CC: Is there really a downside to firing right now?
Say we fire Hoke tomorrow (I know, I know....) .... blah blah
Appoint Nuss (I know, I know.....) as the head interim coach.
What do we have to lose at this point? What if it turns out that Nuss really is being hampered by Hoke? What if he turns out to be a great HC? We clean house and get a free shot at not even having to fully commit to a new HC.
Does this really have a downside? What's the worst case, that we lose as many games as we already are going to lose anyways?
He was an OC that has national championships (not big ten championships) under his belt.
Why not?
September 30th, 2014 at 7:10 PM ^
naming Nussmeier as the interim coach. Cliff notes version: he doesn't need the extra responsibility at this point, we're going to keep him if meets a very low bar for showing improvement rather than at least trying for a home run. The more I think about it, the more it seems my football based objections are moot. While Hoke deserves most of the blame for the handling of Shane Morris, Nuss is next in line. Given the firestorm going on, the interim is not going to be someone directly involved. That would only extend the controversy and that's the last thing Michigan will be looking for.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
I have personally heard enough mgobloggers...guys/girls, students/non-students. I may get banished for this take or burnt at a cross, but NOTHING is changing today, tomorrow, that is going to remediate where this program needs to go..
Now for my "credentials" as that has become necessary on this board to carry any weight. You will see that I have very few "points" as a poster, that does not mean I am new. I am a quiet regular on here every day. I usually only post when I am to my limit, like now. For extra proof of my loyalty to this site without posting let me just give that by referencing that I know of the main posters and enjoy for the most part their insights and posts(i.e. Magnus, Wolverine Devotee) I have been around since TomVH was just a poster himself on this board. Both sides of my family originate from Michigan and am currently an Arizona native with an Accounting degree(Not from UM) and a former professional baseball player of 9 years.
I now also run a very small service company helping prospective high school student athletes in the college selection process coming out of high school. As a fan, I bleed maize and blue.
So thats my background, take this post with a grain of whatever you would like, but I had to get it off of my chest.
In basic, readable, fan(atical) terms I agree with everyone here in that this situation for a lack of better words....sucks. However, on the flip side, the backlash and outcry that has materialized from the situation is far more disappointing to me. Can we all just realize that things like this take some time, although unliked by the vast majority, DB and BH are also human beings with families, friends, and their own lives. Yes, by accepting their current positions, they voluntarily put themselves in the spotlight that comes with being the AD and Head Coach of one the most scrutinized and prestigious programs in the nation so in understanding that, I too believe that the end result of this situation will ultimately bring a new regime. For now though, can we let the situation play out with minimal ADDED backlash from the "mob" that has become from our fanbase. In terms of publicity, its been made into some kind of absurd scandal and basically a witch hunt that does not really do anybody related to UM a bit of good. DB knows he is failing, BH knows he is failing, Schlissel KNOWS about the situation at hand. I dont fault anyone for the petition, or the rally, those things are needed.. But what I have always appreciated about this blog, and really the Michigan fan base as a whole is the groups collective ability to be rational in the irrational nature of being a fan(atic).
We aren't going to be the decision makes in the next AD hire or coaching hire, or the timeline of said hires. And we won't ALL collectively be happy with what transpires during those events. So instead of pulling our hair and adding fuel to this fire that is already at bonfire level.. Lets move on. Hope the powers that be make the correct decision and understand that even though they are in the wrong... they were not actively TRYING to be in the wrong. For discussion sake, all of this speculation is fine and dandy, but if we really want to "get back" to where the fan base wants Michigan to be.. Lets take a step back, think rationally here about OUR part in this, and support whoever is the coach/AD/QB/President/cheerleader/trainer on the sideline trying to do their best.. Yes, their best may not be good enough.. I agree.. but who i do not want to turn into is the Cleveland Browns fans who find anyone and everyone to blame and have gone through 7 coaching changes, 4 GM changes, 18+ starting QBs, and multiple owners just because as a fan base they "think" they know better.
Thats my soap box, ill end it with something positive.. There is a football GAME on Saturday that over 200 STUDENT-athletes that attend 2 very prestigious academic institutes will be partaking in for all of us to watch and enjoy. And I for one am pretty happy that Brady Hoke will most likely be standing on the sideline still TRYING to do his job in the midst of his character being ripped apart.. I do whole-heartedly agree however, that the person standing on the sideline next year when Rutgers visits AA, will not be Hoke. But we have done our part, so lets just wait, support and see.
September 30th, 2014 at 10:05 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 1st, 2014 at 12:43 AM ^
Except nuss came out and said in his presser yesterday that the coaching has been absolutely terrible.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:15 AM ^
So if the coaches are allowed to be poor coaches, week in week out, I guess we're allowed to be poor disloyal Michigan fans and ask that they be replaced.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^
I have personally heard enough mgobloggers...guys/girls, students/non-students. I may get banished for this take or burnt at a cross, but NOTHING is changing today, tomorrow, that is going to remediate where this program needs to go..
