The new staff and social media
Those of you who aren't on Twitter won't have noticed this, but this staff is much more active on social media than the previous regime. To a certain extent, that's obvious: Hoke apparently didn't use e-mail and he didn't have a Twitter account. But it's pretty clear that the current staff is using Twitter a lot, and by design, to advertise the Michigan brand tradition to young players who aren't perhaps as aware of it as we old-timers are. For instance:
Can't wait to watch this Michigan QB play tomorrow night. Who is next in line to join the Michigan family?!?! pic.twitter.com/fRxnPCQ5bg
— Jedd Fisch (@CoachJeddFisch) January 17, 2015
That's really smart stuff. And it's worth comparing the ages of the present staff to the last one:
| 2014 | 2015 | |
| Head coach | 56 | 51 |
| Offensive coordinator | 44 (2013: 59) | 45 |
| Defensive coordinator |
|
37 |
| Special teams | 61 (Ferrigno) | 49 |
| Wide receivers | 40 | 38 |
| Secondary (1) | 52 (Mallory) | 51 (Zordich) |
| Secondary (2) | 33 (Manning) | 48 (Jackson) |
| Defensive LIne | 58 |
|
| Running backs | 64 | 42 |
| Tight ends | 61 (Ferrigno) | 25 (Jay H.) |
| Offensive line | 49 (Funk) | 44 (Trevno) |
With the exception of DL and CB, every single coach is younger, sometimes a lot younger. (Drevno and Nussmeier are basically a push; and to be fair Mattison is not your average 65 year old). This is something that Brian and Ace talked about a lot in the last podcast. I think that is also shows in their approach to social media: they're really using it in a smart way to get recruits (and potential recruits) thinking about Michigan.
UPDATED to reflect the fact that Mattison is the greatest and to include Jay Harbaugh and Zordich.
January 17th, 2015 at 5:25 PM ^
January 17th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
January 17th, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^
I am old (50) and I don't use twitter, but my kids do a lot. They are both in high school. Which is kinda Harbaugh's target market?
What is the point? It may be a significant difference between the two staffs. I agree making fun of Brady because of no email may be a little silly, but this is a huge communcation tool and a way to reach kids. Maybe Hoke had people doing it for them, but we never heard of it.
This is very relevant and interesting. Especially on a Slooooooooow saturday.
No rumors of a "buckle up"?
January 17th, 2015 at 6:18 PM ^
50 is only "old" if you believe that it is old.
January 17th, 2015 at 5:08 PM ^
Not always a good thing, however.
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January 17th, 2015 at 5:10 PM ^
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January 17th, 2015 at 5:20 PM ^
@JayHarbaugh
@CoachWheat6
If you think Singletary is sticking around @CSing57
January 17th, 2015 at 5:17 PM ^
For example, when we had 10 men on the field, a G.A. up in the booth noticed it and immediately tweeted Ferrigno, but he was checking his FB page for ST updates instead.
January 17th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^
I'm surprised he didn't get the push notification. He must have hit "do not allow" when he downloaded the app. Amateur hour.
January 17th, 2015 at 6:12 PM ^
It just shows what a dumb stubborn out-of-touch fool that Brady Hoke is: Refusing to use social media, refusing to even use email...refusing to wear a headset etc. How can that guy attempt to be paid $millions to coach kids in today's day and age, without even attempting to be modern, or even improving his own game/abilities by modernizing a little.
so glad he is gone...
January 17th, 2015 at 7:02 PM ^
current QBs on the roster work out and didn't click the link... This is what went with it.
January 17th, 2015 at 7:09 PM ^
January 17th, 2015 at 8:40 PM ^
One of many on the long list of great University of Michigan All-American Offensive Lineman!! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/A8VLIrjeoD
— Tim Drevno (@CoachDrev) January 17, 2015
January 18th, 2015 at 1:49 AM ^
"to advertise the Michigan brand tradition to young players who aren't perhaps as aware of it as we old-timers are."
Sorry if Harbaugh was not the HC it wouldnt matter much what they were "advertising" about the 1990s. Recruits want to see winning, they could tweet all they want and be the most socially active coaches on all of twitter but if you don't have a baller as the HC it would not matter. We will get the benefit of the doubt for a few years with Harbaugh and of course he needs to win and win pretty big in about 24-36.
And yeah our mindshare among teenagers stinks right now other than in "tradition" - with most people really beginning to recogize sports around age 9-10 all they've know is "suck" other than 2011 if you are 16 years old.
February 20th, 2015 at 4:03 AM ^
Hello,
Great read. You give lots of information in your article. Thanks for sharing this to us. Happy posting :)
February 20th, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^
I believe the wider age difference between coaches and recruits greatly influences who will come to Michigan. I think of Woody Hayes in his late years and Bear Bryant. Great coaches but as they aged I feel they were more out of touch with players . They relied on their younger coaches to keep the line of communications open. These recruits want a father figure to play for not a grandfather figure. Any legitimate means to keep that gap closer is beneficial. Be it social media, younger coaches, and of course an entusiasm unknown to mankind. I may be sucking a lemon here but I have always felt this way about older coaching staffs.