Hypothetical 2015 Coaching Candidates

'm sry

You all do realize Harbaugh will recieve NFL offers in the neighborhood of 12-15 million a year. You'd have to guarantee him 60+ million over 5 years just to get him to listen.  The University has deep pockets but not like Jerry Jones. 

I really think we are screwed as fanbase for a while folks.  I've been a Michigan fan since 1979, when my step-dad introduced me to Michigan football, and my passion for Michigan runs deep.  But I'm reaching a breaking point, at least as far as football.  Let's be honest here.  Take off all rose-colored glasses and pretenses.  Since Bo retired, Michigan has won exactly eight Big Ten titles, only 4 of which are outright.  So in the last 25 years, that's one championship every three years or so.  And none since 2004.  Yes, we had that magical 1997 year, and I think for many that clouds our judgment and makes us think Michigan was more elite that it really was, even in 1990s.  The 90s were filled with great OSU teams that we managed to often derail, but outside 1997 no real "great" Michigan teams.

So that's it.  25 years of mostly good to mediocre teams, with the last 8 now taking us from mediocrity to outright poor play. We are where we are.  I for one have a tough choice to make.  I love Michigan football like a child of mine, but it's terribly rough for me to watch them suck.  I'm reaching the final grieving stage for the passing of the Michigan that once was  - acceptance - but I'm not there yet.  I watch these games and I'm filled with anger.  All the talk, all the promises, and 2014 Michigan looks identical to 2013 Michigan.  And the people in charge look clueless to fix it.  And you have to wonder, is it really, solely coaching, or is there some type of cancer eating underneath all of this?  Greg Mattison did not suddenly become a terrible DC, nor - if we are honest here - did Greg Robinson the moment he set foot on Michigan's campus.  Yet watching Michigan's defense on Saturday was nearly identical to watching it in 2013.  The problems that exist on both sides of the ball remain the same with only minimal improvement.  I'm not sure what the causes are, but I suspect the infighting in the Michigan fanbase, the inability to decide what we want Michigan to be, is the root cause of the current malaise.  And it's not going to get better soon I don't think.  Granted we have (and will have) talent.  But when there's some unwritten rule that Michigan is supposed to win a CERTAIN way and no one can even define for sure what that way is, we are in trouble.  Is it the Lloyd Car way, the pro-style offense with the drop back passer and the balanced rushing attack?  Is that what Michigan football is?  Is it Bo's option attack, which to a certain degree RichRod brought back even though it was labeld contratry to what Michigan football really 'is all about'?

It's really discouraging to me how RichRod was treated from the moment he got to Michigan.  Here he was an offensive football savant and from the moment he was hired we were always reminded he was not a "Michigan Man", which of course no one can define because it means something different to everyone who says it.  He got little support and while he made his own mistakes for sure, I imagine things might have turned out differently if he had received full fan, alumni, and administration support up front (like maybe paying Casteel the less than $300k he wanted...which is peanuts compared to what we are paying Mattision).  So then we turned to a backup Michigan man because we couldn't get the guy we really wanted (Harbaugh) and the other guy who maybe could have made it work (Les Miles) inspires a lot of hatred around here.  So we got Brady Hoke, a .500 career coach, mainly because he's a good guy and coached here before.  And shockingly, it isn't going to work out.  To me this ND game was Hoke's Richrod PSU moment.  The game when I and many others realized he just couldn't get it done.  All optimism - at least for me - is gone.  Maybe as Bronxblue says we should just let Brady get us back to mediorce+ (if he can do that) and THEN hire someone better.  Who knows.  I for one don't think I'll be watching this season.  I can't take the pain anymore.

But *when* we go looking for a coach again, we must jettison this "Michigan Man" BS.  John Beilein had no previous ties to Michigan but I think he's worked out splendidly.  But based on the "ties to Michigan" criteria, he should never have been hired in the first place.  Let's just all agree what we want someone of good character who is a good coach and get rid of this idea that the new coach has to somehow "get" Michigan and tell us how "great" we are, even when the evidence shows we are not anymore.  We need someone to *make* us great, not sycophantically kiss our collective asses as Brady always does with his “this is Michigan” emptiness.  Sadly, I think this is impossible for our current fractured fan base and the AD will have to find someone else with these mysterious "ties" to Michigan and we'll be screwed yet again.  So we all must decide, can we take the pain?

End rant.

There is a lot of season left, and I hope it turns around, but does anyone think if we lose to MSU and OSU that Hoke is actually still here? With that said:

1) Jim Harbaugh

2) John Harbaugh

3) Les Miles

4) Kevin Summlin

5) Art Briles

6) someone with NFL roots (ex. Jim Mora to UCLA)

I don't think it gets past #3.  Don't think Jim will happen.  I think John is a toss up.  I think Les comes though.  I hope somehow Tyrone Wheatley joins the staff too.  Feel like he would be a beast recruiter and potential down the road HC.

Wow, you give up 28 points in a half to Oregon and all of a sudden you're dropped from all the prospective head coaching lists.

/s

should be available after this year

USC was foolish not to hire him.  Anyone who could make the Jags playoff material is worth a look.  Assuming Harbaugh isn't coming.

Built a phenomenal OL at Central Michigan(!) and has a great OL coach. Also coached QBs and transformed Kirk Cousins into the Big Ten's best QB at the time. He also runs a pro-style offense and runs it very well. I watched CMU's last two games against Chat and Purdue and they were impressive. It wouldn't surprise me if Enos won the MAC this year.

Only downside is that he's an MSU grad and that might (read: would) rub people the wrong way possibly. But honestly, after all the "Michigan Man" b.s. over the years, does it really matter? He's competent.

How about Joe Gibbs? For a guy with three super bowl rings, I think we could get him pretty cheap.

Or Jay Paterno. Top coordinator who oversaw a lot of success for a Big Ten program and I don't believe anyone has jumped on him yet. HOW IS THIS GUY UNEMPLOYED?

then dont even bother.   No one else out there really.  

1. As ugly as last saturday was, it's too early for this talk.  But...

2. If we have to have this conversation, can we at least drop the idea that the next guy has to have some connection to the program?  We need a guy who will fit with the culture better than Rodriguez.  It's about character, not contacts.  (And if Brandon can't get his head around that, then it really is time for a new AD.)

3. Can we also get past the idea that a new coach cannot succeed without "his players"?  Good coaches either teach their system quickly or adapt to the players they have.  Bo beat OSU his first year with Bump Elliott's players.  Brady Hoke actually had his best year with Rich Rod's players.  Not saying it's time to let go of Hoke (see 1) but if Hoke cannot get this team in decent shape by the end of the year we shouldn't keep him around just to avoid a transition.