Gene Chizik on the Harbaugh hire
I have a long drive for work and listen to Sam and Ira on the interwebs in the morning, but have been checking in to Sirius College Sports radio on the way home. Today, after everyone not working an NFL beat acknowledged what Brian and the rest have been telling us for weeks, I thought I would see the national reaction. Gene Chizik was on and they started talking Harbaugh. He made three fairly valid points (after the host was dismissive in the "apparently it's happening" way).
1. They won the fan base back with the hire. Host threw out names such as Wittingham, Schiano, and other Plan F candidates (completely ignoring that Hackett is a straight baller) saying that Harbaugh was the only one that could get all of the fans back on board after the last 7 years.
2. They won the Hire. They knew who they wanted and did whatever they had to do to get him.
3. They will win the Press conference. Clearly, the presser tomorrow is going to be epic, given what we have all seen from Harbaugh pressers.
Talk then got down to the rest of the Big Ten and the star power that is now in the coaching ranks (mentioning Angry Dantonio and Urb, along with Franklin at Penn State and somehow Fitzgerald at NW).
My thought was 1, not enough Harbaugh talk, but I have all morning tomorrow for that, and 2 are any of the above mentioned coaches really on Harbaugh's level?
It was interesting to hear, but I am thankful on a daily basis for Sam and Ira on the way in.
HARBAUGH!!!
December 29th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^
and somewhat outperformed Saban in the Stanford/MSU comparison.
December 29th, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
December 29th, 2014 at 11:07 PM ^
Meyer is on Harbaugh's level. They're both rock-star coaches.
Dantonio? He's done a nice job at MSU but it's a reach.
December 30th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
If Jim Harbaugh can turn things around and make Michigan a top ten team every year, we'll see I hope a second period like the Bo-Woody era only it will be a three way war - Harbaugh - Dantonio and Meyer.
Right now the searches by Wisconsin and Nebraska seem hasty and superficial.
December 29th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
Meyer ranks #10 in college win pct; Harbaugh ranks #5 all time in the NFL.
Meyer won national college coach of the year for two different years in 30 years.
Harbaugh won both college and NFL coach of the year in 11 years.
Urban spent 15 years as an assistant college coach.
Harbaugh spent 14 years as an NFL pro QB, going to the Pro Bowl and winning the AFC player of the year.
December 29th, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^
Meyer has only coached since 2002, don't know where 30 years came from. But, I know he's a 2 time BCS champion, is 123-20 over the last 12 years. Has never had a losing season. Turned Utah into a contender over night, beating BCS Game by a non AQ. Would have played for a national championship if his team wasn't banned, and has them in the playoff in his 3rd season. 24-0 in the B1G. At Harbaugh peak you wish he can do what Meyer has done. It's Saban, Meyer and then everyone else right now.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:59 PM ^
He was an assistant. Thus, the "30 years" remark.
December 29th, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
December 29th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
December 29th, 2014 at 9:29 PM ^
Sincerely,
Jed York
December 29th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
December 30th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
at least for me, because after the Utah & Minny games, I conceded to myself that Michigan State had the better program under Dantonio even given the long term advantages Michigan possesses due to resources and tradition. ("Errr..., let's talk about basketball...")
What Michigan clearly had mid-season was the ability to attract an elite coach given the current resources and the (becoming more distant) tradition. But did it have the will? To overcome the penny-pinching and/or the internal politics? The answer had been No in what Michigan had been willing to offer a defensive coordinator under Rodriguez and what it was willing to go after in Hoke. And the hiring of an elite coach was going to be far more expensive than the options that were passed up at those times.
IMO, we had to hit rock bottom to force the Michigan administration to ask itself honestly what it would take to end the decline (in both on field success and soon, in profitability).
December 29th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
December 29th, 2014 at 11:32 PM ^