likes LSU and Byran Jones only cares for one offer, and that is from LSU.

[Wu Tang Clan]

I wonder if Razorback fans would treat Petrino the same way they did Nutt if he lost the top offensive player (Dyer) and top defensive player (Jones) (according to the top 40 of 2010 list) in the same season?  Everyone says Dyer likes LSU and Byran Jones only cares for one offer, and that is from LSU.

It is impossible to get every top player in your state year in and year out.  There are kids in Arkansas who actually root against Arkansas. 2010 will be so deep, that losing only 2 might not hurt bad. 

[notreseveredname]

I wonder if Razorback fans would treat Petrino the same way they did Nutt if he lost the top offensive player (Dyer) and top defensive player (Jones) (according to the top 40 of 2010 list) in the same season?  Everyone says Dyer likes LSU and Byran Jones only cares for one offer, and that is from LSU.

At least Petrino will go after them. If Nutt saw LSU or USC coming after them he would give up before recruiting ever started.

[HogFanInBigD]

Dyer has the potential to be better than Dmac.

are you kidding me? he has a chance to be better than a 2 time heisman runner up and consensus #1 prospect in the NFL draft?

you need to step back and take a deep breath...

[HedgeDweller]

Michael Dyer (5-10, 190, 4.4)
Darren McFadden (6-2, 205, 4.3),

I would say that is a pretty big difference.  believe it or not a tenth of a second is the difference between a TD and stopped in the backfield.

No knock at all on McFadden, but it seemed to me that making the first guy (in the backfield) miss was DMac's weakness.
Too many times he was tackled for no gain or even a slight loss.
If he ever got a clear crease though......

[Hog Pharm]

:razorback: :razorback: :razorback: Why would anybody want somebody as good as Darren was? We should want somebody better. Is there anybody better out there? Yes, somewhere. Will we get that player? Our chances are as good as any.
     Relax, my friends.
     Remember the Tiger Woods commercial where he says at the end, "Don't want to be me, be better than me".
     If we strive to be only as good as we were, we will not ever be as good as we can be.
       Wooooooo Pig Soooooie!!!  :razorback: :razorback: :razorback:

Umm that's not a Tiger Woods commercial....it's LeBron James

[FWF79]

Its too early to tell where this kid will end up. I sure hope its Fayetteville

[OLDHOG]

Dyer was clocked at 4.37 twice at LSU camp. Right now he's only worring about prom and nothing else. 2 years is a long time. Be patient.

[NWAREDBUG]

Dyer recieved a offer in the form of a letter from Houston himself this week.. I guess he does offer the big ones after all.

[newera]

are you kidding me? he has a chance to be better than a 2 time heisman runner up and consensus #1 prospect in the NFL draft?

you need to step back and take a deep breath...

no you need to step back and look at the facts...was DMac a national sophmore of the year? cause Dyer was, and he was freakin horse-collared (in the backfield) by an allstate safety/corner (ryan farr, who i admit is going to UAPB also) and broke it, without going down, and ran for like 40 yards, this kid already is the real deal. and we'll be sorry (like i already said) if we don't get him, barring horrible injury he's going to be awesome.

[Wu Tang Clan]

no you need to step back and look at the facts...was DMac a national sophmore of the year? cause Dyer was, and he was freakin horse-collared (in the backfield) by an allstate safety/corner (ryan farr, who i admit is going to UAPB also) and broke it, without going down, and ran for like 40 yards, this kid already is the real deal. and we'll be sorry (like i already said) if we don't get him, barring horrible injury he's going to be awesome.

He was a sophmore this past season but a junior in age.  I don't care what awards DMAC had as a sophmore, it is still a stretch to compare him to DMAC.  Dyer is good but DMAC was on another level in high school football.  He was ridiculous on defense and did everything on offense.  If DMAC was working with the same weapons at Oak Grove that Dyer had at LR Christian, he probably would have been player of the year as a freshmen.  Dyer is very, very, very impressive for the record.

[HogFanInBigD]

no you need to step back and look at the facts...was DMac a national sophmore of the year? cause Dyer was, and he was freakin horse-collared (in the backfield) by an allstate safety/corner (ryan farr, who i admit is going to UAPB also) and broke it, without going down, and ran for like 40 yards, this kid already is the real deal. and we'll be sorry (like i already said) if we don't get him, barring horrible injury he's going to be awesome.

omg nevermind you have convinced me. not.

darren mcfadden was the best offensive and defensive player in the state his senior season. i dont really care if he won sophomore of the year...he is no darren mcfadden. i know we need him because he is a big recruit but dont get ahead of yourself.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

Thank you for that observation. I mean, everyone knew that Tressel's staff was going to outcoach Miles & Co. this year, right ?

When Miles came in,I was skeptical too. No more. His recruiting has been just as good, the results are great. He's never been ranked worse than 8th in the nation. I'm not that much up on the day to day down there but haven't heard much terrible smoke so till he goes into a shell and blows some big games that he should have won, I'll say Hats off to him. He's gotten the job done.

[newera]

just, watch, wait, and be sad when he goes to LSU and stomps all over us every year.

