Locker room issues after the game?

Submitted by Shop Smart Sho… on

I'm copy and pasting WMUKirk's post from the Snowflakes Offense thread.  Feel free to delete if you think it shouldn't be up. Figured people would miss this as it is buried in that thread.

 

"I do not know where to post this but here's information for you.

 

1. Michigan will be holding a players only meeting tomorrow, spearheaded by Jake Ryan, and Ramon Taylor.

2. Shane has a high ankle sprain, doubtful he plays next week. Can barely put pressure on it.

3. Desmond Morgan is highly upset that Jabril didn't play today. 

4. Players morale has geniuely finally dipped. 

5. Jabril turned his back to the coaches after the game, and looked in his locker. He's highly disgusted. 

6. Doesn't feel like a team, defense keeps to defense. Offense to offense. Not much cross mingling between them after this game.

7. Nuss & Hoke argued with Dave Brandon present. Words weren't audible to any one else. "

johnthesavage

September 27th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^

Yeah, that seems like it might be true. But he also committed to this staff. Right now I think it's not clear what makes him more likely to stay.

I just mean to express that I am so exasperated, that whether any individual player stays or goes, even a potentially great one like Jabrill, is not even on my radar. I'd trade Jabrill to Ohio State right now if it meant Brandon and Hoke were gone by morning. That's where I'm at. It's not a fun place to be.

ilah17

September 27th, 2014 at 10:52 PM ^

After the Utah game, Jabrill sat on the bench after all the players had left. He didn't get up and go to the lockerroom until a trainer or manager or someone came and got him. He wasn't hurt, he was just sad. I was so happy when he committed to Michigan. At this point, if he transfers, I'll understand. I just want what's best for the players, as individuals and as a Team. 

ilah17

September 28th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^

Agreed. If we want to preserve the Team and the incoming recruiting class, we need someone big who they will immediately trust and want to play for. Otherwise, who knows what will happen. I don't think Miles or the Harbaughs are the only ones capable of that, though. We'll see what happens I guess! 

WMUKirk

September 27th, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^

I posted this in the other thread, it may have been glossed over. 

 

"Peppers had a minor nagging leg issue, and could have played. But apparently shouted "That's why you fucking play me." to Manning after making a big play in practice. Coaches talked it over and thought he needed to realize he wasn't bigger than the program."

alum96

September 27th, 2014 at 9:28 PM ^

This is obviously heresay from a msg board but IF TRUE

(a) it explains why Jabrill was in the locker room "receiving treatment" rather than on the field.  They said the injury was during the week so why would you receive treatment in the 3 hrs of the game - you could do it Saturday morning or night.

(b) I would do the exact same thing and sit Jabrill's ass.  Letting guys get away with that crap is exactly how you let the players take over.

Again I have no idea if that is true but if it is it does make sense on why he did not show up today.  I dont know if he was on the sideline today or not but I dont recall them panning to him like they love to do.

MichiganTeacher

September 27th, 2014 at 9:49 PM ^

Re: (b) No, sitting a star player for a minor outburst like this isn't how you prevent players from taking over. It is the exact opposite: when you sit a star player for a minor outburst like this, that is precisely when you LOSE control of your program. See: player meeting tomorrow, Fire Hoke, etc.

SWPro

September 27th, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^

Exactly.

 

When a player has an outburst in practice you handle in practice.

 

Jabrill does this and you tell him to run the field. When he gets back around you ask him you should play him. If he says anything other than "to help the team" he takes another lap.

skwasha

September 27th, 2014 at 9:33 PM ^

Why exactly are you with the coaches on this? I mean, maybe you pull the kid aside and have a little one on one time to explain the finer points of humility. But to sit a clear starter a whole game for something as innocuous as that? Look, I don't know if that's really what went down or if there's more to it. But if it was really as simple as an unfortunate emotional outburst in practice, I'd say that's just another sign of an unglued coaching team.

alum96

September 27th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^

Depends on how chronic of a situation it is.  If he has been flaunting a "it's about me" attitude since he showed up it is one thing.  If he has been a good soldier the whole time and said this one time that's another.I

I just cannot imagine someone cursing out a coach like that in front of the whole team - and that being his first offense.  Something doesn't smell right about it.  You don't suddenly go from perfect solider to swearing at your coach out in the open like that at the drop of a hat. 

