Obligatory Defensive Coordinator Candidates Post
Ranked out of five swag Mattisons, naturally. Also check out this board post that should be a diary from alum96.
Greg Jackson, DBs, Michigan
[Bryan Fuller]
If Michigan goes with an internal promotion it will be Jackson, not Greg Mattison. Mattison isn't going anywhere as he plans on retiring at Michigan; Jackson could make a move if he was offered a coordinator spot. After Michigan's defensive backs had a terrific year, that is at least a vague possibility.
In this scenario Michigan would bring in the best DL or LB coach they can find—Roy Manning?—since Mattison can coach either position group.
Likelihood: if Michigan does not end up with a slam-dunk outside candidate this is probably happening.
Verdict: Love what he did with the DBs this year, but track record still thin. Would at least ease necessity of finding a front seven coach.
Jeremy Pruitt, DC, Georgia
Probably out the door after Kirby Smart's hire at UGA. Has never left the south, possibly in his life. Had some sort of midseason blowup after which Mark Richt had to reassure everyone on twitter that Pruitt was still the DC, but afterwards it was assumed he was gone even before Richt got axed. That might be a problem for many coaches. It's probably an asset when you're working for Harbaugh.
Pruitt is regarded as a big-time recruiter as well. Mecole Hardman appears attached at his hip and he is at least at Durkin's level there. Georgia defensive players took to twitter en masse to plead for his job after Richt's firing, so whatever issues there were didn't seem to impact his players much.
Pruitt has taken on Auburn—the SEC's closest analogue to Ohio State's offense—three times in his career. Chronologically:
- As FSU's DC in the 2013 national title game: Auburn (the #7 FEI offense) put up 450 yards and 31 points, though two touchdowns were drives of 27 and 25 yards.
- At Georgia he held the #5 2014 Auburn offense to 7 points and under 300 yards, and then throttled a much much worse offense this year for similar numbers.
That's a pretty decent track record.
Likelihood: currently believed he will replace Smart at Alabama, where he was the DBs coach for a minute. Is believed to be interested in the Michigan opening. Would be an awkward fit since Michigan already has two DB coaches, but if he comes it might not be the end of the shuffling.
Longshot, but if he meets with Harbaugh they might get along, or get in a knife fight. Or both, because a knife fight seems like a good way to break the ice with these two.
Verdict: Pruitt is an angrier Durkin with good success against Auburn.
Barry Odom, DC, Mizzou
No Harbaugh connection, but probably available after Pinkel announced his retirement. Alum96 laid out the case for him, which largely built around the fact that he rescued an awful Memphis defense and then took over at Mizzou, where he maintained a very good D in trying circumstances:
He went to Memphis for 3 years and took an awful D and built it up year after year - by year 3 it had excellent metrics for a non P5. Again let me emphasize with these spread offenses today you can go to a non P5 and make a top 20 offense. You can do it at the bottom of the P5 too (seee Indiana or Washington State) Schemes help offense a lot more than defense. Building a top 20 defense or near it without elite athletes is damn hard as scheme can only take you so far - you need the horses. So his annual progress at Memphis and his final product in 2014 both impress. I also like that Memphis defense fell dramatically this year when he left - it shows me the defense suffered without him.
Then he took over a Missouri defense this year which had metrics similar to GMatt UM and kept is steady despite a steady outflow of NFL draft picks from the front 4 especially (and front 7 in general) in recent years. This despite coaching a 3-4 at Memphis and converting to a 4-3 at Missouri.
Odom fits Harbaugh's profile: he is a young up-and-comer, and he's got a very solid 4-year track record. Recruiting is something of an unknown, but he's 38 and is after it. Also a linebackers coach.
Likelihood: would definitely come. Harbaugh has to find him on his radar though.
Verdict: aside from Pruitt the guy on the board with the best combo of results, age, and experience.
