ESPN Report: Regents To Discuss Brandon Tomorrow, AD Candidates Contacted
Jeff Long and Warde Manuel: already contacted?
ESPN is reporting that the regents will discuss Dave Brandon at their previously scheduled meeting tomorrow, as revealed to them by regent Denise Ilitch herself. This may very well be the beginning of the end (or the beginning of the end of the end) for Brandon, as Ilitch had this to say about the Shane Morris situation:
"The systems failed and there are a lot of issues we have to review," Ilitch told WWJ CBS TV in Detroit.
The money quote, however, came at the end:
Sources told ESPN's Brett McMurphy that someone on Michigan's behalf has contacted three possible candidates to replace Brandon to gauge their interest in the job.
Arkansas AD Jeff Long, UConn AD Warde Manuel, and Boston College AD Brad Bates are the obvious candidates to be those three people, with Texas Tech deputy AD Joe Parker as a possible dark horse.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
October 15th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
Far from a done deal, but yes, if they're contacting potential replacements, it has to mean that there's a serious chance he gets replaced. Brandon's seat is now officially hotter than Hoke's
October 15th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
Make it a love seat and get rid of both of them. That's what my momma always used to say.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
The regents don't have authority to fire Brandon, that's Schlissel's call. But you have to expect he would confer with them before taking this step.
And I wouldn't say we know how a vote (even if it's strictly advisory) will go just from the fact there's a meeting.
HOWEVA -- there's no denying something is up. Combine that with the feelers going out to different ADs and it sure doesn't look like Brandon's getting a raise.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
I'd go a little further and say that Ilitch wouldn't have participated discussion of the topic on the news show if the matter wasn't settled.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^
people called into Jamie Morris' radio show ( Ihtink his name was Bart?) He was remarkably candid, and Jamie treated him with a great deal of credibility. He very much gave the impression that if everyone was patient, the president was going to act in a manner that the everyone would find agreeable. And now we are seeing these stories break.
Plus I don't think ESPN would publish this unless there was something behind it.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 12:45 PM ^
He also fired Petrino when it would have been easier from a public support standpoint not to have done so (they were coming off a top-5 finish) and hired the coach of the three-time defending Big Ten champs to replace him. I think the positives outweigh the negatives.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
I think he handled the Petrino situation about as well as anyone could have.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 1:43 PM ^
I really don't know enough about him to have an informed opinion either way. I was merely commenting on the Petrino "issue".
October 16th, 2014 at 3:30 AM ^
I'd rather have an AD who has managed to hire a sitting NFL coach away from a NFL team before than ADs who have never done that. It's uncharted territory to hire someone like Jim or John Harbaugh away from the NFL given their success there, so Long's hiring of Petrino is as close to relevant job experience as it gets.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^
that few would think he had a chance of landing. I like that he is willing to aim high rather than settle for someone certain to take the job. Petrino might be a mercenary who would leave when a better job beckoned, but he's a proven winner. Not many places can do better than that. I have to wonder when was the last time we did.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
Why do you hate the guy who hired Bobby Petrino? Yes, he had a scandal at the end but he was a homerun when he got him and he did well there. Long did not know about how it would end up when he hired him in 08. Manuel doesn't really have any good hires and the jury is out on Bates because his guys are so new. I like the Addazio hire for them.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
shane montgomery, anyone?
October 15th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
I've been checking every day hoping to hear/read/see that DB was gone. Granted that was probably unreasonable timing expectations on my part, but hey, we're talking about [a] DB here.
October 15th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
On Addazio: I had the Addazio years at Temple in Philly and the guy is not a phenomenal coach by any means. Frustrating as hell his time at TU. I didn't think it was a great move by BC to pick him up and was frankly glad to see him go. The new guy, Matt Rhule, is younger, a better recruiter and from the Al Golden line of coaches (Al Golden may not be the be all end all at YTM Miami but he his time at Temple was glorious). Addazio went to a bowl game with Golden's players then did nothing...his offense was Hoke manball brutal x50. It is true that he beat USC at home this year and then promptly lost to Colorado State.
Give me the guy who hired Bobby Petrino...hell, send me Bobby Petrino
October 15th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
but Jeff Long is the chairman of the new College Football Playoff. Presumably that says something about the amount of respect he has amongst his peers.
Either way, this news is like finding that birthday present you really wanted under your parents bed a week early. They told you it was too expensive, not to get your hopes up, but there it is in all its glory.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
If we get Long within the next 30 days, could he pull a few strings and get us in the playoff this year??
Shock the world baby!!!
Oh wait, we still have a coaching issue. Dang.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
Wouldn't hurt to have the head of the college football playoff committee as our AD either!
October 15th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
Jurich is now one of the senior ADs in college athletics. He also hired another Italian, some guy named Pitino. And while his first football hire at Louisville was JL Smith, he did bring Charlie Strong into town when he needed another winner. Michigan could do far worse than Tom Jurich....but then Jurich probably thinks he can do a lot better than Michigan.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
My two tests are:
1) Not Dave Brandon.
2) The candidate have some experience with how to successfully run an D1 athletic department, being an assistant AD is fine here, (Experience hiring a coach would be a plus.)
Once those two are met I really and truly don't care.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
edit: Wow. Beat me by....that much!
October 15th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
where were you when the first tremor hit?
Well I was (am) at work.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
Bando seems to have the Galactic Empire on the ropes, but if he doesn't finish them off, he should definitely consider relocating to the Degobah system.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:26 PM ^
Deflector Shields are still up
October 15th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
They've had the chance to get hires right in the past, to include these meeting of the minds with the reagents and ex-football players in a coaches search. Looked at how that's turned out.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
Let's hope that when the reagents are added into the system tomorrow, some sort of reaction takes place.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
since I guess my point did not get across. I'm afraid that no matter happens in the meeting, to include their recommendations, will have no bearing on the decision at hand. Since the President is the only person that can fire Brandon, will their vote sway him? I'm wary. Will the reagents and ex-football players recommendations to fire or not fire Hoke be followed by Brandon or a new AD? I'm wary.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^
making an official recommendation to fire Brandon and the president keeping him on. They already know where he stands on the matter. No way they would be taking a disagreement public in that manner. That would just be terrible PR for all concerned.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
October 15th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
I don't think you need to clarify your position so much as simply drop an "a." He made a chemistry funny:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagent
isn't the same as
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regent
October 15th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
I'd take the Arkansas guy if he'll fire Hoke and not let loyalties influence business decisions. He hired Bobby Petrino who was an awesome coach for them, and Bielema who's turning them around. He also hired Mike Anderson away from Missouri.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:12 PM ^
Just in case people are wondering what these loyalties are, Jeff Long played high school ball with Hoke. Long was the QB, Hoke was the center, so they have a unique relationship.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^
......he has touched Hoke's balls. Nothing can break that sort of bond.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
Wow! Definitley an intentional power move by the regents to leak this to ESPN. As much as I am intrigued by the AD and Turmoil, I cant help but think that Devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you dont. Maybee thats what the last 10 years have done to me.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
It would be difficult for the devil we don't know to be any worse than DB. Michigan Football season ticket holders are the golden goose of college athletics. DB has greatly damaged the golden goose. It really is the single most important thing he had to worry about and at every turn he told them to eff off.
October 15th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
until it finally reaches the end of the "YES!" line.
October 15th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
Does this mean the Matrix is crumbling.
Get Morpheus and/or the Oracle on the line stat.
Also, it's about dang time the people's voice was heard.
Thank you.
October 15th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
An oldie but a goodie:
October 15th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
Is it Yippee-kai-yay time yet?
Fire Brandon.
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