chuck heater
assistant coaches
tyrone wheatley
dj durkin
kevin tolbert

SEARCHBITS XXXV: SURELY THIS IS THE LAST ONE Comment Count

Brian

Jedd-Fisch-Jags.com_[1]

ranks high on the OMG WHAT DID DENARD DO TODAY scale
can you call him
OMG that's his phone number
wow wow… no, no don't call him I'm too nervous

JEDD FISCH? A name for Michigan's wildcard spot:

Fisch was just fired after two seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars' OC; before that he was OC at Miami for two years. That followed a vagabond existence as an NFL position coach mostly spent teaching WRs and QBs; his only college experience prior to his Miami run was a couple years as a GA at Florida under Spurrier. [UPDATE: Ace reminds me that Fisch was briefly at Minnesota as OC/QB when the Gophers were rolling with the pretty decent Adam Weber.]

Fisch and Jimmie Dougherty on the same staff would be a little awkward. Dougherty's done QB/WR as well, with a single year as a TE coach at San Diego. Either one of those two rumors is going to fizzle out or Michigan's going to have one of the two as a TE coach and leave the OL entirely to Drevno.

It's difficult to find out anything about Fisch other than that there are an immense number of websites willing to report on the firing of an NFL coordinator. Fisch was the architect of one of the weirdest FEI seasons in memory: Miami's 2011 offense, which finished in the middle of the pack in almost all standard metrics but was third in FEI that year for reasons I can't discern. All of Miami's individual FEI numbers are also mediocre. I don't get it. Miami was 23rd in S&P, the play-based metric, FWIW.

Fisch didn't do much in Jacksonville, but it's hard to see how he could:

Teams with successful rookie Qbs also don’t start 7-8 rookies on offense at the same time.

Successful rookie Qbs tend to have at least something to lean on, run game, great TE, a line, a Vet at WR, a great D.

This year was sausage being made. It is better to have the result than to see the process.

by mnkman322 on Dec 30, 2014 | 5:54 PM

Blake Bortles seemed pissed that Fisch got axed, FWIW.

Getting a guy coming off four years as an OC as basically a position coach seems pretty good, if that is the case. Without a source connected to Michigan reporting it's a possibility, not a probability.

UPDATE: Sam says Fisch is in, also WR coach.

TOLBERT IN. Anvil-lifting, weight-flinging assistant 49ers S&C guy Kevin Tolbert is unofficially official:

I would hold your horses with the Gittleson worry, people who worry about those kind of things. Michigan went after Stanford's Shannon Turley hard—like seven-figure, three-year contract hard—for a reason and Harbaugh isn't going to just shrug and buy a bunch of Nautilus machines because he missed. Tolbert's been around the block with Stanford and the 49ers.

I will admit that Tolbert is one of a small number guys on staff who haven't established himself as a quality idea outside the Harbaugh orbit. I'm still not too worried about it. Harbaugh is a guy who knows how to hire guys.

EP-130819108[1]

zoom

WHEATLEY OFFERED. On WTKA today Sam laid out the current Wheatley situation($): offered the RB job, going back home to talk about it with his family. Currently no extra title like run game coordinator or associate head coach but a solid likelihood that one will be available in a minute here since Harbaugh people go on to do things. (His last staff at Stanford featured five current CFB head coaches and Pep Hamilton, who's probably going to be an NFL head coach in the near future.)

We should hear something soon, and that's very probably going to be yes.

OTHER NAMES. Also from WTKA today: Sam expects another coach in the secondary($) and Roy Manning is interviewing today, presumably for that spot. If Manning doesn't get that job, Marshall DC Chuck Heater is a possibility.

Heater played at Michigan and then embarked on an infinitely long career as a college assistant that has taken him through Wisconsin, OSU, ND, Colorado State, Colorado, Washington, Utah, Florida, Temple, and now Marshall. He's been a DBs coach for the large bulk of that time, added co-DC stuff under Urban Meyer for the last three years of his career there, and has been a DC the past three years. At 62 he'd probably be planning to retire at Michigan if he came, and money would not be a problem—Heater's making "just" 200k as a coordinator, something Michigan could bump a la Dougherty.

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL. As I mentioned six months ago, DJ Durkin would be come official for the 29th time when Michigan issued an official release on his hire. They did so. Hooray, hooray.

"Reuniting with Jim at the University of Michigan is an opportunity that I could not pass up," said Durkin. "We had some great times working together at Stanford, and I look forward to producing great results at Michigan. I look forward to coaching in the Big Ten after growing up in that footprint. I am excited to return to the Midwest and recruit and teach some of the best and brightest young men in the country."

