Mike Zordich In? Manning Out? Comment Count

Brian

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A Youngstown reporter is asserting that Michigan is on the verge of hiring Youngstown State DBs coach Mike Zordich:

This would be bad news for Roy Manning. If Zordich is in fact in, there's just one staff member left and that would likely go to some sort of TE/OL coach, whether that's Jimmie Dougherty or someone else.

Zordich is an interesting guy: a Penn State alum who had an 12-year NFL career and only started coaching in his 40s, first in high school and then a brief tenure with the Eagles as a QC coach in 2009 and 2010 and then as safeties coach the next two years; he's been at Youngstown since. Bo Pelini was going to keep him on, FWIW.

Comments

caup

January 13th, 2015 at 4:56 PM ^

Zordich to join Michigan staff

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – WYTV Sports has learned that valley native and Youngstown State Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator Mike Zordich is leaving the Penguin program to take over as Safeties Coach at Michigan.

He joins fellow valley native and Boardman graduate D.J. Durkin who was recently hired as the Wolverines’ Defensive Coordinator.

Zordich spent twelve seasons in the NFL, five each with the Eagles and Cardinals, and two with the Jets. He also served as Safeties Coach in Philadelphia in 2011 & 2012.

The former Penn State All-American was contacted over the weekend by Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, and met with YSU Head Coach Bo Pelini before deciding to leave for Ann Arbor.

Sources tell WYTV Sports that Zordich was in Ann Arbor Tuesday finalizing his contract.

UMaD

January 13th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^

With Harbaugh leaning offense, Wheatley being overqualified, Drevno being overqualified, and Fisch being overqualified, and the special teams coach having plenty of experience coaching TEs... Do we necissarily need another offensive guy?

I would not write-off Manning yet.

turd ferguson

January 13th, 2015 at 3:59 PM ^

We definitely don't need another RB coach.  I think getting Drevno some help on the OL would be nice (and maybe ideal), but if not OL, I don't think it's crazy to add another coach on the defensive side.  As Mat said, you could squint and see five very good offensive coaches on this staff (Harbaugh-QB, playcalling; Drevno-OL/RGC; Fisch-WR/QB/PGC; Wheatley-RB; Baxter-TE).  Then again, I'm not sure that's how they're hoping to use Baxter, since he'll have special teams and academics duties.

Ron Utah

January 13th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^

Baxter was hired strictly has a ST coach.  He might help out a bit on offense, but we need another full-time body there.

I was NOT implying that Manning would be another RB coach, I was pointing out that the dude has coached lots of different positions.  Maybe he gets named the TE coach, but probably not.  Harbaugh wants proven excellence.

If Zordich is hired, it seems likely that Manning is out, but he has wiggled his way into coaching other positions, so we'll see.

ericmj

January 13th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^

 

I have a friend who played in the NFL and at Penn St with Zordich and remains good friends with him still.  Of course he said he is a great guy but that should be taken with a grain of salt.  FWIW, he has very high character, integrity, and intensity.  He also has great connections in Ohio that should help tremendously with recruiting.  Of note Pelini definitely wanted to keep on the YSU staff.   Durkin is the main connection bringing Zordich in.  Harbaugh has obviously signed off on it.   

UMaD

January 13th, 2015 at 5:47 PM ^

Harbaugh's gotta do something during practice right? The standing assumption is that he will focus his attention on the QB. If you count Harbaugh as a de facto QB coach, then Fisch has room to focus on the WRs during practice, maybe TEs too. And if you choose to count Baxter as a TE coach (despites reports he will focus on ST only, Durkin has a lot of experience there too) the numbers are not so unbalanced.

If you count Harbaugh and Baxter as 1/2 each, along with Drevno, Fisch, Wheatley that's 4 total.  On defense we also have 4 also (Zordich, Jackson, Mattison, Durkin).  So, you have room for a recruiting-oriented position coach (a la Morrow or Manning) on either side of the ball.

In order to need a 4th guy on offense to create balance, you have to assume that Baxter and Harbaugh are both purely agnostic.  Given that neither has much (any?) experience coaching defense that seems dubious. [In other words, if you hire another offensive assistant you will have more offensive-oriented staff, regardless of what position titles say.]  Furthermore, the younger less experienced staff is on the defensive side of the ball.  Jackson is getting a significant promotion. Durkin is very young.  Zordich is the least qualified guy on the entire staff.  Grandpa Mattison is there, but they could certainly use a guy to help out with DE/OLB still, just as much, if not more than they need a TE coach.  Mattison can focus on DTs, Durkin can focus on ILBs and managing the overall D.

 

Blau

January 13th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^

Overqualified for what exactly? Everybody except maybe for Harbaugh himself is at either an equal or possibly better option than they previously had.

 

Either I don't understand your post or you don't understand what qualified and it's over/under qualities mean. I've been wrong before.

