coaching changes
adam braithwaite

Hello: Adam Braithwaite, LB/S Coach Comment Count

Brian

Who's Adam Braitwaite? He's just a guy no one has heard of because he was a quality control assistant and at some seriously small schools before that. Googling turns up zero about this version of Adam Braithwaite before today. Press release ho.

Rodriguez Names Adam Braithwaite as Safeties/Outside Linebackers Coach

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez announced Thursday (Feb. 11) the hiring of Adam Braithwaite as the program’s safeties/outside linebackers coach. Braithwaite joins the Wolverines’ staff as a full-time assistant coach after spending the past two seasons as a staff assistant.

“We are excited to promote Adam to be our safeties/outside linebackers coach,” said Rodriguez. “He has been a loyal hard-working member of our staff for several years and knows our system. I believe he will bring a lot of energy both in coaching and recruiting.”

As previously announced during Rodriguez’s signing day press conference (Feb. 3), defensive coordinator Greg Robinson will coach the linebackers. Bruce Tall will continue to work with the defensive line.

Assistant head coach Tony Gibson will coach the cornerbacks and free safety position. He will also add the responsibility of coordinating the special teams. Rodriguez will continue to have all of the coaches remain involved with a certain phase of special teams, but Gibson will manage that phase of the game on a daily basis and on gameday.

Braithwaite was the defensive coordinator at Hampden-Sydney College (Va.) during the 2007 season. He worked with the linebackers and coordinated the special teams for the program’s conference championship team and Division III National Playoff run. Prior to accepting his position at Hampden-Sydney, Braithwaite was a defensive graduate assistant for Rodriguez at West Virginia (2005-06). He assisted with the secondary and linebackers and helped the Mountaineers win a pair of bowl games (2006 Sugar and 2007 Gator) and the 2005 Big East title.

Braithwaite was the safeties coach at William & Mary in 2004 when the Tribe claimed the Atlantic 10 Championship and reached the semifinals of the Division I-AA National Championship. He gained his first college coaching position as the wide receivers and tight end coach at West Liberty State College (2003).

Braithwaite was a four-year letterman at defensive back for William & Mary (1997-2001), and was the starting strong safety on the Tribe’s 2001 Atlantic 10 co-Championship team. He earned his bachelor of arts from William & Mary (2002) and his master’s degree in athletic coaching education from West Virginia (2007).

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So… uninspiring. At least they know the guy and the chances the transplanted organ doesn't take are low.

Comments

Search4Meaning

February 11th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^

I assume that Coach Rodriguez knows his options for hiring this position coach better than we do. But then... we all know what happens when you assume... I am behind him all the way - Go Blue!

Joined: 01/06/2010

MGoPoints: 3175

w2j2

February 11th, 2010 at 3:14 PM ^

by his first Michigan DC (Shafer) and by Hopson (what linebackers?). He decided that going outside the program for assistants was dangerous. He decided he wanted somebody he has already worked with and can trust. I think he chose well.

Joined: 11/23/2008

MGoPoints: 730

matty blue

February 11th, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^

i'd also point out that eastern hired a little-known dude from westland john glenn to coach db's (i think) in 1976. guy turned out pretty well eventually. i think people need to remember that he doesn't have to be qualified to be the head coach...he just needs to know how to tackle people and drop into coverage. we're not splitting the atom here.

Joined: 08/01/2008

MGoPoints: 39201

brianshall

February 11th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^

Give RR credit, this could be his last year and he's doing everything his way, 3 big 11 wins and all. I got no idea how good/bad this guy is. His credentials seem for shit. However, his background seems like one of those hard nosed guys who gave the game everything he had and expects every Wolverine to do the same. I have long hoped I was wrong about Rich Rod. I still do. We'll know soon enough.

