Hello: Tyrone Wheatley, Running Backs
PENS
You don't need to be told that much about Tyrone Wheatley's origin story. If you're a pup, here you go:
Wheatley's career rushing average is second only to Denard Robinson at Michigan.
After that, Wheatley was a first round pick of the Raiders who had a decade-long NFL career during which he morphed from the fastest damn guy you've ever seen to a reliable pounder. A couple years after he retired he went into coaching, first at his high school alma mater, then as a running backs coach at an increasingly prestigious series of institutions: Ohio Northern, Eastern Michigan, Syracuse, and then the Bills. When Doug Marrone opted out of his Bills contract, Wheatley was on the open market and came home.
Here is the most spectacularly short coaching bio in history:
Tyrone Wheatley, a former NFL running back, will enter his second season as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2014 and continues to oversee the team’s running backs.
Good job, good effort, Bills.
I have no idea if Wheatley's a good coach. I mean, he probably is, but it is hard to tell anything from stats. Football Outsiders has some running back stats in which the Bills two main backs fare poorly, but they're undrafted 33-year-old journeymanFred Jackson (not that Fred Jackson) and sixth-rounder Anthony Dixon operating behind an offensive line that FO's stats don't like much either.
His tenure at Syracuse seems relatively successful:
- In 2010, Wheatley arrives. Returning starter Delone Carter is coming off a season in which he barely cracked a thousand yards at 4.3 a pop; his final season sees his YPC jump a full yard.
- In 2011, senior Antwon Bailey ascends to the top job with grim results.
- In 2012, juniors Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley both have excellent production, collectively rushing for almost 2,000 yards at 5.2 a pop.
How much of that is due to tailback talent versus tailback coaching is hard to figure out, and then there's the whole blocking business that's important. I can just barely use stats to say a DBs coach is pretty good—with running backs it's hopeless. One year tenures at small schools aren't going to tell us much of anything, either.
Unfortunately, Tyrone Wheatley's kid is also named Tyrone Wheatley so attempts to track down anything about the elder's recruiting are swamped by articles about the younger. (Fortunately, the younger Wheatley is a four-star recruit with offers from the likes of Alabama who is now expected to end up at Michigan.)
TALKING
Wheatley after his last game at 'Cuse, a Pinstripe Bowl win over WVU:
Also, an article on Wheatley's move to Syracuse:
So, is Syracuse home?
"Syracuse is a great opportunity...Michigan is home."
Wheatley’s ultimate dream is running his own team, but doesn't plan on Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon calling his number soon, or ever.
"Sometimes, as a human being, you have to know your limitations,” Wheatley said. “I've played in the Big House, and I know what it would take to run a program in the Big House. That is too much of a monster for me."
That's a sort of humility uncommon in coaches, though the reason Dave Brandon didn't call his number wasn't so much about Wheatley. He's also got a unique perspective on loyalty:
"Some coaches forget that they played,” Wheatley said. “When one of my players walks into the room, I can generally guess what's wrong--I've been down that road. Not just about X's and O's, it's about caring about the person. One of the great things Gary Moeller did for me is caring about me as a person. Can't get to the football player without getting to the person."
Wheatley is also intensely loyal to the idea of tradition.
"When I become a head coach, that's it, I plan on retiring there," he said. …
"I want to see 15, 20 graduating classes,” he said. “I want my players, who have fertilized that field with their blood, sweat, and tears, to come back and know they always have a place at the school, and that I'm going to be there."
That passion bodes well for the recruiting trail for as long as Michigan can hold on to Wheatley.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
RB coaches are often recruiters first because tailback is a spot where you've either got it or you don't. Wheatley promises to bring buckets of that as a famous program alum with a deep-seated passion for Michigan; he's also focused on being a head coach someday and the best way to get there is to kill it at Michigan. He's almost certainly going to be lights-out wherever they deploy him. The bet here is in-state and in the New York area.
As a coach… I don't think anyone could tell you. He's got all the experience you could want there, at least, and his quick rise to the NFL and then Michigan is encouraging. Yeah, his name helps. It's not everything. There are a number of other ex-Michigan guys who wanted to coach who didn't catch on so quickly.
And there is a coaching aspect. Michigan's seen a lot of wrong holes chosen and pass pickups airballed of late. Hopefully Michigan's backs will start improving at Michigan instead of after they leave now. For example: Mike Cox, Fitz Toussaint, Thomas Rawls.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE COACHING STAFF
We're in the home stretch here with everyone save Jimmie Dougherty and Roy Manning confirmed. Tolbert has just been officially anointed; we should hear about the other two guys in the near future here.