Todd Orlando, DC, Houston
Former Utah State DC snapped up by Tom Herman when he took the Houston job. Moved Houston's D from 73rd to 31st in one year, and before that had kick-ass Ds (15th and 9th!) at Utah State of all places. Wisconsin grad, so Midwest-y. Had seven prior years as a DC at FIU and UConn. LB coach and former LB himself.
Honestly, if Herman likes him that's good enough for me.
Likelihood: dollars would make the difference.
Verdict: relatively young, ton of experience, excellent results, good staff fit. Yes please.
Lance Anderson, DC, Stanford
Harbaugh protégé ascended to top spot at Stanford two years ago. Michigan made a run at him last year but with Durkin coming in that turned into some sort of co-DC situation that a sitting DC was unlikely to find appealing.
Very solid first year save getting bombed by Oregon 45-16; finished #7 in FEI. Rather less good this year as Stanford finished 61st.
Likelihood: Doubtful. Would be a lateral move from a school that doesn't lose many coaches. Shaw is an offensive guy, so he's probably working with little or no interference. Unknown if Michigan throwing a bucket of money of him would move him since Stanford is private and we don't know how much he makes. Stanford does have a million billion dollars in general, though.
Verdict: Young, knows Harbaugh, probably can get after it in recruiting, LB/DT coach so a good fit for the current staff. Track record a little eh.
Jim Leavitt, DC, Colorado
Former USF head coach fired after grabbing and slapping one of his players at halftime of a game in 2009. Did win a wrongful termination suit afterwards. Found a home under Harbaugh as a linebackers coach for the duration of his San Francisco tenure, then grabbed the Colorado DC job. Year was nothing to write home about but he did improve the Buffalo D from #104 to #73.
Tenure at South Florida was long enough ago that we don't have a ton of advance stat data, but by FEI his last three years were excellent considering the circumstances: USF was 4th, 37th, and 35th from 2007 to 2009.
Likelihood: If Harbaugh wants him he'll come. How likely that is after the incident that got him fired is unknown—but I have to think it's not particularly high.
Verdict: Guy knows his way around a college defense and the incident that got him fired is now six years in the past. Still a major drag. Is a LBs coach, so that's a fit.
Scott Shafer, former HC, Syracuse
2008 season whipping boy took the dignified way out after having the 3-3-5 imposed on him midseason with predictably disastrous results. Moved to Syracuse as DC and then got the head job when Doug Marrone got the Bills job. Got reasonable results with bad talent until this year (DFEI, 2009-2015: 70, 38, 39, 39, 65, 36, 104).
Excellent dude who was Harbaugh's DC in 2007 before leaving for Michigan, which… uh… I know that seemed like a good career move at the time.
Likelihood: currently unemployed, so a definite yes if Michigan is interested. Harbaugh might hold a grudge for a lateral move.
Verdict: Eh. I'm sure he'd be fine.
Vic Fangio, DC, Chicago Bears
Cumong man, this makes us look ridiculous.
But Rivals said…
No. Stop.
Likelihood: nope
Verdict: Do you even want an NFL coordinator? We just saw what happens when an NFL style defense goes up against a spread option. Fangio's only stop in college since 1982 was one year with Harbaugh in 2010. This was a good year in which Fangio's defense gave up 52 points to Oregon. Also, like, recruiting?
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^
Everyone has to start somewhere. When Harbaugh was hired by Stanford his coaching resume was. . . San Diego. (My understanding of the Western Kentucky work was that he was basically a volunteer recruiter for his dad? Either way, nothing to write home about.)
So in this case we're really looking to experience for track record, since we can't vet these guys personally. But that is something Harbaugh can do, Jackson included. His work with the DBs only tell us so much, and nothing really regarding whether or not he's good with scheme. So I can't say I'm enthused or leery of Jackson. I'm. . . nothing, really. If he's got the stuff to be a good DC I'm counting on Harbaugh to find that out, and if he is, that's just groovy.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
Lack of experience is fine when you're Stanford or San Diego, but when you're a program like Michigan you have the ability to hire people who do have experience at lower levels in the same job. No need to gamble on a coach with no experience at the position when you can hire someone with a history of success at the job.