Joined: 11/08/2009

MGoPoints: 44

Don

February 11th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^

who coached at W&M as a young assistant in the early '60s and then returned for a short stint as HC a few years later. If Braithwaite ends up having as much coaching success in his career he'll be doing great, although for his sake I hope he doesn't acquire a lisp.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148358

bronxblue

February 11th, 2010 at 4:26 PM ^

Based on the impressively small bit of information I know about this guy, he sounds like a nice coach who I hope will teach these kids how to tackle in space, not let TEs get behind you, and generally play like D1 players. If he does that, then I could care less where he came from or where he goes from here.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171740

robpollard

February 11th, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^

I saw a couple comments on what that term meant, and it reminded me of a NY Times article on the subject. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/sports/football/27quality.html This article's on the NFL, but I'm sure the concept in college is the same. Essentially, 1/3 of the coaches in the NFL are former quality control people and it's considered an extremely high-work/low-rung job that if you do well for a couple years, sets you up for a rapid ascent b/c you are so well-rounded. It started with Landry & the Cowboys in the 70s and has really grown from there, as they basically do everything: break down film, write tons of reports - essentially make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Joined: 06/03/2009

MGoPoints: 13966

Michigasling

February 12th, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^

As an RRod-backer, Pollyanna hopeful, and eager-watcher for the big new coach hire, I admit to also being a bit of an ignoramus. I always wondered what a QC coach was, and assumed it was something like an equipment manager-- make sure the names on the jerseys are spelled correctly and the Gatorade isn't spiked. And that's what I love about this blog. I know when I'm reacting to something I don't understand I can come here to get clarification. My knee-jerk panic when I first read the announcement was probably how recruits might have reacted and what negative recruiters might have used to sway some of our new talent. "See, he couldn't get anybody good because everybody knows the program is going down the toilet." So maybe that's why RR was so casual about this. He did his due diligence interviewing, he and Gerg obviously discussed this, knew where they wanted to go, and eventually (or maybe not so eventually) made their decision public when recruiting was a done deal. I can't link to it, but I saw a brief video clip of Gerg some time before the announcement saying he wasn't worried about the choice of coach, that they already had good chemistry among the coaches and was comfortable that it would be somebody that would fit in. Whether he already knew, or whether that was part of the philosophy behind the decision, I'm feeling back to Pollyanna hopeful. I'm still enough of an ignoramus to be baffled by the complex defensive scheme discussions, and confused about the seemingly arbitrary assignment of roles, but that's because I really am an ignoramus about complex defensive schemes. But I'm feeling much better about the coaching choice. Sounds like a guy they trust, who's paid his dues studying and learning, and ready to move up into helping putting things into practice.

Joined: 11/21/2009

MGoPoints: 7751

V.O.R.

February 11th, 2010 at 8:17 PM ^

Coach Rod impresses me as being a big loyality guy. He likes to hire staff that will hopefully stay and be loyal to him and he will look out for them. This Adam Braithwaite (AB) was with him at WVU and followed him to Michigan. Now he can promote him and he will probably be with him for a while. Coach Rod said that AB knows the system very well. He also knows the players he has on the roster and has a good idea of what he has coming in. Coach Rod has to hit the ground running with this guy who doesn't need to find a place to live, move his family, learn the area, learn the staff and the system. To Rodriguez this is a low risk, potential high reward move, especially if AB actually knows how to coach these positions. Some may say that this move was about saving money, I don't think so. Michigan needs to get back on the winning track and the football team's success year in and year out actually pays the bills. To make a good hire, was necessary...NOW. Coach Rod's future at Michigan hinges on making smart moves "now" not next year (2011). If this is a good hire or not, only time will tell. Let's hope so.

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: 13

wiscwood

February 12th, 2010 at 12:58 AM ^

If RR's teams were winning, questioning this hire would not happen. Bo did this sort of thing all the time. He was Bo of course, he did not care about fan opinion. He had the respect of the Michigan nation. When Michigan and RR starts winning again, and that will happen, all the RR haters will be silenced. He will have the respect. I remember when Michigan fans, in the not so distant past, wanted Michigan to have a modern offensive system. They complained about the lack of speed, and offensive predictability. They wanted recruits from Florida and the south. They complained then, and they are complaining now. Stop the spectulation, and let things develop. Please God shut these idiot up. Let RR win, and let Michigan be Michigan again. I ask this because I am not used to all this complaining. Oh yeah, and Lord let these quasi-fanatic idiots eat crow the size of Ohio when Michigan wins again. Amen.

