Shafer Out
Scott Shafer has resigned as Michigan's defensive coordinator:
"Scott and I agreed that moving in a different direction was in the best interest of the program," said coach Rich Rodriguez. "I appreciate Scott's hard work on behalf of Michigan football the past year. He is a good football coach, a good person and a true professional. We wish him well in the future."
So, there you go. Sorry, GSimmons.




A bad precedent was set with letting Shafer walk. Yes, the defense underperformed at times, but at least part of that falls on players who had no business being out there and who made some bad decisions. Yes, the DC deserves some of the blame, but everyone should have received at a least two seasons, and Shafer was never given the chance. I guess the insta-pundits out there win again.
I think it's a step in the right direction and I don't understand why there isn't more enthusiasm. Shafer didn't do anything to indicate he was the right guy for the job.
Say mr. THE KNOWLEDGE, I was thinking of placing a bet on the stock market. Could you tell me if the Big 3 are going to get a bailout? Any information would be much appreciated.
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THE KNOWLEDGE......FTW!!
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Check it out, no question, Jim.
There's an article on the Free Press site right now in which Shafer is quoted as saying that a disagreement over whether to play a 4-3 or 3-3-5 was a big reason for the split...It also says that he wasn't present at the last two recruiting weekends.
"That's horrible"
"Terrible is what it is."
Shafer didn't specifically say the 4-3 vs. 3-3-5 situation was the reason for the split, just "differences" in coaching philosophy.
"That's horrible"
"Terrible is what it is."
Shafer says he is taking "full responsibility for the demise of Michigan football"... wow that is a guilt ridden statement if I ever saw one... He probably didnt need to go that far, the team will be back eventually.
"You are what your record says you are" - Bill Parcells
I can't read that as anything but absolutely dripping with sarcasm.
You know, the news JUST broke confirming Monte Kiffin to Tennessee. That presents a pretty interesting coincidence. Do RichRod and Chavis have any history together, where Rod would have seen him available, and immediately felt the need to make a move?
He'd just be making the same mistake twice.
Tennessee was 4th in the country in Total Defense this year and their DC just got let go due to the HC change.
Can you say "hire that guy"?
Go Blue
....Tenn's shitty O kept putting them in rotten situations.
I can handle Chavis.
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God Bless Your Cotton Pickin' Maize & Blue Hearts
If they want him they better do something soon, since he's been talking to Clemson quite a bit.
Buzz! Your girlfriend, Woof!
umm yes please. seriously, is there a better candidate out there w/o a job?
i only respect other superfans
1. I would have preferred some continuity - now that that the scheme was installed, Shafer could have taught fundamentals, etc.
2. Do we hire ANOTHER DC and not let him choose his staff? The only way I could see this happen (and work) is if Casteel came, as he's worked with all these guys before.
i dont' see that happening. from talking to some of the players they really like gibson, in particular. Also, Gibson, Hopson and Dews are big recruiters for us.
i only respect other superfans
Let's hire Les Miles!!!!
Then we appease everyone!!!! Yes, I know, you're welcome.
was previously the DC at Southern Miss. It wouldn't surprise me if RR gives him the promotion, despite the fact that our LBs sucked ass this year.
But when Lane Kiffin brought in his daddy to be his DC at Tenn, that put one very solid and experienced DC out of a job in John Chavis.
Okay, now I'm going to be dying to know who the new DC will be.
FUCK.
Go Blue
Our LBs got much better throughout the year. Mouton was very good at the end, and Ezeh had improved a bit as well. Thompson was still a vapid pile of suck, and our safety play was marginally improved. I'm on the John Chavis bandwagon as well. He just has to bring Erik Berry with him.
....another coaching search! Because the last one was sooooo fun.
You know, RR hired Shaffer without ever having met him......he had been intrigued from afar about the defenses he had put together at smaller schools like NIU and WMU.
As the D crumbled and big play after big play speared this defense, I often wondered what RR would say about Shaffer if you could submerge him under hypnosis.
Never thought the working chemsitry was there, but also assumed that something like that would take time to create, so I didn't think it was a "problem."
We'll see where they go from here....hopefully RR does a legit national search, actually interviews candidates and that the UM pocketbook is open.
