OT (but maybe not really): Marrone out in Buffalo
December 31st, 2014 at 6:15 PM ^
very good news on the Wheatley front
December 31st, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
running back at Michigan but does that make him a good coach? I have no idea if he is a good coach or not. Why do many on this blog want him to coach at Michigan? Because it would be a legacy hire?
December 31st, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
Why do many on this blog want Wheatley to coach RBs at Michigan?
Because (1) he looks like a lot better option than Freddy J., (2) because such a change would provide recruiting interest over Freddy J., and (3) because he also has a son he might interest in playing at Michigan.
For some of us, those all look like improvements with Wheatley.
If there's anyone better on the market, we're all ears.
December 31st, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
I don't follow Buffalo very close since its AFC but in 2013 they had the #2 running offense in the league.
(Hire Wheatley!)
This year for some reason it dropped to #25.
(Fire Wheatley!)
Look at this point anything that removes zombie Fred Jackson from the RB coaching position I am down with.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:53 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
We aren't walking into an office he works at and saying "Hey Tyrone, you used to play running back right? Come coach running backs at a top tier team even though you've never coached before" he's been an NCAA RB coach and was good enough to get a job in the NFL.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
If Coach wants him, then that's good enough for me.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:38 PM ^
His RB's at Syracuse were pretty good. His first year in 2010 Delone Carter had 1200 yards and 9 TDs. 2011 Antwon Bailey had 1051 and 6 TDs. 2012, his final year, they had Jerome Smith rush for 1171 and Tyson Gulley run for 830.
December 31st, 2014 at 8:34 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 7:51 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^
Out of curiosity, why did he opt out?
December 31st, 2014 at 6:19 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
He didn't make the move without already knowing he had 2 jobs offers on the table.
If he did, he's dumb. I don't think he's dumb, I think it was a calculated risk.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:17 PM ^
It felt like we were waiting for Harbaugh forever. Now everything seems to be happening at once.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
You'd think Marrone would get calls from other teams. If so, would he want TW and would Ty consider that over UM?
December 31st, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
Can he bring the pads with him?
Wheatley looked 300 lbs in college because of the pads.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:55 PM ^
To be fair, Wheatley looked huge compared to other running backs of the same era because he WAS huge. The pads certainly made a difference, but Wheatley really was pretty huge; 240 lbs at six feet is nothing to sniff at.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:22 PM ^
He also had plenty of power. I remember him turning a corner and lowering the boom on Chico Nelson in one of the OSU games.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:45 PM ^
Also, don't know if anyone noticed the decals on the helmet of the guy blocking. I forgot how recently we had them. I think LC was the coach who got rid of them.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
With an OC already on the staff, do we even have a shot at Wheatley?
December 31st, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
or Co-OCs. Both would be new at the FBS level (Drevno did it at San Diego).
December 31st, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
This is pretty stunning given how much Buffalo exceeded expectations this year. I've got to to think he's got another job lined up. If that's the case I've got to think he'll at least try to hold on to some of his assistants so we'll probably still have to offer Wheatley some sort of title bump in order to get him.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
The guy goes .500 exactly at Syracuse and doesn't really leave them any stronger than when he got there (Shafer is 10-15 since). But he gets a head coaching gig in the NFL. He goes 15-17 there, then thinks he is in such high demand that he gives up his contract willingly, thinking he will get an even better job.
And yet the 49ers wanted to get rid of Jim Harbaugh? What the fuck is up with that league?
December 31st, 2014 at 6:26 PM ^
Marrone can go home to the Jets while also making $4 million from Buffalo without penalty. Sounds like the right move to me.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
You would think after Jimmy Sexton did this with Parcells teams would learn, but apparently not.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
It just makes zero sense to me how this guy is a candidate to replace Rex Ryan who seems to be a candidate to replace everybody else who got fired, unless some random coordinator gets those gigs.
Seems like a league full of retreads and shot-in-the-dark candidates. Obviously Marrone should take whatever opportunities are there, I just don't understand how anyone is excited to hire him, much less multiple competing NFL franchises.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
Oh yeah, it's definitely a fraternity. Teams like Buffalo and Oakland will always be the same because the NFL is the least creative sports league in the world (when it comes to everything).
December 31st, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
Buffalo had not finished above .500 since 2004 before this year. They had Kyle Orton and EJ Manuel as QBs. He did something right somewhere along the way. Syracuse had not finished above .500 in seven years before he got there. He's done pretty well.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^
He got to play New England to end the year when they had clinched their playoff position. Instead of Tom Brady, he beat Janeane Garofalo and got above .500. Otherwise they are 8-8, just like Joe Philbin (WHO?) and the Dolphins the past two seasons. Is he a hot commodity in the league now too?
And it isn't like Syracuse is some historically downtrodden program. They just hired Greg Robinson and were a .500 team in Pasqualoni's last couple years. David Cutcliffe has been more impressive at two spots in college, but I don't see the Jets knocking down his door.
The guy the Jets fired went to the AFC title game. Twice. With Mark Sanchez. That is at least something to put on a resume rather than, "I went 9-7 once and rebuilt Syracuse from shitty back to mediocre."
December 31st, 2014 at 8:17 PM ^
The Dolphins have way more talent than Buffalo and to suggest otherwise is idiotic.
The Jets shouldn't have fired Ryan, but they did.
Going 9-7 with Kyle Orton as your QB isn't easy. The Bills were and are trending up and that is something that has not been said in a long time.
He almost certainly has another job lined up. Also do you actually think Cutcliffe would do well in the NFL?
December 31st, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^
So at least some sense has been made. Rex Ryan is highly regarded aswell, some times a good coach just doesn't fit. New team with new people who might buy in.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:23 PM ^
Wheatley was Dilithium before Denard was Dilithium.
Great player who doesn't receive the love he deserves because he played between Dez and Charles. His performance in the 93' Rose Bowl was the best performance by a Michigan back since Harmon. Just an incredible talent.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
Great character as well as great talent. Grew up under really trying circumstances. Have to believe his experience at UM contributed to making him the man he is. I'd love to have him back as a coach (and would be glad to have his son come along too).
December 31st, 2014 at 6:31 PM ^
To an extent. They were in the backfield together for at least a season. But Biakabutuka's 1995 performance against OSU was so dominant that Wheatley has been (mostly) forgotten.
Ty was big, fast and shifty. One of the best backs ever to wear Maize and Blue.
January 1st, 2015 at 8:32 AM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:23 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
December 31st, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
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December 31st, 2014 at 6:31 PM ^
There will be one way or another due to Tyrone Wheatley, Jr's recruitment.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:36 PM ^
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