Joined: 07/24/2009

MGoPoints: 31

maizenbluenc

February 12th, 2010 at 8:44 AM ^

Same first reaction: "huh??" Second reaction: why didn't they just hire this guy two or three weeks ago?? After thinking about it: a) I like that Rich is promoting from within, because after years of annual change, our defense really needs consistant, cohesive coaching. b) Given the pressure they will be under this season (win or die), this coaching staff absolutely has to be totally on the same page. This staff will be more "all-in" than you can possibly imagine, and Braithwaite keeps it tight and cohesive. (No outsider trying to minimize his exposure if things go badly.) c) Coming from a QC background, this guy may be really good at disecting technique. Maybe this guy will be really good at coaching. d) Maybe they waited on the decision because they were focused on locking down the incoming class, and didn't have time to hash out how they would move around the coaching assignments. e) Bo, Mo, Lloyd would have done this. So it is perfectly OK that Rich does. f) The big open question is recruiting.

Joined: 07/21/2009

MGoPoints: 10630

imafreak1

February 12th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^

To its credit, Mgoblog has now brought considerably more information and detail to the general public than we have any ability to use. Michigan was always going to hire a guy we'd never heard of for this position. Hiring someone with a more impressive resume, besides being totally and completely unrealistic, would have presented the much greater problem of blurring who the top man is. Just look at ND with both Corwin Brown and Tenuta. Hooray! they have 2 great defensive minds... Now who is calling the shots? So, Michigan went and hired a guy we've never heard of, like they always were going to, and now we wait. Unless this guy gets fired quickly or goes on to be the second coming of Dick LeBeau, we likely won't even ever really know how this hire worked out. None of the other data, the timing of the hire, the number of interviews, or any of the few details we have on Braithwaite are of any use to us because we lack either the context or the expertise to use that information.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 2844

convertedbluefan

February 12th, 2010 at 3:50 PM ^

Pass judgement based on what he does (or doesn't) accomplish on the field and not for the fact that you don't know who he is. Every staff Adam has been a part of has won (no matter what the level). He is a student of the game, he is extremely intelligent (graduating from one of the highest academic schools in the nation), and from everything I have heard, is about as driven as anyone out there. Here are some notable coaches that have passed through William and Mary in some way: Lou Holtz (coached there) Marv Levy (coached there) Mike Tomlin (played there) Mark Duffner (played there) Brian Daboll (coached there) Ivan Fears (played there) Dan Henning (played there) Hal Hunter (coached there) Sean McDermott (played there) Kevin Rogers (played and coached there) Rip Scherer (played there) Alan Williams (played and coached there) Adam is at the beginning of very promising coaching career. Let's let him prove me wrong.

Joined: 02/12/2010

MGoPoints: 1

desertfox1

February 13th, 2010 at 9:27 PM ^

Rich Rod continues to carry us downhill. We have no assistants of the quality of Scott Loeffler (at U of Florida), Soup Campbell (Iowa-Soup was named the top wide receiver coach in the country 2 months after RR fires him), Vance Bedford (fired by RR but hired by Urban Meyer for secondary coach and now is the def. coordinator at Louisville), Terryl Austin (now def coordinator at Florida), Andy Moeller (asst. offensive line coach with the Baltimore Ravens). We have no names (with the exception of Greg Robinson) who simply have failed the last 2 years. Now we are recruiting players who really should have been incarcerated but who were given special consideration by the authorities so as not to ruin their football chances. Who would have thought that Wolverine football could be taken to these depths? Thanks Mr. Martin and Ms. Coleman.

Joined: 03/06/2009

MGoPoints: 1