Maybe half a game was correct, maybe 2 series, I don't know.  But a "stern talking to" is pretty lame.  Once players see 1 guy get away with that and get just a "stern talking to" you are done as coaches.  In fact the fact a player believes he can do that at all is pretty damning to see in my eyes.

Thats my view and I am a bit of a hard ass - I know other people are more lenient.

alum96

September 27th, 2014 at 11:14 PM ^

Again we have no idea the context of what he said.  Or his demeanor.  Saying these words with a broad smile vs a scowl indicates 2 completely different thing.

If he is runing stride for stride with a WR and makes a big play and yells it while staring in the sky in celebration it is one thing.

If he glares over at Coach Manning and says it, thats an entirely different thing.

The way the guy wrote this (alleged) thing happened it was TO coach Manning, which to me is a sign of trying to usurp the chain of command.  That could be seen as undermining and second guessing.  Which I wouldnt accept.

I think a lot of people might be reading it as the most lax way i.e. he was running next to a WR and in a celebratory way he yelled that in joy celebration of a big play with a fat smile on his face.  Which I would have zero issue with.  But if that was the case I dont think the coaches would have reacted so sternly.   Coach Manning is seen as one of the most "in touch" with players due to age, so obviously he saw an issue and raised it with his boss.  Otherwise it would have just been squacking on the field.

Without context its impossible to tell w what emotion were behind them.  The way the coaches reacted and the fact after this game he (allegedly) turned his back on the coaches and did not respect them enough to listen while they talked doesnt make this sound like a "one incident" thing.

 

 

Yeoman

September 28th, 2014 at 1:45 AM ^

I think you're absolutely right that we would need to know the context to be able to judge the coaches' response.

I can't help but think back a few years, to the Manny Harris benching in overtime against Iowa. People here were pissed at Beilein at the time, but to me that moment was the turning point in the basketball program.

Sometimes you have to do it. It might not even be a matter of sending a message to the player, it might be a message to the team or program as a whole.

Whether this was one of those times, I don't know. Obviously.

MichiganTeacher

September 27th, 2014 at 9:45 PM ^

Just going off this - no other idea what else has happened, etc - but that's nowhere near enough in my practices to keep a kid out of a whole game.* I've never had discipline issues and frankly I doubt it would get to the point where a kid would say something like this in one of my practices, but if he did shout something like that in the heat of the moment, I'd talk with him about it after practice. Probably that would be it. Maybe have him apologize to the team or the coach in question. That would definitely be it if he were an otherwise good kid. If he had a history, maybe this gets him out a quarter or a drive or something - but no way does this get a kid out a whole game, unless he's a horrible kid and you're just looking for an excuse to make him sit.

Atrocious. Fire Hoke tonight.

 

*Full disclosure, not that I think it matters, but I coach basketball, not football.

WNY in Savannah

September 27th, 2014 at 10:47 PM ^

Now is not the time for this, since we are all understandably going nuts over today's latest debacle.  But I am really curious about where you teach.  I used to teach math and physics and coach basketball at a class D school in Western NY before we moved south (hence the username).  Don't worry--I don't expect you to reveal this.  I just wonder every time I see you post!

swamyblue

September 27th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^

This is made up right? "Coaches talked it over..!" That is unreal. I don't want to believe this staff is that bad a handling a non-issue like that. They play flat. Everyone can see it. You have a young guy in practice who is making plays and taking names but takes it too far.. A simple "hey jabril, can we speak a second...don't ever do that to coach manning or I'll crush you with extra suicides after practice...now go man up and apologize." Done. Move on. And tell everyone on the team that they need to match Jabril's fire. Use the good, nip the bad in the arse. Bigger than the program? Farse.