OT: Sparty student section vacant
I sadly admit I was just as interested in the MSU-Neb game as the UM game. I couldn't believe how empty upper sections of Spartan Stadium were. These presumably were student sections. No one seems to talk about issues like this when you are winning - which I don't see us doing much of for the remainder of this season.
Also sign me up for Narduzzi as a replacement for Hoke. Michigan won championships with defense and no one else is doing it better than Narduzzi. Reality is that we aren't getting an NFL or SEC coach to take a lateral move/ demotion to come to UM. We also would be stealing from a rival. Very unlikely MSU keeps up this level of defense when he leaves for his HC job, wherever that is.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:30 AM ^
Things are bad now, but Dan Mullen coming here would not be a lateral move or a demotion. I know the committee is supposed to emphasizing strength of schedule, but I still think a tough SEC is going to make it harder to get into the playoff than a weak B1G.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
Not the Mullen discussion again. He's not coming here because the Michigan job is ABSOLUTELY a lateral move at best. People here like to think that Michigan is a coaching destination and that we're still a blue-blood program, however the truth of the matter is that that's just not the case. We've fallen very far extremely quickly. Coach's see all the infighting, politics, and michigan man crap that comes with this job and it makes it much much much less attractive. Besides Florida is going to make a run at Mullen, and that's a competition we're just going to lose. Florida has just as good resources, better recruiting grounds, and no back-stabbing politics. Those all make it a much better job than this one.
Besides, we still have a coach. Hoke deserves the opportunity to finish out at least this season and next year's. He's given us his all and put his heart and soul into this program. The least we can do is let him finish out his contract.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
We may have lost some of our status over the past 10 years, but anyone who thinks Mississippi State to Michigan is a lateral move has lost all perspective.
I agree that fighting Florida for Mullen would be a tough battle, especially given his ties there. I am not so worried about Mississippi State.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
Not worried about Mississippi State? You should be. Did you read the CC Dan Mullen thread yesterday? Mullen has the keys to that program and most of their fauns, alumni, boosters, and administration are happy with him. He get's what he wants there. So if you're going to leave there, you're going to leave for a big time program (something that we once were but no longer are). Plus Why would he then come to a program that devours and hate's coach's that outsiders, will have limited support from the fans, alumni, and administration, as well as being a program that is in a complete and utter freefall in a terrible conference. It just doesn't make any sense for him to leave a good thing going at MSU to come to this dumpster fire.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
then I don't know what to tell you. You haven't been paying attention the last 7 years. If you're not a Michigan Man than half the fanbase picks up their pitchforks before you even step foot on campus. What coach that isn't affiliated with U of M is going to come strolling into that environment with a team that is tire-fire?
October 5th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
24-0, then 0-2, now 4-1.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^
As long as David Brandon is still here, Miss St to Michigan IS a lateral move. Luckily, the MIchigan job will be a great one again as soon as Brandon is gone.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
why is everyone so high on Mullen wouldnt it just be another RR type higher. Random guy with no connection to the program. he runs the spread so we would have to go back from the mess wr in right now to a spread. i doubt hed be interested anyways
October 5th, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
Is that you PFTCommenter?
October 5th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^
Are his results on the field good? no they are not. I can't defend how poor this team is playing. But does he care for those 115 kids that wear the winged helmet? absolutely. He is doing a much better job at preparing them become successful and productive members of society. That is what makes a coach great. Wins and Losses are nice, but the true value of a coach is the positive influence he has on his players and Hoke has done a tremendous job in that department. Want proof? See the tremendous outpouring of support he has received from his former players. That should tell you all you need to know.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
In today's world where the competition is so fierce that if you want to win you have to be willing to slack on the ethics part. I would never want to fall into that trap and it's exactly why I'm glad Hoke is our coach. Sure our record might stink but at least we are doing it the right way.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
all about W and L's then why just not give the player's roids? Forget ethics and cheating. According to you we need to win. I prefer Hoke as he is a genuinely good person and truly cares for our players and while the results may not be what we want, at least we won't have a slimeball as our HC like Dantonio, saban, or meyer. But if start down the road of winning at all costs than I'm done.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
He's not a fucking life coach he is a football coach. One that has failed miserably at his primary mission. I wish I could have a job where results don't matter as long as you are a good person. Hoke has turned the program into a laughingstock. Blatantly unprepared, overmatched and makes a ridiculous amount of boneheaded decisions. He was given all the tools to succeed and received much more than fair compensation for his time and resume. Let him come back at a 1/10th of the salary to be a personal mentor to the program but a head coach he is not and deserves nothing more than he has already received.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:31 AM ^
pshhh - anything they can do, we can do better. They want to see an empty student section? Just wait for the next few home games...
