Friday Night Football Open Thread

Submitted by dr eng1ish on
Two good games tonight, starting right now on ESPN2 is the FCS Championship Game between Delaware and Eastern Washington.

Then at 8 EST is the Cotton Bowl between LSU And Texas A&M.

Post thoughts here as you try to forget that we don't have a coach 3 weeks from signing day. Oops, shouldn't have reminded everyone...

dr eng1ish

January 7th, 2011 at 7:06 PM ^

Should have mentioned that since Delaware has the same helmets as us, you can pretend WE'RE the ones playing for a championship tonight.
<br>
<br>Go Blue! Hens!

Old School Wolverine

January 7th, 2011 at 7:25 PM ^

I am genuinely sorry to the mgobloggers, for I insisted that Harbaugh was coming, and I still am in disbelief that he didn't answer the call of his Great Mother in distress. The fact is, the dude was the closest thing to an idol I had growing up, and do not know what to think right now. Sorry again.

Mich1993

January 7th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^

It's too bad we didn't get Harbaugh, but if we weren't going to get him we need him to take a job so we cna hire a coach.  I don't think DB could hire anyone until Harbaugh had a job.  I'm nervous, but DB will get the right coach in the end whoever it is.

I just hope Martin and Denard like whoever it is.

M-Dog

January 7th, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^

K.C. Keeler is a great coach at any level.

In 2007 he gave App State a better game than we did.

We need to get them in the Big House (on a bye-week as a featured game, not as an opponent so we don't have to root against the winged helmet). 

If we can get 61,000 for Slippery Rock and 104,000 for hockey, we could get a pretty good turnout to watch our other little brother play. 

snoopblue

January 7th, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^

 

About K.C. Keeler and Delaware...

And the plot thickens..

From 1950-1966, Delaware was coached by David M. Nelson. Nelson was born in Detroit, went to Northwestern High in Detroit, and played football at Michiga(1939-41) under Fritz Crisler. He played with Tom Harmon. As a coach, he developed the Wing-T formation and upon coaching at Delaware, brought Michigan (Crisler’s) Winged helmets with him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_M._Nelson

In 1966, Harold Tubby Raymond became head coach at Delaware and stayed there for 36!! seasons. Raymond was born in Flint and played football at Michigan (1946-48)under Fritz Crisler. He was a linebacker AND QB. Also played and captained on the baseball team in 1949. He perfected the Wing T formation as a coach at Delaware and had 300 wins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_%22Tubby%22_Raymond

In 2002, K.C. Keeler was named Delaware’s head coach. Keeler played linebacker (DEFENSE!) at Delaware (1978-1980) under Tubby Raymond, A MICHIGAN MAN. As a coach, he changed from the Wing-T formation to a no-huddle spread offense. Yet he still developed a pocket passer like Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens. (John Harbaugh’s QB…WIERD!!) Keeler has been to three FCS championship games, winning 2. They lost in 2007 to none other than….Appalachian State. Apparently, he is known for his trademark sunglasses and headgear – just like Bo Schembechler was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K.C.Keeler



He coaches at a school with great academics in a great college town. The Football program was basically established by two former Michigan players (MEN) and Michigan’s heavy influence on this program is almost symbolized by their helmets and colors. I like this guy, he’s young, knowledgeable and has the same fire that Jim Harbaugh has. The only problem is that he IS Delaware’s Jim Harbaugh, a former player coming back to head coach his alma mater. He also has a 10 year contract that runs through 2017. Don’t know about the buyout.

As stated above, he was in the running for the Michigan job in 2007 and should be in the running again. He has his team playing for a National Championship on Friday, hopefully Michigan fans everywhere watch and maybe get excited about this guy. I’m not completely sold on this guy, but if we see a fundamentally sound win in a championship game on Friday, I will probably be on board. David Brandon said it best today when answering if a coach had to come from a BCS conference (or FBS for that matter), "Is Jim Tressel a bad coach? He seems to be doing pretty well down there. At least against us." Foreshadowing? I don’t know.

 

skwasha

January 7th, 2011 at 7:39 PM ^

Buyouts in FCS are rare. Some guys do have them, and he's likely to be one of them. For example, David Bennett at CCU has a buyout equal to 100% of his remaining salary if he leaves for another 1AA school (note it doesn't appear to apply to a move to 1A.) I'm sure Keeler's is somewhere along those lines.

That said, Keeler's among the top paid guys in the league. In 09 he made a whopping - wait for it - $310,662.

So, I don't think $$$ would even remotely be an issue with this guy.

skwasha

January 7th, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^

I meant that in terms of issues with regard to getting him in, $ would/should not be one of them. We could quadruple or quintuple his salary and it'd still be less than we were paying. So, yeah we could certainly make it financially attractive enough I would think.

I agree the ties to DE are strong though and might be insurmountable. But he is on record as being one of 3 we would have interviewed last time had RR not come and that he was "flattered."

I dunno if this guy is the one or not. But I do think he deserves a long look from DB.

Space Coyote

January 8th, 2011 at 2:33 AM ^

He was a great DC at Florida and turned L-ville around to a respectable program.  I love his intensity and the way he coaches, and it would be hard to say he couldn't recruit.  An African-American coach from the south would be able to recruit extremely well.  While Bobby Williams was not a good coach, he recruited very well for MSU in his time there.  Many African-American athletes are attracted to African-American coaches, and I completely understand why.  I'm not saying we should just hire him because he is African-American, I think he could be a very good coach as well, and would put him at the top of my potential list.

For the record, my list at the start of the coaching search was:

1. Gruden (not going to happen, so let's move on)

2. JH (obviously not happening)

3. Charlie Strong

I do think Delaware's coach is a very good choice as well, though I think the fanbase will have trouble with it.  But screw the fanbase, if Michigan wins that's all that matters.

snowcrash

January 7th, 2011 at 7:23 PM ^

He's 58. A lot of coaches retire in their early 60s, and even if Pinkel did well here he could easily be hanging it up just when the program got to the point where all the recruits were his. 

skwasha

January 7th, 2011 at 7:20 PM ^

Interesting quotes from K.C. Keeler in a recent profile/interview (right before RR was let go.)

 

"That whole Michigan thing was for real," Keeler said.

"If [current coach Rich] Rodriguez hadn't taken the job, I was one of three they were going to bring in for an interview. That was Michigan. That was pretty flattering."

Here's the whole piece: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110103/SPORTS07/101030328/Keeler-not-looking-to-leave-UD

FWIW it also paints him as pretty content where he's at, but doesn't rule out a move to somewhere else.

jhackney

January 7th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^

Looks like Michigan vs. SDSU. Whoever wins the game, it will be a sign.....very telling. I bet DB is thinking the same thing as he puffs his diamond encrusted cigar and cognac out of his pimp chalice.

Cheesmo

January 7th, 2011 at 7:42 PM ^

I dont think Jimmy wanted a life-long discussion about being compared to Bo...

I also never logged in to say:

Hello...my name is Cheesmo...I am a M Go Blog addict...I got NOTHING done at work this week, and the constant watching and listening for anybody coming to my desk so I could throw up an Excel file took its toll...I got a sampler pack of Bells in Lancaster, PA I hope to dig into soon

GO BLUE

ReggieNoble04

January 7th, 2011 at 7:39 PM ^

Les Miles to Michigan looks like there is a legit shot of going down. Will be named coach tommrow before Army All American Game and Frost and Lyons will go blue. Along wit Dee Hart to re-committ because hes going to be 4 down on the depth chart at Bama.