Hanging Onto Brandon Gives Michigan the Best Chance At Harbaugh For Next Season--Sam Webb
See link for exact language:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=162&f=1088&t=13280630
The gist is that it would take too long to fire Brandon, bring in a new AD, and then hire a new football coach. So if we want a chance Harbaugh next season, we should want Brandon to remain AD at least through the football coach hiring process.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^
firing Dave Brandon if it means Hoke stays for one more year.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:07 PM ^
then that is a sad and bad option but may be better than a 3-man recruiting class and possibly losing a Peppers and a Smith or Green to transfer by taking a flyer on an "up and comer."
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^
If we can't get either of those guys then we're just going to have to take a chance on someone. It's a better option than keeping Hoke. It worked out for OSU when they were denied by like their first 4 choices.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:26 PM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 6:56 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:16 PM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:27 PM ^
I agree. I also think this Sam Webb stuff is ploy from folks feeding him that info an an effort to try to change the tide from "Fire Brandon!!!!!" to "Maybe we need to keep Brandon because we'd rather Hoke be fired than Brandon if it's only one or the other".
Lunacy, for sure. It's ridiculous to think that Michigan would hang on to a losing coach that it wants to actually fire, but just doesn't have the time to?? Insanity.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^
That's not what he said. Webb said that Schlissel is taking his time with due diligence and it might mean that Brandon isn't fired until a few weeks. Once Brandon is fired, there's another process to hiring the new AD and he'll take his time with that too. Once the new AD is hired, tje new AD won't likely have time to properly evaluate Hoke before recruiting for 2015 is done, so it means we might be stuck with Hoke for another year. ****Sam's EXCEPTION: If Michigan's record is such that firing Hoke is the obvious answer, then there is no review necessary - he can be fired relatively quickly by the new AD and a new coach hired soon after.
Webb also said in another thread the Brandon /Hoke disharmony is real and that they wouldn't be able to work together, so Harbaugh's not coming with Brandon here, so that part of your post is wrong.
IMO, Harbaugh won't likely be available next season - it's now or never for Harbaugh. He won't work with Brandon, so Brandon has to go. There is no way in the world they are crazy enough to keep Hoke into his lame duck year and they'd be even crazier to extend him.
Fire Brandon! Fire Hoke! Do it ASAP!!
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^
Hence why if we get blown out this week by MSU they should just fire him now. You can be all ''Oh that's not the way we do it here'' but really does it make any sense for him to coach the rest of the year?
Someone just ask him if he's lost the team please.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^
and I was nearly crucified. Regardless of how we feel about Brandon, I think he has more incentive and perhaps more freedom to spend whatever it takes to hire a home run coach. Then he can say goodbye and leave.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^
The timing could be difficult. They would have to hire an AD very quickly to be ready to hire a football coach in January. VERY quickly. Might not be possible. I think that is all he is saying--not that Harbaugh would even consider working for Brandon or that Brandon would even be able or want to hire Harbaugh.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:17 AM ^
I keep reading that DB passed on JH 4 years ago but are we sure that at the time that JH wanted the NFL gig instead? Do we really know for sure that DB blantanly passed on JH 4 yrs ago? I would like some clarity on that if anyone has any viable info on that topic
October 22nd, 2014 at 1:04 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
The people who could clarify them aren't going to. One is that DB thought Harbaugh was coming. Things changed when the SF job opened. No AD is going to say he hired his second or third or whatever choice if he doesn't have to. Another report is that DB wanted Hoke all along. He's going to say so, but who knows if that's true. One of them seems more likely to me.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:46 PM ^
Sam's my guy when it comes to recruiting...
But I don't think I'd want him consulting for my Athletic Department.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:48 PM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^
That was actually one of Webb's exceptions. If the decision is made obvious by such a horrid record, then the decision is easy and there's no need to do a formal evaluation.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:49 AM ^
Key word: "competent"
October 21st, 2014 at 11:54 PM ^
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October 22nd, 2014 at 12:11 AM ^
if he doesn't support keeping Brandon. He did the same thing with the boycott. He kept saying that there are better ways to get the message across, but never mentioned one. He seems to be supporting and covering for DB. At this point, I cannot trust what Sam Webb says about this situation. His objectivity is compromised.