October 5th, 2014 at 9:32 AM ^
is not coming to michigan, he hates michigan. I would rather him actually have a head coaching job before i hand him the keys to our program, he could be a disaster. Some guys are meant to be Head Coaches, rather position coaches or just Defensive coordinators. Plus, I'm sure he'll be sparty's coach in 4-5 years. also, who cares about the sparty student section? I know, I know, I shouldn't read this thread or comment, just man...
October 5th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^
Reading about the student section for a top 10 spartans team while our team is completely irrelevent (besides being everywhere in the media.. but not for any good reasons) is a joke. I don't care if their fans show up to their games or not... their football team is doing what Michigan should be doing. Quit grasping.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
Narduzzi has done more with less, while Hoke has done less with more. See the difference there?
October 5th, 2014 at 9:32 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
OK, come on, conspiracy guy. A guy given a head coaching job for the first time would not do that. I am fully confident that this has never happened.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^
Dantonio would let that happen - over his dead body. actually he'd retire and make Narduzzi HC. This makes the Harbaugh speculation sound realistic in comparison ;)
October 5th, 2014 at 9:33 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
there's a better chance of getting BOTH Harbaugh brothers (a 2-headed Head Coach?) than getting Narduzzi.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:40 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 9:47 AM ^
I woud wager it's mostly Dantonio. I think Narduzzi is just a younger, less monotone hypeman. That's not to say Narduzzi is devoid of any coaching prowess, but they wouldn't take a big step back if he left.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^
I think he really has embraced Dantonio's genuine hatred of Michigan, so it's difficult to see him coming to Ann Arbor. I mean, tweeting shit talk after their basketball team beat Michigan, that's something a coach should be above. He's become a typical Sparty.
Secondly, I think people sometimes forget Dantonio was the D-coordinator for a National Championship team. Yes, Tressel's teams were almost always solid defensively, but Dantonio probably learned a lot there. I don't doubt Narduzzi is a good coach in his own right, but I'm not sold on him being the true mastermind behind MSU's defensive success.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:16 AM ^
have some perspective..... love and hate are the same emotion.... and michigan spurned dantonio, the one time they shouldnt have... when carr began to consitently lose to tressel, our effective history was to take his rib, to beat him... you know, taking bo to beat woody... get it? instead, they left carr in, and tressel kept beating us and beating us.... dantonio was waiting for the call...he was at cinci.... it didnt come, and hes pissed, rightfully so...
and if you want to beat dantonio now? considering, brandon and hoke walked the program to this point, it will take narduzzi.... though i do think harbaugh would beat him... jim, not john.. john is a players coach and that won't work here....
October 5th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
Narduzzi would be a good hire at lower level school where you can take a flyer. Michigan is on such dire straits that they need a slam dunk to right the ship.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
However the problem is that we're in such dire straights and the politics here are so awful that no slam-dunk will want to come here and all we'll have left to choose from is flyer's. If it was up to me I'd keep Hoke around but if he is let go then why not give Narduzzi the key's to the program, if he would take them (which I'm not sure he would). This whole "we need a proven head coach" is beginning to sound a lot like the "we need a Michigan Man" crap that we all heard the last go around.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
Was never made. We are in no position to mock anything that they are currently doing.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^
I for one do not care about Michigan or Michigan State attendance.. I care about winning games. Guess who is dominating in that department these last handful of years?
October 5th, 2014 at 10:52 AM ^
Miles has gotten smoked his last two games. Harbaugh is in a volatile environment in San Fran. Those two make sense to come here. Hoke won't make it to next season unless Michigan blows out the next 7 opponents.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
What time was that where the student section was empty? Apparently late in the game when MSU had a sizeable lead before almost blowing it the students section started to empty, especially with the weather.
Ahhhh, I remember when that used to happen at Michigan. Those were the days.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
But it looked exactly like the Big House last week. You see it at other Power5 stadiums too. It may mean absolutely nothing. Maybe a trend in CFB with other options students have with their time and money?
I don't know. It was just talked about on twitter plenty and I thought I'd throw it out there.
If we are 4-1 or 5-0, I think we'd have the same student gaps and it wouldn't be a big deal.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^
yep i was pretty shocked as well. i can understand the wyoming game but Nebraska?
October 5th, 2014 at 1:20 PM ^
That Ricks line gets long pretty quick, gotta get there early.