Now for my "credentials" as that has become necessary on this board to carry any weight. You will see that I have very few "points" as a poster, that does not mean I am new. I am a quiet regular on here every day. I usually only post when I am to my limit, like now. For extra proof of my loyalty to this site without posting let me just give that by referencing that I know of the main posters and enjoy for the most part their insights and posts(i.e. Magnus, Wolverine Devotee) I have been around since TomVH was just a poster himself on this board. Both sides of my family originate from Michigan and am currently an Arizona native with an Accounting degree(Not from UM) and a former professional baseball player of 9 years.
I now also run a very small service company helping prospective high school student athletes in the college selection process coming out of high school. As a fan, I bleed maize and blue.
So thats my background, take this post with a grain of whatever you would like, but I had to get it off of my chest.
In basic, readable, fan(atical) terms I agree with everyone here in that this situation for a lack of better words....sucks. However, on the flip side, the backlash and outcry that has materialized from the situation is far more disappointing to me. Can we all just realize that things like this take some time, although unliked by the vast majority, DB and BH are also human beings with families, friends, and their own lives. Yes, by accepting their current positions, they voluntarily put themselves in the spotlight that comes with being the AD and Head Coach of one the most scrutinized and prestigious programs in the nation so in understanding that, I too believe that the end result of this situation will ultimately bring a new regime. For now though, can we let the situation play out with minimal ADDED backlash from the "mob" that has become from our fanbase. In terms of publicity, its been made into some kind of absurd scandal and basically a witch hunt that does not really do anybody related to UM a bit of good. DB knows he is failing, BH knows he is failing, Schlissel KNOWS about the situation at hand. I dont fault anyone for the petition, or the rally, those things are needed.. But what I have always appreciated about this blog, and really the Michigan fan base as a whole is the groups collective ability to be rational in the irrational nature of being a fan(atic).
We aren't going to be the decision makes in the next AD hire or coaching hire, or the timeline of said hires. And we won't ALL collectively be happy with what transpires during those events. So instead of pulling our hair and adding fuel to this fire that is already at bonfire level.. Lets move on. Hope the powers that be make the correct decision and understand that even though they are in the wrong... they were not actively TRYING to be in the wrong. For discussion sake, all of this speculation is fine and dandy, but if we really want to "get back" to where the fan base wants Michigan to be.. Lets take a step back, think rationally here about OUR part in this, and support whoever is the coach/AD/QB/President/cheerleader/trainer on the sideline trying to do their best.. Yes, their best may not be good enough.. I agree.. but who i do not want to turn into is the Cleveland Browns fans who find anyone and everyone to blame and have gone through 7 coaching changes, 4 GM changes, 18+ starting QBs, and multiple owners just because as a fan base they "think" they know better.
Thats my soap box, ill end it with something positive.. There is a football GAME on Saturday that over 200 STUDENT-athletes that attend 2 very prestigious academic institutes will be partaking in for all of us to watch and enjoy. And I for one am pretty happy that Brady Hoke will most likely be standing on the sideline still TRYING to do his job in the midst of his character being ripped apart.. I do whole-heartedly agree however, that the person standing on the sideline next year when Rutgers visits AA, will not be Hoke. But we have done our part, so lets just wait, support and see.
September 30th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
from me LOL
September 30th, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
is that you are asking for your needs to be placed above those of the players.
When a school fires its coach mid season the season just becomes an exercise in going thru the motions of showing up and playing the remainder of the games. There is no need to recruit nor develop anyone, just regular practicing and taking care of administrative duties. Think of it as hiring a substitute teacher to teach the last 15 days of a given school year.
Personally, I see that as a problem outweighing any benefits that could be derived from a mid-season termination by a factor of 10x.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:10 PM ^
if your interum head coach has no chance at being named the real thing I agree. but I think you give someone like Nuss a chance he will run with it. even if he doesn't get the job at the end of the year. if he shows the right fire he will put himself in line for other head coaching jobs
October 1st, 2014 at 4:17 AM ^
I don't agree. USC salvaged last season by getting rid of Kiffin. It boosted team morale and gave the AD plenty of time to find a suitable replacement. It turned out much better than if they had waited until the season was over.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:11 PM ^
RE: DB will not fire Hoke midseason for overall job performance. For some reason, I just rewatched the presser DB did when he fired RR. There were some early "The Process" questions, and DB offered his very strong opinion that firing a coach with games left in the season does not give the student-athletes the best chance to win. He said obviously some other programs feel differently, but he was convinced that a coach should finish the season.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^
If you think what transpired Saturday is reason enough to fire Brady Hoke, then he's got to go immediately. To argue that he should be allowed to stay is to argue that the offense really wasn't that egregious.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:54 PM ^
Serious question, did any of you guys watch the nussie presser?