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God Bless Your Cotton Pickin' Maize & Blue Hearts
ok guys....
blast me if you want... hope it works out well for us, sucks for shafer, but its a buisness.. think it was problaby alot to do with other things beside his abilty...
www.gsimmons85.blogspot.com
My biggest concern with this is that it's the result of petty in-group/out-group dynamics, the kind of thing that corrodes the quality and integrity of any organization. IMO the biggest flaw with the way Carr ran things, as well
That's right, Dude. 100% certain.
It really sucks for Shafer because he had a geat gig at Stanford. Plus his wife really didn't want to relocate to Michigan again, and now they'll have to move again.
IMHE
We better hire a black DC. Otherwise we're racist.
What would make us even more Michigan-y (at least in terms of the school's stated commitment to diversity, as litigated at the Supreme Court) than our staff already is? The aforementioned John Chavis, who I believe is Native American, which would give us minorities of different groups at head coach and both coordinator spots.
Chavis does have a decent record at Tennessee. Definitely would be interested to know what others are out there that might be possibilities though.
I don't think Casteel is on that list though. He would have been here already if he wanted to be here AND RR wanted him to be here. Obviously at least one of those is not the case, since he's still at WVU.
Romeo Crennel is going to need work soon.
I've redeemed MGoPoints for valuable and exciting merchandise!
I though he's our OC?
Shafer never had a chance. Never had a chance to pick his staff... now Hopson or worse will be the DC and that worthless fk Gibson will still be coaching the secondary.
This does not help the team and does not help recruiting.
Fuck
"You are what your record says you are" - Bill Parcells
Defensive coordinators don't choose "their staff." Head coaches do. Show me a DC that chooses his staff and I'll show you a HC that won't have job next season.
Tom, you need to take a chill pill.
we are all entitled to our opinions...how we express them is our business.
For the record I still support RR (quite a lot) but add this to the list of "growing pains" that the program has gone through.
"You are what your record says you are" - Bill Parcells
schahfer wasn't exactly a premier coordinator. i don't think this sets us back at all IMO.
i only respect other superfans
Hey man, I'm not saying you're wrong at all, you just seemed kinda angry and I thought a little giggle would help settle you down. Instead you got more angry. Now you should probably take two chill pills.
and while im at it give me 2 safetys in the mold of Vada Murray and Tripp Welborne, a couple OLBs and a DC who is fully in charge of both scheme and personel and his staff and ill be set.
sorry if i seem like a dick...every morning I wake up and there is more news going on about the program... it gets old.
"You are what your record says you are" - Bill Parcells
some dude writing a diary brought up his name and I must say his resume is intriguing. Tennessee's longtime DC. Hmmmm...
Go Blue
1). When putting the job posting out on Craigslist and Freecycle, can we make "Must be able to get defensive stops of third and long" a priority? Also "Must like Brandon Grahams", that's important.
2). Can we, perhaps, get a list of who might be out there to get. Please don't say Ron English.
3). It's something. I don't know if it's the right thing, but it's something.
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"The Michigan fanbase: a cynical, Eeyorish bunch even in the best of times."--Doug Gillett
"must be willing to accept a coaching staff that you do not know, and that are lackeys to the HC"
"You are what your record says you are" - Bill Parcells
Caup has a very good point.
I wonder if RichRod would make an announcement at this juncture without already having good feelers out for his pick to replace Shafer. I sure hope so.
It's also not clear to me this was RichRod's doing, or Shafer's, or both. The quotes simply make it sound mutual, which is a friendly and professional way to deal with it, but I wonder who initiated the move.
So... any chance RR tries to lure Ron English back?
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be able to have some say over his position coaches or is this going to be another clusterfuck of disparate philosophies and personalities?
Go Blue
What will BG think of this?
Wow.
Gonna be real interesting to see who Rod brings in. Good news is, I can't think of any recruit who committed to Michigan because he wanted to play for Shafer, or that their relationship with Shafer was the critical link with the current staff. I've heard Dews, Gibson, Hopson, Magee, Frey, Freddie J, but not Shafer. So that's ok.
I could be mistaken, but I thought Shafer was recruiting Jelani Jenkins
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Some recruits will not want to play in a 3-3-5.
Who says this means we're going to 3-3-5?
Yeah, I'm not sure I like this. Especially not until we see who they bring in. For example, switching to the 3-3-5 seems like a spectacularly bad idea with our personnel -- the biggest problem at the end of the year was only having 2 useful linebackers and having poor secondary play, something that doesn't seem like will necessarily be solved for next season.