The University of Michigan head coaching search has moved from speculation to an initial exploratory phase, and as predicted Les Miles is one of the first individuals contacted.

Miles has long been considered a contender for the Wolverines job. The current LSU Tigers coach was an offensive lineman under Bo Schembechler in the 1970s and an assistant coach at Michigan from 1987 to 1994. The school's current interim athletic director, Jim Hackett, is also a former teammate of Miles.

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Now reports indicate that the school has reached out to Miles to gauge his personal interest in the gig, per 24/7 Sports. Duke's David Cutcliffe was also apparently contacted about the opening, according to The Advocate.

Hackett opened the Wolverines' coaching search by disabusing fans of the notion that he would only seek out "Michigan Men" to lead the program, but Miles and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh (a former UM quarterback) remain the prime contenders for the position.

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Miles is 103-28 in ten seasons in Baton Rouge. However, he also is 61 years old, and it's unclear how much longer he intends to coach. Michigan is desperately seeking stability and longevity at the position -- their next hire will be the program's fourth coach in eight years.