Seemed to me he is very pissed off at the coaching on this team, and he wasn't stumbling for words. He addressed every question he was asked, seemingly took a thinly veiled shot at Hoke, but didn't directly throw anyone under the bus.
he seemed to be the first one to say the failing is in coaching, and didn't avoid questions. Also, the dude obviously puts his money where his mouth is, as he is in as good of shape as a lot of the players.
Giving him the helm for the year does not hurt the students... it just removes dead weight, and gives us time to mull over whether he's worth taking a longer term shot on or go after a blue chip coach.
Do you really want to get another hire that turns out to be a flub when you can just fire the main problem and already have a coach waiting for a chance to shine? If he isn't up to it, let the next coach decide what happens with him.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
I would totally support parting ways with Hoke right now. I think Nuss could accomplish more in 1 month as coach, than Hoke has in 3 years. There doesn't appear to be much downside at this point. Gotta believe recruits are already rethinking things.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:20 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 4:22 AM ^
How 'bout give Mattison the interim job and make Nuss the Assistant Head Coach heir apparent. I think that would stem the bleeding, improve morale, and by a lot of time -- provided, of course, that the team improves.
September 30th, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^
this is The Stupidest Effin Thing-- Pathologically ABSURD
and WHAT O-plays are being Hampered ?? Deep-Long Passes ?? More WR-Reverses ??
Or maybe The Stupidity on This Board want to see MORRIS run 20-25 Zone-Reads. So MORRIS can run 20-25 times a game- like DRob did with RRod
and RRod was a GENIUS . . .
September 30th, 2014 at 9:24 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 9:31 PM ^
its all about-- Creative Flow . . .
October 1st, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
What makes you think Morris will even be a good QB at this point? He is terrible compared to DG, and everyone bitches about DG, even though it's pretty obvious he is truly a great player who has just been fucked by captain claps a lot.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:33 AM ^
Who knows, maybe if Nuss had is way he could get more out of DG if Hoke wasn't so set on his mythical white whale "pro-style" offense. Maybe that's what Nuss is alluding to. Good coaches fit the scheme to the players if the head coach will let 'em. It's obvous that DG has more talent than he is showing. (Actually, that goes for the whole team.)
September 30th, 2014 at 9:41 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
I think we have everything to gain by firing Brandon and Hoke immediately. It allows us to:
- Get a new AD in, in time to hire a new HC
- Test out an interim (i.e. Mattison if he's willing and Nuss if not)
- Actively contact Jim Harbaugh and others about the open position
It's a shame that this happened to Shane. The only good thing that may come out of it is a lot more time to make the right decision about the next hires.
September 30th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
Agree with the OP!
Hoke will have the team unprepared as usual for our road games (home games now too) .... give Nuss a chance! He has had to learned some good stuff from Saban.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^
Things are a toxic mess already. Recruiting? After being plastered all over on national news, how is recruiting going to get any worse by firing the person who all other opposing coaches are going to use as the reason why NOT to come to Michigan?
October 1st, 2014 at 12:15 AM ^
Once again, did any of you watch nuss's presser that i posted?
Did it not seem like there is some bad sentiment between coaches in there?
Did he not seem like the only person speaking for the team that was as forthcoming and assertive as possible without lighting a tire fire?
Also, who cares if he hasn't proven it. Hoke has proven that he is a worse coach than richrod I don't think we can do worse by taking a fucking FREE GAMBLE on someone who is already on the staff and was considered a hot commodity. Let him run the team, you're going to lose almost every game from here on out with the intellectual giant named brady hoke at the helm. Fuck it.
And with all the recruiting talk, you think a guy that was nick saban's OC can't fuckin recruit or get players to stay, especially if he DOES turn it the fuck around?
This team is full of wasted talent. I want to see DG go out in style, not limping off the field to maybe be some backup in the NFL
October 1st, 2014 at 4:28 AM ^
It's ironic that "Nuss isn't proven" is a criticism, when Hoke wasn't proven when he was hired and has only proven his incompetence since he's gotten here. At least Nuss has coached on a national championship level team.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:10 AM ^
Seems there might be more of a downside to the University's reputation to keep them.
Barring a miracle, they're not going to win anymore football games this year, and recruiting new guys will be out the window, so why not?
October 1st, 2014 at 1:31 AM ^
I don't see the downside. Even if the team would do marginally better with Hoke at HC as opposed to an interim coach, I don't see a big difference between going 6-6 and going 4-8 for the season. I think cleaning house ASAP helps save what's left of Michigan's image and commits/recruits/players. I don't exactly see many players leaving with Hoke. I say firing Hoke and Brandon immediately is the best option to help the team and program heal, not that my opinion means much.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:08 AM ^