December 4th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^
We're on the same page that we need a vetted candidate. We both want what's best. Experience is just a convenient way of doing that, is my point. The end goal isn't a prestige name but a guy who can coach some dagnamb football. If we just plucked a guy that's gambling, but we're not. The guy's going to be hired by Jim frickin' Harbaugh. The interview will probably take place in a boxing ring.
I was super-leery of Fisch, for example, because of his resume. I saw holes in it. Turns out our passing game improved all through the year, and became the strength of our offense. I'm happy to admit I was wrong. So now, if Harbaugh decides to promote Jackson, I'll be happy with the decision.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
Hadn't heard of Odom or Orlando, but like what was said about both. They seem like they would be great fits as young and up and coming coaches. I'm sure Harbaugh will find the best guy for the job.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:16 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^
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December 3rd, 2015 at 5:20 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^
I wouldn't be so sure that Lance Anderson has no interest in rejoining Harbaugh. Michigan would undoubtedly pay him more money, which would go a lot further in Ann Arbor than it would in Palo Alto. In Ann Arbor, if you're a Michigan Football coach, you're living in the nicest neighborhood in the county. In Palo Alto, if you're a Stanford Football coach, you're in the 50th percentile of the city's average income and you're probably renting. Also, Stanford-to-Michigan would be a lateral move based on recent results, but in the grand scheme of things, Michigan is a much better job.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^
Otherwise they would not have as good a faculty as they do.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^
"The nicest neighborhood in the county". I think status relative to peers is maybe an understated issue, but you also have to account for sunshine, temperature, relocating your family, etc.
The Michigan job is probably a little more prestigious than the Stanford job (though it's pretty dang close) for somebody moving from say Kansas, but you have to consider that the guy is already at Stanford. There are some benefits to just sticking where you are at, working with people you know, etc.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
Todd Orlando looks like Mac from Super Troopers. Now THAT is a good enough reason for me.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
I dunno, none have been DCs, but the guys we got from the NFL seem OK so far.
Fisch
Jackson
Harbaugh
oh, and
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^
It's true that Mattison came to Michigan from the NFL, but he had been a college coach his entire career and his two-year stint with the Ravens was his only NFL gig.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:28 PM ^
move based on family connections as any move could be. Coaching is such a small world. And guys who build networks and know influential folks or know how to work sources, always seem to find work.
December 3rd, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
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December 3rd, 2015 at 12:22 PM ^
Also, about Shafer, Harbaugh doesn't strike me as the type who holds grudges over assistant coaches leaving. It's possible that Shafer left because he and Harbaugh didn't get along, which is a different story. But in a business where people change jobs fairly often, I doubt Harbaugh holds Shafer's departure from Stanford against him.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
Clear-eyed and rational speculation here is a good counter to some of the crazy stuff coming on message boards, Rivals, etc.
I think Harbaugh has shown he is willing to dip into the NFL more than others might be willing to do so.
It seemed to pay off in promoting Jackson from assistant DB coach to full on DB coach at Michigan. Still - that would be a meteoric rise to go from an assistant position coach to DC at Michigan in less than a year.
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^
NFL to college is ok for defensive position coaches like Jackson, and in fact may be preferrable due to the recruiting draw. But I am with Brian on not wanting a DC straight from the NFL (whether it be from a DC job or position coach).
The offenses are so different between college and the NFL that the guy in charge of formations and scheme needs to be familiar with the variations in scheme and variations within a given scheme.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
commitment to the Harbaugh regime, but these other candidates also seem very attractive. Quite honestly, given what happened against Ohio State, Michigan must make a concerted effort to find a DC who can not only recruit well but can X and O schematically with existing personnel to find defensive counters to offenses which wait to see your alignment or not, before deciding how to attack your scheme.
