Brian Flores out as head coach

[Downunder Dolphan]

I don't believe that Harbaugh bullshit for one second.

Ross may want Harbaugh; he may not.  But "not taking him away from Michigan" is just posturing garbage.

Absolutely. Ross is a big contributor to Michigan, and he doesn't want to be outwardly seen as nuggeting their program as they are on the verge of possibly competing for a National Championship...

But rumors about Harbaugh wanting to go back into the NFL had been circulating around for over a week before Flores was sacked. Ross would know one way or the other more than most, and at least he's going about it the right way this time - making sure there is a HC vacancy there before he goes to fill it.

[Downunder Dolphan]

While I am a little surprised at the timing, I can't say I'm disappointed about Flores being fired.

Back in the "Can We Fire Flores Now?" thread I outlined my reasons as to why I was ready to move on.

I'm just hoping now that Ross hires a competent replacement, and we can more upward from here. 

[Downunder Dolphan]

https://twitter.com/JeffDarlington/status/1480550814003470338


Jeff Darlington
@JeffDarlington
The decision to fire Flores can be summed up with one word: Relationships. His relationship with Grier and Tua had deteriorated to a pretty bad place. Along with constant staff changes, owner Steve Ross no longer saw Flores as a healthy fit in Miami.

Yeah, I can see this being more than just Flores and Grier, it goes a long way back... you think of what happened with Minkah, getting shipped out because Flores can't coach him...

The next couple of drafts we pass over Alabama defensive backs - we draft Noah instead of Diggs (ouch!), we pass on McKinney... how much was due to Flores' stubbornness?

His seeming infatuation with Watson and leaving Tua out to dry... starting Jacoby when Tua was fit was just bizarre and insulting.

Players seemingly out of favor and benched/moved to special teams, and the rumors of him losing the locker room during the seven game losing streak.

Maybe, for once, Ross saw the big picture of what was happening within the team?

[masterfins]

Absolutely. Ross is a big contributor to Michigan, and he doesn't want to be outwardly seen as nuggeting their program as they are on the verge of possibly competing for a National Championship...

But rumors about Harbaugh wanting to go back into the NFL had been circulating around for over a week before Flores was sacked. Ross would know one way or the other more than most, and at least he's going about it the right way this time - making sure there is a HC vacancy there before he goes to fill it.

Harbaugh had his pay cut in half this year, $8M down to $4M, so IMO Harbaugh saying he would entertain NFL offers is his way of negotiating a big pay raise.  Add in the fact they beat Ohio State and he's going to get a big contract to stay at Michigan, by threatening to go back to the NFL.

[masterfins]

Are you assuming that the next head coach isn't going to want Tua? Why do you think that?

No I'm not assuming that, I really have no idea whatsoever if the new HC will want Tua.  However, more often than not new HC's want to bring in "their guys".  I just think Tua has played well enough in a season and a half to give him another season to see if he can be the franchise QB, and QB is the one position that I think ownership should come out as behind, even if they don't mean it.  It's so GD hard to get a top franchise QB and I think Tua has the potential to be that guy, otherwise the odds are that Miami goes back into rebuild mode...again.

[Dolfanalyst]

Fans of other teams on other message boards are almost unanimously regarding the firing of Flores as bizarre, as it was their decided impression that he was making the team perform better than expected given its level of talent.

And I have to agree with that perspective.  Whether there were "relationship" issues going on behind the scenes that made his continued employment untenable I don't know, however.  But I suspect he'll get hired somewhere else pretty quickly.

[Pappy13]

No I'm not assuming that, I really have no idea whatsoever if the new HC will want Tua.  However, more often than not new HC's want to bring in "their guys".  I just think Tua has played well enough in a season and a half to give him another season to see if he can be the franchise QB, and QB is the one position that I think ownership should come out as behind, even if they don't mean it.  It's so GD hard to get a top franchise QB and I think Tua has the potential to be that guy, otherwise the odds are that Miami goes back into rebuild mode...again.

It's easy to find a franchise head coach? Of the 2, I think it's easier to find a franchise QB. There's one in Houston that isn't playing and would love to come to Miami.

[fyo]

It's easy to find a franchise head coach? Of the 2, I think it's easier to find a franchise QB. There's one in Houston that isn't playing and would love to come to Miami.

For the price of 3 first round picks and some serious baggage.

[EDGECRUSHER]

For the price of 3 first round picks and some serious baggage.

And cap space. Besides, he wanted to play for Flores and now he is gone. I believe Houston has a job opening and Flores needs a job. Seems to make sense to finally unite the two.

[Pappy13]

For the price of 3 first round picks and some serious baggage.

We'll see if that's still the asking cost this off season. If Houston holds to that they won't get any takers unless the legal issues are behind him. I think Miami was close to getting a deal done before the trade deadline but Ross got cold feet because of the legal issues being unresolved. Might be a different story with a new head coach and possible new direction for the offense.

[Pappy13]

And cap space. Besides, he wanted to play for Flores and now he is gone. I believe Houston has a job opening and Flores needs a job. Seems to make sense to finally unite the two.

Watson is done in Houston and that's not Watson's decision, that's Houstons. Maybe Tua can run Houston's offense next year? That would be an upgrade for both teams QB situations.

[Dave Gray]

It doesn't surprise me that fans of other teams find this firing bizarre.  They don't watch this team.  Just seeing a team that's .500, won 8 of 9...it looks weird.

But fans of this team can see that this dude is lost on gameday.

I've never been so frustrated watching a team I like win games.  It's the least confident type of play possible.  We score on the opening drive, he fails to adjust as other coaches make their adjustments, and we get shut down, maxing out at 19 points.

It's the same every week.  We haven't won a meaningful game in 3 years.  We essentially ended two seasons in a row with "win and you're in" type games and we got horribly blown out in both.  He seems ill-prepared to me.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Watson is done in Houston and that's not Watson's decision, that's Houstons. Maybe Tua can run Houston's offense next year? That would be an upgrade for both teams QB situations.

I think they kept him out so he could stay healthy to be traded. If he came back tomorrow and said I want to play for Houston and your next coach, he is coming back. They have no choice really, he has a full no trade. What are they going to do, pay him $40 Million a year to not play for the next 5 years?

[Pappy13]

I think they kept him out so he could stay healthy to be traded. If he came back tomorrow and said I want to play for Houston and your next coach, he is coming back. They have no choice really, he has a full no trade. What are they going to do, pay him $40 Million a year to not play for the next 5 years?

No, they will find a taker soon or later and it will be for less than 3 #1 picks in my opinion. 2 #1's and a player or 2 and some change, I can see that, but I doubt anyone is giving up 3 #1 picks even for Deshaun Watson especially now that he's a year removed from action.

Besides Watson isn't strolling into the Houston front office and saying he's willing to play for them now anyway. He doesn't want to play for them and he's not going to grovel. He'll take his money and not play if it comes to that. As you said Houston is going to HAVE to trade him at some point. They were close to finding a taker before the deadline and the hints were that they were gonna take less than the 3 #1's they have been saying.

[Dave Gray]

I feel that Texans hold no cards.  Even if Deshaun were to get picked up, he's going to be years removed from the game and a massive PR problem, not to mention legal issues.

I guess you can gamble and get lucky, but I just can't risk that....even if you get the good player, it's not really a guy you want on your roster anyway.

I'd just rather that be someone else's headache.