The most notable item from this blitz of non-news was Durkin saying he'd previously run both 3-4 and a 4-3 defenses and would fit the defense to his personnel. There's a distinction here that gets lost a lot: you can run a 30 front from time to time and still be a 4-3 defense. The much bigger distinction is one gap versus two gap, and a lot of 30 fronts are just 4-3 defenses in which the fourth guy is a blitzer.

FWIW, Durkin's last defense at Florida occasionally appeared to be 3-4 but played like a one-gap attacking 4-3 with a sometimes-standup Crable-esque DE and non-planet NT.


DJ Durkin Florida Defense vs. FSU Every Snap by DGDestroys

If Durkin is serious about installing a 3-4 this is what it would probably end up looking like:

  • DE: Glasgow, Wormley, Poggi
  • NT: Pipkins, Mone
  • DE: Henry, Hurst, Godin
  • WOLB: Charlton, Marshall, Ojemudia, Furbush
  • SOLB: Ross, Stone, Winovich
  • ILB: Morgan, Bolden, McCray, Gedeon

3-4 DEs are often three-tech types from a 4-3 under, and the nose tackles have to be super consistent at taking on doubles. Pipkins's lack of playing time last year would make me leery. Michigan has a clear 4-3 weakness—DE—as well.

I doubt Michigan will flip its defense around extensively. It's likely to remain pretty much a 4-3, give or take some frippery.

GUESSOCHART. Throwing Fisch on there and downgrading Dougherty and Manning some.

OFFENSE COACH confidence DEFENSE COACH confidence
OC Tim Drevno lock DC DJ Durkin lock
QB Jim Harbaugh lock DL Greg Mattison lock
RB Tyrone Wheatley very likely 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

OTHERS: Chuck Heater(CB), John Morton (WR).

Comments

The FannMan

January 8th, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^

What, am I supposed to be focused on my job during the day?  Am I meant to actually talk to my wife and kids at home in the evenings?  Good Lord, man!  Think of your readers.  

 

Joined: 11/25/2008

MGoPoints: 14813

borninAnnArbor

January 8th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^

On the few occasions the Jags were on tv I watched just to see Denard play again. It was great to see him, but I was not at all impressed with the offense as a whole. Please tell me that this will not be a Borges level hire. /hides behind couch again

Joined: 10/10/2012

MGoPoints: 3553

FreddieMercuryHayes

January 8th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^

Yeah, there are worse things.  But still, just because one coached in the NFL doesn't mean they'll be a good college coach.  They are two different worlds.  Some coaches can successfully do both.  Many cannot.  We saw Muschamp try and stuff his coaching staff with a ton of NFL experience on purpose and that didn't work out so well.  And there's a reason Fisch was available to be a position coach: because he hasn't been that good at higher level jobs.  To echo another poster, if UM didn't get Harbaugh, and Miles or Mullen made this hire, people probably wouldn't be so happy.  But UM did get Harbaugh so whatever I suppose. 

Joined: 12/29/2010

MGoPoints: 40860

alum96

January 8th, 2015 at 5:01 PM ^

Not worried about it because Jim doesn't stand for underperformance.  If this guy doesnt work out there will be a searchbits for passing coordinator in 12 months.  It's difficult to do that much damage as a WR coach.  OL coach is different.

And everyne finds their level.  Muschamp is an elite DC.  He was not a good HC.  People are judging him as an OC and not a WR coach.  I am not saying he is a good great average or bad WR coach - I don't know.  But he has been around the block and is not in the role he failed at.

Again, this would be like hiring Scott Lineham after being fired from the Lions to be a damn college WR coach.  Wicked man.

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82378

HANCOCK

January 8th, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^

wasnt this defense recruited to be part of mattison's 4-3 under (34) defense?

 

moving to a 3-4 would really play to our strengths for the most part. everyone is in a role that suits them well, and we have no huge lack of depth anywhere. 

 

mone/pipkins on the nose

glasgow, henry, hurst, poggi, wormley, godin all fit well as 3-4 DEs (which are basically 3 techniques)

charlton, ojemudia, marshall fill the rusher spot

ross, stone, winovich, furbush fill the strong side spot

then the two inside roles are filled by morgan and bolden, backed by mccray, gedeon

 

in the nickel, we probably drop mone/pipkins off the field, or we get creative with some sort of 3-3-5 lok....probably could do a mix of both.

 

and we can easily continue to run some of the 43 over looks, just make a few shifts. 

 

the distinction between a 43 and a 34 is overcomplicated by most. 

 

like brian said, 1 gap or 2 gap is really the biggest question. ..(im a much bigger fan or 1 gapping, and i think thats what we will do). 2 gapping requires some monsters up front. some teams like the new england patriots can play a hybrid. they use wilfork (the nose) and the strong side end  as two gappers in a 43 under with the weakside playing 1 gap. then play it as wilfork and the weakside end 2 gapping and the strong side one gapping in a 43 over....very complex and multiple. 