Losing experience in the linebacker corps makes recruiting the best athletes for that position, along with the ability and smarts to read what the opposition is doing presnap, is so important given what we know Michigan is going to face going forward.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:21 PM ^
Coordinators don't typically pick their position coaches. That's the head coaches job (though i'm sure Coordinators often have a good amount of influence on the hires)
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:28 PM ^
I've not followed him at all, but he wins a national championship at an elite program with a top-ranked defense, and then immediately leaves for the same position at a lesser school, Georgia? Was he offered more money? Does he like the SEC better? Falling out with Jimbo?
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^
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December 3rd, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
I'm going to hope we get someone else. I have no idea if that's true, but unless I hear a real plausibe, public explanation for why he left FSU, I'm going to assume something was up (not necc co-eds, but perhaps something else like a conflict with the HC, which we also don't need).
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
You have no idea about this guy. Some random on the internet thows out a rumor (which, heaven forbid these fornicating youngsters). You are open to that rumor, but not going to commit to it. Instead, you are going to use that to infer something - anything at all - negative happened and you want someone else hired.
Ladies and Gentleman, meet the new Rutgers AD.
December 3rd, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
I have no idea why he left FSU. None. Zero. Zip.
But if I'm AD (and I wasn't thinking of applying for the job, at U of M or Rutgers, but thank you for thinking of me), I'm going to need one -- a very plausible one. On its face, it does not make sense to leave an elite program, that just won a national championship, led it part by your highly ranked defense. Georgia is a very good program, but it's clearly not at Florida State's level.
Maybe that explanation is already out there (e.g., he wanted to be back in the SEC), but I haven't seen it. Until we do, I don't see why U of M should consider the guy.E
EDIT: Just saw BlueInLansing posted he left for essentially the same salary. So that reason is out.
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
paid him 50,000 less than his last contract at FSU which was 900,000. In Janaury of this year Georgia gave him an extention and raise to 1.3 million.
I don't know why Pruitt left FSU for Georgia.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^
content, and it eases my nerves. Thank you
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
I'd be surprised if Pruitt accepted an offer from U-M. As much as he might benefit the team, if the same spot is open at Bama, being an Alabama native...? U-M is probably the first place his agent called because an offer from U-M would only give him some good leverage in salary negotiations for his contract with Bama, which is probably sitting in output bin of the printer in Bill Battle's office.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^
But seriously though, why is Aranda not on this list. At least 5 Swag Mattison candidate.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:45 PM ^
I tend to think that unless you're a GERG level moron, recruiting may be one of the best assets you can have. Obviusly being able to put together sound gameplans is huge but if getting a guy like Pruitt gets you a few extra 4-5 stars on your defense every year, that would be enough to tip the scales, I would think.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:45 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:52 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 6:03 PM ^
He would have gotten a nice buyout. Easier to collect that than to pull up stakes and move away from children and grandkids, I don't think his staying was as a favor or heard he's set to retire yet.
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
I might have been inclined to agree that scheming is over rated.... but then I watched the Ohio State game.
December 3rd, 2015 at 9:56 PM ^
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
He's practiced against Tom Herman for a whole year...
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
What about GERG?!?
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
I'm going to use swag Mattisons in all my academic papers now. No more asterisks to denote significance. Now, p < .001 THREE SWAG MATTISONS YO
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
But that's a lot of points to lose on a joke.
December 3rd, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
who is thinking Hoke might not be a bad idea? 1. He's not currently coaching. 2. He loves Michigan. 3. He's a Defensive-minded coach. 4. He's an excellent recruiter. 5. like 90% of the kids on the roster are his guys.
December 3rd, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
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December 3rd, 2015 at 1:18 PM ^
No he is definitely the only one.
December 3rd, 2015 at 3:47 PM ^
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