If Brandon and Jim H are in the same room, the room might explode. Brandon is a cancer to this program and Hoke is letting the program deteriorate around him. They are bad for Michigan.
Hoke's fate will be sealed after the 24+ point loss on Saturday and then the massive empty sections at the next home game finish off Brandon.
Long or Bates to come home as AD wouldn't take a month to complete. The new AD will be here before OSU and Hoke is gone within weeks after OSU and Jim H comes home after the 49ers season ends.
October 22nd, 2014 at 1:12 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:12 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^
one more year of Brandon means no coach over a MAC level for 3-5 years and the Harbaugh windows close, Miles is retired and no top tier coach would be interested ni Michigan anymore because we have then become Purdue.
Brandon has to be fired first and before OSU week. Hoke can be canned within the week or so after OSU.
If the Administration is seriously thinking about firing Brandon, then they have already gauged interest from a few potential successors through back door channels. A new AD could be in placed in a few weeks and a Harbaugh (I pray) could be hired by Jan. 1. The way the 49ers are going, the Jim might be a quicker hire than John.
I prefer Jim anyway, he has the grit and demeanor to hate and want to crush Dantonio and Meyer, something sadly missing in this current staff.
October 22nd, 2014 at 1:13 AM ^
The recruiting class has gone to hell. Michigan can't afford another class to be subpar.
They have to act as soon as they limp back from Columbus.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:31 AM ^
Harbaugh will be coaching until Christmas. There is plenty of time to line up an AD, evaluate the season, between the Ohio game and Christmas.
But what I really hate about this is keeping Harbaugh hope alive based on sheer speculation.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^
no other coach worth hiring, that would be able to fix this dumpster fire, would seem to be interested in taking the job. MUllen is NEVER coming to Michigan, he's an SEC guy. Patterson, although would be a pretty good get, probably not leaving TCU.
Jim Harbaugh is the home run we need. Big name, strong personality and wins quickly. WE don't need a another soft spoken coach or someone that is a "scheme" coach. And the next coach has to be a big name cuz this program is living on borrowed time right now.
If Michigan doesn't get the right big name guy this time, it could be 5-7 years of crap and a lot of empty seats. The administration has to get this right and get it right now.
Brandon has to go very soon and then set up the path to get Jim H. He's the logical, common sense choice and the best choice to revive a program on life support. And besides, no one in the coaching ranks understands Michigan better than he does.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:48 PM ^
Agreed. We have to get JH if he is available and pursue even if he is not. We cant afford another experiment, we have to get it right this time.
October 22nd, 2014 at 12:53 AM ^
Here's a long, interesting story ESPN did on Harbaugh earlier this month. Dunno if it was posted to the board, but I hadn't seen it before today:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11625088/san-francisco-49ers-head-coa…
October 22nd, 2014 at 2:09 AM ^
I just remember Brandon saying in the Hoke intro presser that he did talk to Harbaugh but "when billionaire are throwing millions of dollars at him to go to the NFL...." and that JH was "a member of the Michigan football family"... hopefully that wasnt just bullshit
October 22nd, 2014 at 2:34 AM ^
Is DB communicating (through his rumor spreading minions) that he can bring a Harbaugh if he's the athletic director? Sorry but that's how I'm reading this. A politician at work.
October 22nd, 2014 at 3:54 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 4:33 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 5:28 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 5:32 AM ^
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October 22nd, 2014 at 5:42 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
...Da Bears.
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 6:05 AM ^
October 22nd, 2014 at 7:16 AM ^
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October 22nd, 2014 at 7:26 AM ^
If Harbaugh (either) will come here and Brandon is still here I can live with that. I think Hoke isn't man enough to stand up to Brandon, whereas either Harbaugh would tell Brandon to piss off and let him win games. Hoke can't say anything because he isn't winning enough.