 

it isnt necessarily something that is hard for the offense to recognize, but it is something that is fairly unique....i dont know if we can do that, but i started writing about and then i wanted to finish the thought...so there. lol

Joined: 10/16/2012

MGoPoints: 1665

Magnum P.I.

January 8th, 2015 at 4:14 PM ^

So, by my count, we now have on staff (or are likely to have on staff):

  1. A head coach who has led a team to the Superbowl,
  2. Two position coaches who were coordinators in the NFL, and
  3. Three other position coaches who were position coaches in the NFL.

I'm telling you, recruits want to know they're going to a program that can put them in the league, and we should be able to make that argument as well as anyone now. We basically have an NFL coaching staff, and every one of them has college experience. 

 

 

Joined: 07/16/2009

MGoPoints: 30658

Monkey House

January 8th, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^

I'm torn on Heater. part of me would like to see him at Michigan, but the part of me that lives near Marshall hopes he stays here. he does well here and everyone loves him around here.

Joined: 09/05/2014

MGoPoints: 43771

Lazarus

January 8th, 2015 at 4:42 PM ^

We are building a fighting force of extraordinary magnitude. We forge our tradition in the spirit of our ancestors. You have our gratitude.

Joined: 01/08/2015

MGoPoints: 178

Boom Goes the …

January 8th, 2015 at 5:05 PM ^

only concern is that if Manning is olb/de, then that's 3 guys coaching the front seven and only 1 with the back 4/5 (nickel).  I guess if Harbaugh and Manning agree he is more comfortable ther then it's all good

Joined: 02/24/2013

MGoPoints: 4292

Leatherstocking Blue

January 8th, 2015 at 5:06 PM ^

I get the sense that Tyrone Wheatley's hire will have little impact on where his son will eventually play. Going to high school in Syracuse and Buffalo, you can't blame a kid for wanting to go someplace warm. And I certainly wouldn't want to go to college where my dad worked (no offense to my dead father). From what's been written about his recruitment, it seems like he is not the kind of kid who wants to ride his father's fame.

Joined: 07/11/2013

MGoPoints: 2718

Space Coyote

January 8th, 2015 at 5:10 PM ^

Here's the Jacksonville Depth Chart

I know people get all crazed about scheme around here, and by scheme I mean "if the offense works it's great scheme; if it the offense doesn't work it's bad scheme", but honestly, look at the Jaguar's depth chart and try to muscle out a successful offensive gameplan.

Look, scheme is great. People often conflate poor talent or fundamentals with poor scheme. If the position coaches Harbaugh is hiring do their job in coaching up the players, then I have very little doubt that the scheme will be anything but fine.

Joined: 06/18/2009

MGoPoints: 38962

delmarblue

January 8th, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^

Great info, but I cannot see Morgan starting in front of any of his listed backups.  I bet he is no where near enough of a disrupter for JH and Durkin's defense.

Joined: 08/29/2011

MGoPoints: 164

Jgrasty

January 9th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^

A friend of mine who is EXTREMELY knowledgeable (almost became an NFL scout) and is a huge Miami fan had the following to say about Fisch:

 

The best part about Michigan hiring him for that specific role is that you likely won't have to be exposed to his greatest flaw.

At Miami, Fisch was an absolutely dreadful evaluator of high school quarterbacks. Kevin Olsen (Greg's brother who was not only an off-the-field headcase, but also dreadful in practice to the point where he would've been third string this year if he wasn't kicked off the team), Gray Crow, and Preston Dewey (career ended prematurely due to concussions) were the three signal callers he coveted and ended up bringing to Miami. His successor as Miami's OC, James Coley, is the complete opposite in that regard since he's exceptional at identifying top QB talent early and getting them to commit. With Harbaugh there, I assume he'll be the one attracting the top-notch QB recruits, which should minimize or completely eliminate Fisch's questionable history in this area. 

But Fisch, to his credit, did a very impressive job working with Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris from 2011-2012. Before Fisch arrived, Harris was a turnover machine who had the mentality of "fuck it, I'm throwing deep into double or triple coverage" under Mark Whipple. Fisch was cited as a major factor behind Harris' drastic reduction in turnovers (threw 32 total INTs from 2009-2010, but cut that total to 9 in 2011 under Fisch). 

Fisch specifically did a great job with Morris in terms of mechanics. I, at one point, raved about Morris on this board after his junior season and believed he had NFL potential (SI's Doug Farrar and others felt the same). Once Fisch left, Morris' mechanics went to shit and he looked like a completely different quarterback. Losing Fisch destroyed his development and set him back significantly. 

Fisch was regarded as a strong X's and O's OC with highly suspect evaluation skills of high school talent. Hope he works out at Michigan.

Joined: 09/17/2011

MGoPoints: 7