The second reason is that he does not want to do battle with Attorney General Mike Cox, Secretary Terri Land, Representative Candice Miller, State Representative Fulton Sheen, and others in a Republican Primary.  The Democratic Primary will necessarily be less competitive.  At that point, Coach Perles' own celebrity, force of personality, and intelligence will carry more weight, especially against "'class guy'" Lt. Governor John Cherry.

What is a Party's identity is different in an a different person's head.

Frankly I would have bet that the Coach for MSU winning football team during those wonderful years would have an easy time wining a plurality among politicians, elected officials.  I have no idea if Tom Izzo would run as a Republican (I doubt it).  This initially instilled in me fear ("we're doomed") and hope that Ted Nugent would come, run for Governor, save us all.

But Coach Perles is only forming an Exploratory Committee, but in my mind that means it is a done deal.

Now on the radio he said he wants to pursue tax plans that allow lower taxes for businesses of all kinds, "luring people back to Michigan".  There was also other stuff (that I cannot remember, some Citizen Journalist) that sounds fairly politically Conservative to me.