Mandel ranks this year's Coaching Hires - Hoke A-
Mandel has ranked this year's coaching hires and out of the 21 coaching changes that occurred, has Michigan ranked 3rd only behind Indiana's Kevin Wilson and Stanford's David Shaw:
Hoke = A-
While Jim Harbaugh would have been an A+, Hoke is very much what Michigan needs in the wake of the polarizing Rich Rodriguez era: An old-school Midwesterner with ties to the program (he served on Lloyd Carr's staff for eight years) who happens to have impressive credentials. Anyone that can win 12 games at Ball State and make San Diego State relevant again knows how to build a program.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:26 PM ^
...who happens to have impressive credentials. Anyone that can win 12 games at Ball State and make San Diego State relevant again knows how to build a program.
I wouldn't go as far as saying those credentials are particularly impressive. The real irony came from the blurb right below it on Miami's hiring of Al Golden:
You would think a school with five national titles could land a bigger name...
January 19th, 2011 at 8:56 PM ^
I wouldn't go as far as saying those credentials are particularly impressive.
Know anyone else who's won at Ball State or SDSU in the last 20 years?
January 19th, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
Several coaches have "won" at SDSU. I think the real point to be made is that SDSU can hardly properly be considered "relevant" simply because they had a winning season. Also, what the f- does "relevant" even mean in terms of college football programs? That one Ball State season was impressive but who's to say they could have replicated that feat the year after under Hoke.
These are not my own personal opinions - I'm just critiquing the analysis of the evaluator, playing a little "devil's advocate."
January 19th, 2011 at 9:56 PM ^
I still don't think a one-hit wonder at a MAC school and an admittedly very solid turnaround in the MWC are particularly impressive. It's not like he's made them consistent winners or powerhouses.
January 19th, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^
January 19th, 2011 at 7:29 PM ^
January 19th, 2011 at 7:46 PM ^
didn't you jinx Morgan last night?
January 19th, 2011 at 7:52 PM ^
January 19th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
But I still gotta neg ya. The rules
January 19th, 2011 at 8:18 PM ^
Agreed.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:33 PM ^
Need to wait a couple of years to grade coach hires, a little too soon. The history books will be the ultimate grader.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^
... 2 years from now a story like this is ancient history. I agree it's idiotic to grade coaching hires at this stage. That being said, a positive review should help in recruiting and confidence building for the team, so I'm happy he didn't get a C.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^
That's nice to see. Hoke was getting kicks for his record and the quality of his schools, but I believe it is harder to go to lower level schools and make them known again because of the lack of the school's popularity and lower star recruits are pretty much the only recruits that you're probably gonna get
January 19th, 2011 at 7:47 PM ^
January 19th, 2011 at 7:52 PM ^
Actually, BSU and SDSU played a number of major teams under Hoke.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:57 PM ^
January 19th, 2011 at 7:55 PM ^
There was a post a while ago in which the author tried to look at Hoke's record against teams of a similar level (i.e., remove the games in which Hoke's team was on the wrong side of a lopsided out of conference match up). I don't remember the exact record, but it did look a lot better than his overall record.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:35 PM ^
Hoke on his own an A- ? I'm not sure about that. I'll give him a B+ if you throw in all the quality coordinators that he has surrounded himself with.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:09 PM ^
and give him a solid A after the staff hires
January 19th, 2011 at 8:54 PM ^
Offense = B-
Defense so far = A
I think Hoke's greatest ability may be to lead and manage a team (which I think was Lloyd's main skill). For him to be a A he needs to hire A coordinators. I don't think he is a creative genius but will keep a team pulling in the same direction. Seems like he has leadership skills but needs to surround himself with a top flight staff. I'm really disappointed with his OC hire, he is ok but nothing special (not a great recruiter, not a creative genius, more of a plodder).
I also want to see him get guys like Manny Diaz or Gus Malzahn in a few years if he can get himself established.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:39 PM ^
Damn you guys are harsh. I would give the hiring an A- as well.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:44 PM ^
...but I will give the hire an A+ as far as MSM relations go. The same "reporters" who crucified RR are bending over backwards to praise Hoke. This can only be a positive for the present and future.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:45 PM ^
If memory serves the late, great Matt Millan ALWAYS got high grades immediately after the draft by the so called experts. It wasnt until the players had to....I dunno....play that the grades went down considerably.
I hope Hoke is an A++++++++++++ And if we grade on assistants he's off to a great start. If we grade on recruits however the best he gets now IMO is an incomplete at this point.
January 19th, 2011 at 9:01 PM ^
What I really want to know is who is that chick you are grabbing and does she have a top on? If that's your wife I'm going to go shoot myself. If that is your daughter please ignore my question. btw do you have a poster sized version of your avatar?
January 19th, 2011 at 7:45 PM ^
I remember that ESPN did the same thing when RR was hired, and they rated the hire an A- as well. Let's hope SI is better at predicting the future...
January 19th, 2011 at 8:11 PM ^
OC. Has no idea what to do w/ D or ST.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:09 PM ^
until then it's all fluff and guessery.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:26 PM ^
That's bad because... why?
Personally, I think coaches should be evaluated only about five or ten years after they've finished coaching. Then they'd really get it right. It's a lot easier to predict things that have already happened.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
... where's that "Fire DB" bastard hanging out these days?
January 19th, 2011 at 8:17 PM ^
I'm glad Hoke is getting some love, but Mandel's grades don't make any sense.
Kevin Wilson, David Shaw and Brady Hoke were the best coaching hires? Better than Will Muschamp and Al Golden? Again, I like Hoke and I hope he's right, but I don't see how he can justify those grades right now (just like lots of other things Mandel says/writes).
January 19th, 2011 at 9:24 PM ^
of Muschamp for "bizarre" hiring Charlie Weis to run the offense. Classic.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^
I really think you guys are going to be pleasantly surprised by Hoke.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^
Agreeing with a low A-. I might go B+ but the hire seems to have gotten a lot of positive media attention. The one thing that's like, WTF?! is "incredible credentials". Just sayin', losing record as a head coach isn't incredible... But I still like the hire.
January 19th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
...what's Hoke done wrong to make it an A- or B+?
He only hires Greg Freaking Mattison, one of the best DCs in the business; I remember watching FLA beat the crap out of the Buckeyes in that MNC game. It's only been a few years since that happened. OK, that's an A in my book.
He brings OC Borg, who's had some of the better offenses in recent memory, including in the SEC. I don't know how you downgrade that, find someone guaranteed to be better.
These guys come to Michigan, one leaves lovely California, the other leaves the NFL, and I'm willing to bet it wasn't just for the money.
I think the respect for Hoke among football coaches is pretty impressive.
So I guess the point would be that his name isn't big enough, and his record isn't all that. Well, the name, pfft, who cares. Can't grade a guy on his name.
The record? I'm not sure how that translates to Michigan, and neither is anyone else, so I don't know how we can grade the man at all until we see how he does in A2.
A lot of folks were calling the Hoke hire a fail, and maybe still are, but it's pretty clear to me that so far, it's not too damned bad!
January 19th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
Coolaid and Cornbread, DB must have asked the PR firm he hired to hit the social networking sites hard tonight...
January 19th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
its an 'A' in terms of "avoiding 3-9 in 2011". But beyond that there isn't nearly enough to even lean one way or the other. Especially with the recruiting class still so up in the air.