Mike Zordich In? Manning Out?
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A Youngstown reporter is asserting that Michigan is on the verge of hiring Youngstown State DBs coach Mike Zordich:
I'm told that YSU Assistant Mike Zordich is leaving the Penguins to take a assistant coaching position on Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan
— Chad Krispinsky (@ChadK426) January 13, 2015 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.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
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January 13th, 2015 at 5:09 PM ^
Fisch and Durkin are only a couple years older than Manning. And I'll guess Jackson and Zordich will split up safeties and corners or something.
January 13th, 2015 at 6:41 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
The Zordich's are a really high character family. His son, Mike Jr., was completely instrumental in keeping Penn State's program from collapsing in 2012. Happy to have him on if true.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:50 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
If Manning isn't retained, I'll be a sad panda. Gotta trust Harbaugh and it's his team but I really felt like Roy Manning was a beast on the recruiting trail and the players seemed to connect with him. His familiarity with current players would come in handy.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:59 PM ^
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January 13th, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^
January 14th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^
I got the feeling Manning was being groomed for the future by being given jobs in a variety of positions. Wasn't Mallory, a former DB and coach of the position, coaching the DBs by himself the year before? Was he successful doing it by himself? Seems dividing up his role was a bit of a demotion for him, and if Manning was in a way his apprentice to learn from a more experienced DB coach, the lack of success with the DB development shouldn't be completely put on Manning's shoulders.
I'm not a coach or an insider, so I really don't know the answers. I just feel bad for Manning. A very impressive young man. Trust he'll get good recommendations and we'll be hearing more from him as a coach.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^
of "focusing nationally on the level Ohio State and given our head coaches, I am sure that California (and possibly Florida) will be more than adequately covered.
I do like the fact that even at Youngstown, the Sweatervest and Pelini realize Harbaugh can...and will get to them. I do agree that this sends a message about Ohio.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^
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January 13th, 2015 at 5:05 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
This dude has toughness written all over him
January 13th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
Hope they make a spot for Manning. Can't they just pay him like 200k to be a grad assistant or something else w/o an official title?
January 13th, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^
Well if you think of it that way. But isn't everyone on this staff taking a step down in some regards. Harbaugh is stepping down from coaching the 49ers and Mattison is taking a step down from being the DC to becoming a position coach. I know everyone has to make their own decisions for their own future, but it would be great to keep the best parts of Hoke's staff on board while we incorporate Harbaugh's new guys.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^
Harbaugh is still a head coach, and is making the same amount (possibly more) than he was in the NFL. It's hardly a step down.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
huh? Explain to me how a guy who has been a position coach on the OL is over qualified to be an OC for the first time?
January 13th, 2015 at 4:26 PM ^
He was the OC at San Diego with Harbaugh.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
Was Manning really that good at recruiting or has this just been repeated enough that it is internet truth? I'm just curious if it's an insider thing that can't be tracked because Rivals shows Manning's only commit while coaching at Michigan as Jared Wangler.
Is that method of tracking recruiting bad because as a position coach he doesn't get credit for his commits? Or does Rivals not closely track who got who to commit to a school? I'm just curious is all. I'm sure one of the recruiting gurus can weigh in.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:50 PM ^
Manning was a great recruiter. Really connected with the kids. He can speak to the prospects on their level and reason with them. Kind of like Singletary, but funnier.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^
The cult around recruiting prowess for many of these coaches is pretty subjective. If your team is winning/on-the-rise and the coach is a "impressor" then generally recruiting goes pretty well for most.
It's rare to deal with a coach working your son who comes off as a dullard. Montgomery was a great recruiter and we survived...(ahem) and Mattison is certainly able to influence prospects and families. Wheatley is reported to be a very good recruiter as is Durkin. I think a call from Coach H will be influencial as well.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:26 PM ^
Roy 〽️anning
January 13th, 2015 at 6:43 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:02 PM ^
I have no idea if this is true, but my guess is that Michigan fans (or at least MGoBlog readers) tend to overrate Roy Manning and underappreciate Fred Jackson.
January 13th, 2015 at 6:08 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 6:08 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:12 PM ^
His numbers took a big hit with all the decommits but he was responsible for the mid Atlantic region and Michigan has done very well there recently. Roseborro and Garrett Taylor were largely creditted to Manning and there might have been others were it not for the terrible season. He was also the recruiter for Da'Shawn Hand who very easily could have picked Michigan if the season went better.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:44 PM ^
for responding with some substance. After this coaching hire I have become suspect of statements I see without a connection to substance. I thought I could track it via Rivals to see what names were attached to him as committments, but it appears that they do not assign credit correctly.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^
You're welcome. My research was using 247 which seems to have a much better interface but I had to do a lot of it manually because most of the players aren't committed to Michigan. Knowing he recruited the mid-Atlantic helped knowing who to look at.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
Manning was getting $205k a few years ago so if we pay him in that ballpark and give him a grad assistant title, he should be able to still be part of the staff w/o taking up one of the 9 coach spots. Would be great if Harbaugh can keep him on board.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/03/roy_manning_to_make_205k_as_mi.html
January 13th, 2015 at 3:47 PM ^
he would have to, you know, be a grad student.
He would also not be allowed to participate in off-campus recruiting.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^
You guys know the titles better than me, but don't they have like a staff recruiter (similar to Singletary's role)?
January 13th, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^
You never know, maybe Harbaugh gives him the option of GA for a year or two and has someone teach him how to really coach a position and he gets to come back up afterwards. Especially if it is a position where we can expect to lose a coach soon like Fisch at WR or Mattison on DL
January 13th, 2015 at 4:28 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 6:37 PM ^
I think he's used up his eligibility for that role. There are also strict limits on what they can be paid, basically the same as a TA. He could pull in a 6 figure salary elsewhere.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^
As someone who was a GA, I can tell you they get paid. We got a nice stipend every two weeks and that was on top of tuition. And that was at a smallerish school.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:58 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:00 PM ^
Yea, totally. For example, all of the new prospects that are giving us looks just because Durkin is our DC now.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:16 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:16 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:33 PM ^
Hey you guys Michigan recruited well before Manning was the coach. Also he was part of Hoke's worst seasons. Let's stop overvaluing the guy.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:45 PM ^
January 13th, 2015 at 4:48 PM ^
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