Hopson
I don't feel too comfortable starting a post where I am going to be more than a little negative, but seriously, I really hope that Hopson is gone soon. Here are my admittedly negative feelings/observations about his performance:
1. He is not making me think that he has a "plan" that works with GERG's system.
2. The linebackers seem to be lacking the most fundamental coaching (hitting holes, pursuit angles, and playing with constant intensity). I hold him accountable for this.
3. He doesn't seem to have the recruiting capability we need. Michigan's school and facilities, the roll call of NFL 'backers, and the Barwia approach should help a good recruiter impress prospects at any level. He hasn't shown any real ability here at all.
4. I find myself wondering "What the heck has he been working on for the last 6-9 months?" frequently. I don;t feel that way about anyone else on the staff. We see marginal improvements or development in most other areas of the team.
Sorry for the negative posture, but I really hope that something happens to get the LB coaching on track soon.
October 4th, 2009 at 1:59 AM ^
but before I nominate you for a coaching position, let's wait at least until the end of the season to draw definite conclusions. Last year at around this time into the season, many people were talking about what a horrible job Tony Gibson was doing. Now we see that Donovan's play is much more competent than that of the other CBs, even though they are coached by the same guy. You might be right, or you might be wrong. If there is a coaching problem in this case, I trust RR to make the necessary corrections, like he did with Shafer.
October 4th, 2009 at 7:59 AM ^
...but doesn't your statement support the contrary argument that Donovan excels beyond just the coaching, which is the same for all the CB's?
"Now we see that Donovan's play is much more competent than that of the other CBs, even though they are coached by the same guy."
Also, you wrote,
"but before I nominate YOU for a coaching position, let's wait at least until the end of the season to draw definite conclusions"
It seems unnecessary to mock the OP in this way. Why the personal attack? The response to the claim, "David Cone is not a good quarterback, we should replace him," should not be "Well, let's see you be QB." Let's not make things ad hominem when it's unnecessary.
Btw, I take no position as to the Hopson matter. Just thought the caustic reaction was uncalled for.
October 4th, 2009 at 10:33 AM ^
I'm amused that you're aghast at this poster's "personal attack" but fine with someoned calling for the termination of someone whose job performance they've never witnesses. Lets all be civil to people on the message board - but not to people we rip on in real life, right?
If Hopson isn't the right man for the the job, he'll be let go. Period. I don't, and I'm positive the original poster doesn't, know enough about coaching football to suggest the termination of someone I have yet to actually witness perform the duties of his job. After a loss people just want to BLAMEBLAMEBLAMEBLAMEBLAME. We're fans. Let's take a deep breath, put this behind us, and look forward to next week - we only get to watch Michigan football 7 or 8 more times this year before it goes away again.
October 4th, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^
I was trying to show that we should separate arguments from the source (person). Even if OP knows less than Hopson, he should be able to raise the question without his lack of knowledge becoming the subject of someone's response to him.
I know infinitely less football than Tyrone Willingham, but I can question whether he should continue at Washington after an 0-12 season.
We should address arguments not people.
I agree, the team and the coaching staff should be given time to work together. I've worked enough years in various companies to know that it takes some time for teams/companies to reach optimal production. I did not mean at all to imply otherwise in my post; I just wanted to address something else entirely that I see quite often and felt counter-productive to the discussion (because it tends to turn into a food fight rather than reasoned debate).
October 4th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
I didn't need to be sarcastic about the OP's opinion. I don't want to make excuses, and I simply apologize about that.
As for the rest of my post, I just don't know if we can have a knee jerk reaction and call for somebody's head after the first loss. I hated seeing our D being spun around silly by the Sparties, make no mistake about that. My point is we are just observers, we don't understand exactly what the problem is. I'm not saying Hopson should stay either. Just let's give it some more time for things to unfold the true colors.
October 4th, 2009 at 2:12 AM ^
Definitely need to wait until the season's over...but there is one position on this team that is healthy, has decent depth, and is getting worse every single week.
October 4th, 2009 at 2:46 AM ^
but it's one of the few position groups that had upperclassmen starters filling out every starting spot.
October 4th, 2009 at 3:09 AM ^
As with some of the more obvious issues the OP mentioned above, another area along with talent level and tackling has to be utilization.
Can we confidently say they are being dropped into coverage/blitzing when appropriate?
When we have our linebackers covering receivers ad infinitum, there are problems.
October 4th, 2009 at 6:51 AM ^
At the end of last season, there were rumors Hopson wanted to go back down South (he's from Mississippi, I think). Not sure if the rumors were true, but if so the situation might solve itself.
October 4th, 2009 at 7:42 AM ^
Stating reality is not being negative. Simply put, the LBs have been a unmitigated disaster. Unless you count Brown as a LB, which I don't because he's a hybrid creation of Robinson, the position has regressed every week despite some talent being available. Ezeh has been exactly as advertised, slow, late and generally ineffective against anything other than a power run. Mouton has been the most surprising. He's constantly out of position, looks lost and is wasting his talent. The lack of pass rush from the 2 LBs Hopson is responsible for has really hurt the defense. Then there's the question of player development. Fitzgerald has failed to develop into a much needed complement to Ezeh. Brandon Smith's development has been slow. Then, on the recruiting front, Michigan has totally struck out in the deep south. Zero recruits from Georgia, Tennessee and the like. Wasn't Hopson suppose to help with those recruiting areas? For other areas of defense, it has become painfully obvious that lack of talent is accounting for a majority of the shortfalls and that includes the poor play of Cissoko and Martin to date. But at LB, I feel like a lot of the problems are correctable fundamentals and that is on the coach.
October 4th, 2009 at 8:40 AM ^
playing poorly. Get that thought out of your head.
As for the LB's, they are getting worse. Let Hopson go after this year, and bring in Erick Anderson (current DC at Western) or a Michigan alum with experience coaching LBs. Heck, Ian Gold could probably do a job.
October 4th, 2009 at 9:01 AM ^
is not the DC at Western Michigan, Steve Morrison is.
October 4th, 2009 at 9:32 AM ^
Thanks for the clarification. I got my stud Michigan LBers mixed up.
October 4th, 2009 at 9:43 AM ^
I think the coach is responsible for development, but not as responsible for performance. I really doubt Hopson is coaching these guys to NOT fill gaps, and not tackle, and to take poor pursuit angles. This is on the players. Their making the same mistakes is partially on him. I would have no problem getting someone else in, because we need someone who will take average players and make them great.