[Hambo]

just, watch, wait, and be sad when he goes to LSU and stomps all over us every year.

NOBODY said we didn't want him.  They are just saying it's far-fetched to compare him to DMAC right now.  DMAC is a top 5 pick in the NFL this year.  Who knows what Dyer can do when he gets to college, but I hope he does it here.

[losthawg68]

i would say that you could be very correct on this statement...very good insight indeed.  by the way...your wife looks like a cajun..is she a lsu fan??

you're a dork... too bad you won't be in monticello this weekend, we'll drink some extra for you though.

[newera]

NOBODY said we didn't want him.  They are just saying it's far-fetched to compare him to DMAC right now.  DMAC is a top 5 pick in the NFL this year.  Who knows what Dyer can do when he gets to college, but I hope he does it here.

i'm just saying he DOES have the potential to be just as good. but like you said potential is far fetched at this age. i'm just saying that the original question was is Michael Dyer the new DMAC, and i'm saying he could be. i know he will at least go D1Sec, and i think he can be as good. i'm sorry i come off as a d-bag to much i'm sorry.

[Carl Lazlo]

No joking here.  I'm stating that Michael Dyer has the potential to break ALL of D-Mac records.  Single season and career rushing yardage. And Dyer was a beast at OLB.  So he is like d-mac in the fact that they are both awesome on defense as well as offense.  Right school he could definetely be one for the ages.  Anyone that says he doesn't have the POTENTIAL to be one of the greatest, needs to take a step back.  You've obviously not watched the kid in action.

[eathill5]

I don't care what the LR coaches say.  DMAC is the #2 rusher in SEC history.  Dyer is going to be a Jr. in highschool. 

please point out to me in any of the posts where someone says that he is better than Dmac.  The whole point of the article is to compare the two at that stage of their carreer.  Nobody said he they are comparable at the stage they both are now.  Surely you are not stupid enough to not understand that.

[newera]

No joking here.  I'm stating that Michael Dyer has the potential to break ALL of D-Mac records.  Single season and career rushing yardage. And Dyer was a beast at OLB.  So he is like d-mac in the fact that they are both awesome on defense as well as offense.  Right school he could definetely be one for the ages.  Anyone that says he doesn't have the POTENTIAL to be one of the greatest, needs to take a step back.  You've obviously not watched the kid in action.

thankyou for taking me how i meant to be taken.

[El Puerco]

LSU?  Please no.

[McHogLovin]

Probably because, since he's been alive, he's watched a coach named Dork drive our program into a large hole.  LSU is nearby with 2 National Championships in the last few years..

LOL.  yep.

[McHogLovin]

He was a sophmore this past season but a junior in age.  I don't care what awards DMAC had as a sophmore, it is still a stretch to compare him to DMAC.  Dyer is good but DMAC was on another level in high school football.  He was ridiculous on defense and did everything on offense.  If DMAC was working with the same weapons at Oak Grove that Dyer had at LR Christian, he probably would have been player of the year as a freshmen.  Dyer is very, very, very impressive for the record.

I did not know that dyer was a year old for his class.  Only fair to mention that D Mac was a full year too young for his class.  He won't even be 21 until October.  That means we should be comparing D Mac's Sr. season to Dyer's previous season in terms of age.  I hope he can be as good as DMac though.  There are backs out there as good as the Mac.  Peterson just came out last year and I don't think DMac is as good.  Larry Johnson averaged 7.7 at Penn State and ran for 20 td's in a season(2002). McFadden just doesn't have many moves and runs like Eddie George.  He is faster than George was but I doubt stronger.  You have to be atleast a little shifty to be a star RB in the NFL.  You can't just plow your way to 5 yards a carry in that league.  There are other backs out there as good as DMac.  We just haven't ever had one at Arkansas.  Hopefully Curtis or Dyer will be the next great.  BTW, I love DMac and still sport my number 5 jersey regularly, I just don't feel like he is in a league of his own.   

[newera]

i don't know, i have heard my uncle (who was born, raised, and worships the sooners) say that he believes that Dmac is better than Peterson, and we all saw how good he was...but we'll see. anyway that was off subject.

[PAHawg]

#1 - He's a sophomore.  Its way too early to tell about someone at that age.  I remember a few guys who were labeled "can't miss" as sophomores only never to be heard of again.  I'm not saying this will be the case but I'd rather talk about the soon to be senior class.

#2 - BP has already shown he can recruit with the best of them.

#3 - We don't who'll be coaching where two years from now.  I personally don't expect BP to coach the Hogs more than two years if he wins.  He hasn't shown he's one to stick around anywhere for very long minus UL.

[Wu Tang Clan]

i don't know, i have heard my uncle (who was born, raised, and worships the sooners) say that he believes that Dmac is better than Peterson, and we all saw how good he was...but we'll see. anyway that was off subject.

McFadden is good but I will have to give the nod to Peterson because of his vision and cutback skills. 

[Lips]

Those comments are coming from LR coaches who have seen both play and most are saying he is better than DMAC was at this point. It is way to early to put him in the overall DMAC accomplishment.

I remember hearing Peyton say that about Eli....Hmmmmm....