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:14 AM ^
Folks need to understand that the probability of JH coming here is extremely unlikely if Brandon is here. The OP merely assumes (not based on Sam Webb's post) that the only way to get JH is to keep Brandon, but that's not what Webb said - that is the OP's mistaken assumption. What the OP failed to mention is that Webb said in another post last night that Harbaugh and Brandon don't get along and it would be IMPOSSIBLE that they could work together. Keeping Brandon does NOT help get Harbaugh.
To me this is all just a ploy by DB and company to get the fans to actually want him back, scaring them into believing that if he's fired, Hoke will be here another year. Crazzzzzzzy.
Don't buy that crap they're selling. It is IMPOSSIBLE that Hoke will be kept with a losing record heading into a lame duck year and he sure as hell wouldn't get an extension. IMPOSSIBLE.
Brandon and Hoke both need to go.
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:09 AM ^
No way. Doesn't make sense. Sam Webb is just dead wrong. Hang on to Brandon and there is ZERO chance Harbaugh dons the maize and blue.
Fire Brandon now and put all the BS in the rear view mirror.
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:37 AM ^
Webb is distributing to the public what his sources fed to him in the hopes that it reverses the "Fire Brandon" sentiment. I don't think Webb is intentionally misleading people, but I do think he's being used by pro-Brandon folks who feed him info.
It doesn't make any sense that keeping Brandon helps with Harbaugh. In fact, in another thread last night Webb mentioned that the rift between Harbaugh and Brandon is real and that it would be highly unlikely that JH would agree coach at Michigan with Brandon as AD and it would be nerely impossible for the two to co-exist at Michigan.
With Brandon as AD, there is no Harbaugh - that is the reality.
Fire Brandon! Fire Hoke!
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:21 AM ^
The Sam Webb is being a shill for the AD posts are quite hilarious when obviously 90% of the people responding do not have the subscription to read the whole article.
He said the AD is likely to be fired in that very post. The whole point to the article was the timeline was pushing it to replace the AD and the coach before next season. I do agree that it will be tougher the longer they wait on the AD. He made some valid points if you actually read the entire thing. It was probably messy of him to include Harbaugh, but he seemingly did that because that is obviously who the fanbase wants, but was not the point of the article. His point was because of TIMELINE in regards to replacing both the AD and the coach, the most likely way to land Harbaugh was Brandon to keep his job and take a swing at it. He was not shilling for the AD to keep his job, as he said in the same article that Brandon, was ice skating uphill.
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:42 AM ^
I'm sure he knows more than any of us on this board. However, Brandon could be canned and replaced in the next week. There is more than enough time to give him the axe and still land Harbaugh.
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:00 AM ^
Sam Webb, while walking a tightrope at times (and VERY skillfully I might add), is not a misleading person, nor is he being "used." He shoots straight from the hip and still tries to find a middle ground wherever possible. It takes courage for a guy to hold his ground the way he does.
People are looking for "right" and "wrong" answers at a time when the dice are still up in the air.... it's obvious that DB has been given a template for keeping his job. Whether he can do it or not... ah, that is another betting matter entirely......
October 22nd, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
so this whole talk of keeping Brandon is pointless. Fire him and let's find somebody that is capable and end these unicorn dreams.
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
...of his historical ties to Ann Arbor and the school and because he knows he can return the football program to national prominence. That accomplishment would be his legacy. In adddition, Harbaugh knows that:
- He has an opportunity to eliminate the Kinesiology 'requirement' for football players that currently exists
- He'd enjoy molding the new, young QBs currently on UofM's team and doing so with new ones in future years
- He can write his Job Description such that the AD has limited control over the HC and the football program
- He can bring his own staff with him
- He'd love to coach against Urban Meyer (and restore the '10 year war' scenario)
- He'd also relish coaching against Dantonio and MSU
- There are no downsides to leaving SF for Michigan because he won't fail as HC
All my opinion of course, but I think it fits.
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
has almost as much weight as my opinion on that question, or that of any other random poster on this or any other interwebs messageboard.