UMaD

January 13th, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^

Wheatley was an NFL position coach, so overqualified for the equivalent position at college (in the same way that Harbaugh is overqualified to be a college HC.)

Fisch was an NFL coordinator, and now a WR coach/pass game coordinator for us -- overqualified.

Drevno doesn't have extensive OC experience, but was an NFL OL coach, USC's run-game coordinator and OL/coach.  Depending on how you view his balance between being OL/OC determines if he is overqualified or not.

Harbaugh, assuming he is the functional QB coach, is overqualified for the job in the similar way that Hoke was overqualified to coach DTs (Insert your snarky joke about Hoke...or don't.) and Mattison is overqualified to coach DL.

Baxter was an assoc head coach/TE coach/special teams coach at USC, and therefore would be overqualified to be JUST a special teams coach at Michigan.

In other words, all these guys (with the exception of Drevno) very likely could get a job that looks better on a resume but are taking a lesser role to coach at Michigan.

Blau

January 13th, 2015 at 6:59 PM ^

NFL experience doesn't always translate to being a proven commodity. Yes, it's a very high coaching plateau but you have to be moderately successful too.

To counter your argument:

Fisch was an OC on an underwhelming Jaguars team. He might have been underqualified there actually. He knows WR and has experience with QBs. He's a great pick up.

Drevno is basically taking the same position here as he had at USC. That's a push as he is our OC here. Drevno is considered one of the best OLine teachers in the game, so taking him from another team which he called his "Dream Job" I think shows he's taking a step up.

Mattison's last year as DC should speak to why I think he'll make a great DL position coach. He's very much qualified for the job he has now. His defenses were good but with the addition of Durkin, he can focus on one group.

Baxter I don't know enough about to make a solid judgement but just because he coached other positions doesn't mean he's more qualified. It's about the position you have now.

 

Either way, I love our coaching staff and our best days are ahead of us. Go Blue!

UMaD

January 13th, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^

Even if Fisch was underqualified as an NFL OC - he had low talent and experience and is extremely young for the job - that doesn't change the fact that he's extremely overqualified to be a college WR coach.  He's progressed beyond being an NFL WR coach years ago, so he's taking a huge step down in the conventional hierarchy.

Drevno is taking a small step up from the USC job (at least in title) but he took a step DOWN from the NFL to take the same job at USC.  We're getting one of the best OL coaches in the world.  Jury is out if the OC part is warranted or not, but he's an NFL-level OL coach and that's well established.

Mattison is EXCEEDINGLY well qualified to be a DC. He is clearly wildly overqualified for DL. He's overqualified to be an NFL assistant. He wouldn't take such a job at any other school IMO.

While none of their qualifications guarantee success, the point is these guys are great hires for their roles, and their resumes would easily warrant a  more prestigious role elsewhere. (Exceptions: Jackson and Zordich).

 

BCON2000rules

January 13th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^

of Zordich and Greg Jackson revealed that they played (started actually) together as Eagles safeties in the mid 90s.  "Coaching is all about relationships..."  We shall see, but interesting nonetheless.  (Posted this on the board as well)

Champeen

January 13th, 2015 at 3:24 PM ^

One one hand, Manning was a knockout recruiter and could do wonders recruiting mid-Michigan (Saginaw/Flint/Midland/Bay City).  On the other hand, Zordich would do wonders for player development.

 

Mr Miggle

January 13th, 2015 at 6:47 PM ^

in terms of experience. Playing 12 years in the NFL is valuable, especially at that position. Experience being coached to play the position at a high level must have value too. Safeties are a lot like QBs. It is a hard position to learn because they have a lot to read on the field. That should make them more likely to be good teachers than most. I don't think it's any coincidence that so many good coaches played DB.

 

Thrillhouse

January 13th, 2015 at 3:28 PM ^

Between Durkin, Zordich, Tom Sims (who Brian mentioned in passing in a Searchbits), and Marrow, it seems Harbaugh is hellbent on having really strong Youngstown connections. 

BIGBLUEWORLD

January 13th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^

At first glance this doesn't seem best for team chemistry.  Of course, there's always the possibility that Jim Harbaugh knows something about football that I don't know.

Seriously, we've heard so many good things about Roy Manning through the years, this appears puzzling.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I'm confident that JH will make the right call.

BIGBLUEWORLD

January 14th, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^

Are you intelligent enough to recognize irony? 

irony: a method of humorous or subtly sarcastic expression in which the intended meaning of the words is the direct opposite of their usual sense.

Not only that, right after the sentence you quote, there's the word "Seriously", another linguistic clue.  Did you really not get that?  Other people did.

There are numerous people on this board who have a lot of blog points, but not many I.Q. points.  I'm not saying that's you.  I just wonder if you actually missed the irony of the statement you quoted.

Then again, maybe you were being ironic by saying, "Surely not."

Who the heck knows?