OFFENSE | COACH | confidence | DEFENSE | COACH | confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OC | Tim Drevno | lock | DC | DJ Durkin | lock |
QB | Jim Harbaugh | lock | DL | Greg Mattison | lock |
RB | Ty Wheatley | lock | LB | Durkin | lock |
WR | Jedd Fisch | lock | DB | Greg Jackson | lock |
OL | Drevno | lock | OLB/DE | Roy Manning | probable |
TE | Jimmie Dougherty | probable | ST | John Baxter | lock |
S&C: Kevin Tolbert.
If either of the unconfirmed guys gets knocked out it'll be for a subject matter expert. In Dougherty's case he might get passed over for a guy with more TE/OL experience; in Manning's that would be for a CBs coach.
January 12th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
I was about 4 when Tyrone Wheatley played at Michigan. Little kids live in smaller worlds and make connections between everything they hear and see. One day I saw a Wheaties commercial with a footbal player advertising Wheaties. My mind made an indellible connection. I thought maybe Wheaties was named after Wheatley. I was amazed that our football player had his own cerial--thought it was pretty cool. Even as an adult, I cannot get the association out of my mind.
Welcome back Mr. Wheatley.
January 12th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
...please bring back the center part on the fade.
In all seriousness, if I was either guy...or Johnson or Isaac, I'd be doing backflips right now.
I think we're going to see a vast improvement in our backs, can't wait!
January 12th, 2015 at 1:19 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 1:21 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 12th, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^
I'd love to see the return of the Lil' Penny commercials. My nickname used to be relevant.
January 12th, 2015 at 1:57 PM ^
I loved those commercials. The doll looked so much like him it was kind of creepy. Spike Lee was in them as well.
January 12th, 2015 at 5:48 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^
Welcome back. Excited to have a RB coach who seems able to actually coach the position, and the fact that he has a passion for UM and seems to know what he wants as a coach is great to see.
January 12th, 2015 at 1:37 PM ^
On to the next!
January 12th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 2:10 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^
Somebody really, really liked tailback Fred Jackson of the Bills. That dude got a lot of touches. Led the team in rushing attempts, rushing yards and receptions (66) and finished 3rd on team in receiving yards.
WHEATLEY!!!!!!
January 12th, 2015 at 2:03 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 2:28 PM ^
The last three Michigan running backs coaches were
Tirrell Burton, 1970-1991
Fred Jackson, 1991-2014
Tyrone Wheatley, 2015 - ?
Tyrone Wheatley was a freshman tailback in 1991 during Tirrell Burton's final year at Michigan. He did not redshirt despite being third on the depth chart behind top-recruited tailback Ricky Powers, Jesse Johnson.
So Wheatley went through a RB coaching transition himself, and is probably one of the reasons Fred Jackson developed his reknowned eloquence about RB speed. Wheatley was one of the first and obviously most talented tailbacks that Fred Jackson had ever coached. At that time Tyrone Wheatley was the first tailback Fred Jackson was associated with who gained 1,000+ yards. As Co-OC at Wisconsin under Dave McClain in 1985, junior tailback Larry Emery gained 1,000+ yards rushing. Corey Harris at Vandy rushed for 1,000+yards in 1991, but Jackson was a QB coach that year. Other than that, bumpkis in coaching stints at Purdue under Texas Longhorns-exile, retread, and pro set-to-option transitioner, Fred Akers.
Michigan has always had some great running backs, but few were "home run" hitters like Tyrone Wheatley was on kickoffs, punt returns and 38 bellies.
Either way the "Wheatley Experience", including three straight 1,100+ yard rushing seasons and 44 TDs, must have been embossed on Fred Jackson's brain and never wore off. It probably explains the extent of his RB hyperbole uttered afterward.
January 12th, 2015 at 4:02 PM ^
How jacked would you all be if those were your coaches?! Screw winter, spring and summer, bring this on now.
January 12th, 2015 at 4:53 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 4:58 PM ^
January 12th, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^
Watching that Wheatley video...
Also, I'm in the clip at exactly 11:40. I'm the manager at the top left. That's my "cool story, bro..."
January 12th, 2015 at 6:16 PM ^
It had been awhile since I had seen Wheatley highlights and that took me back. I didn't remember how big he was for being that fast. Loved the call at 5:12: "he's fast, he's big, he's strong, he's... touchdown!"
January 12th, 2015 at 11:28 PM ^
... only knew him from the rare International Tribune story, pre-easy-Internet. WHAT a Beast. Knew he had the stats, but never saw the combination of speed and power that accomplished it. Those Rose Bowl runs in particular. Just wow.
January 12th, 2015 at 11:55 PM ^
It would be sweet if UM offered this dude. Not a blazer but will have no problem running over people.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:25 AM ^
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