The new staff and social media

Submitted by dnak438 on

Those of you who aren't on Twitter won't have noticed this, but this staff is much more active on social media than the previous regime. To a certain extent, that's obvious: Hoke apparently didn't use e-mail and he didn't have a Twitter account. But it's pretty clear that the current staff is using Twitter a lot, and by design, to advertise the Michigan brand tradition to young players who aren't perhaps as aware of it as we old-timers are. For instance:

Can't wait to watch this Michigan QB play tomorrow night. Who is next in line to join the Michigan family?!?! pic.twitter.com/fRxnPCQ5bg

— Jedd Fisch (@CoachJeddFisch) January 17, 2015

That's really smart stuff. And it's worth comparing the ages of the present staff to the last one:

  2014 2015
Head coach 56 51
Offensive coordinator 44 (2013: 59) 45
Defensive coordinator 65 SWAG 37
Special teams 61 (Ferrigno) 49
Wide receivers 40 38
Secondary (1) 52 (Mallory) 51 (Zordich)
Secondary (2) 33 (Manning) 48 (Jackson)
Defensive LIne 58 65 SWAG
Running backs 64 42
Tight ends 61 (Ferrigno) 25 (Jay H.)
Offensive line 49 (Funk) 44 (Trevno)

With the exception of DL and CB, every single coach is younger, sometimes a lot younger. (Drevno and Nussmeier are basically a push; and to be fair Mattison is not your average 65 year old). This is something that Brian and Ace talked about a lot in the last podcast. I think that is also shows in their approach to social media: they're really using it in a smart way to get recruits (and potential recruits) thinking about Michigan.

UPDATED to reflect the fact that Mattison is the greatest and to include Jay Harbaugh and Zordich.

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Wolverine Devotee

January 17th, 2015 at 4:13 PM ^

I was listening to the MGoBlog hour on WTKA, Brian said Manning could stay on but not as an asssistant? Recruiting coordinator??

And yeah, pretty much everyone on this staff has a twitter account. Someone has to convince Swag Mattison to get one, though.

Joined: 06/29/2009

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Canadian

January 17th, 2015 at 4:18 PM ^

I don't think fans will really gain anything with JH having a twitter account but I can understand how a High School kid would have a different perception of him

Joined: 06/02/2012

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dnak438

January 17th, 2015 at 4:28 PM ^

Hoke doesn't use social media himself. He has two laptops in his Schembechler Hall office, but says he never uses one of them. The other, he uses for film study.

It's not just that he doesn't use Twitter or Facebook, either. He also claims to have never sent an email, preferring instead to pick up a phone or write a hand-written note because "it's more personal." If an email is required, he has his secretary forward along one on his behalf.

He has a joint personal email account with his wife, Laura, but says he doesn't even know the password.

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/michigan-football-coach-brad…

Joined: 08/12/2009

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CoverZero

January 17th, 2015 at 6:15 PM ^

Flip tops are cheaper than iphone, and easier to snap in two and toss in a garbage can when you dont want to be tracked after orchestrating the assination of a cartel leader by phone.

However Gus Fring really should have smashed his and taken out the sim card first..

Joined: 08/30/2014

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LSAClassOf2000

January 17th, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^

I am actually rather excited by the idea that the staff is, by and large, younger than the previous one and also a little more hip to social media and modern communication in general. Done the right way, I think that alone is a huge benefit for them really. 

To the OP's point, I still remember not being able to fully believe that Hoke did not touch e-mail. It is difficult for me to fathom that, even in 2015, there are still people who are latter-day Luddites.

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TransplantedWo…

January 17th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^

What's the point? The old staff wasn't on Twitter and was older. So what? They still were fantastic recruiters. Saban isn't on Twitter either. How's his coaching and recruiting? Using Twitter isn't going to help the new staff coach up the players or give young guys extra experience. Pointing out distinctions between staffs that don't have any significance is sort of pointless and tired. The old staff tried, they didn't get it done, let it go and let them be.

Joined: 10/07/2014

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Reader71

January 17th, 2015 at 4:52 PM ^

Right. Recruiting is the one area Hoke did not have problems in.

Twitter might help with recruits or it might not. Evidence so far is that it really doesn't, since we did well without it.

I think what it does is give the fans updates on who we are going after and wha those kids think of M, which is nice.

Joined: 08/30/2009

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dnak438

January 17th, 2015 at 5:06 PM ^

I'd say two things in response, though:

  1. Maybe Hoke did well at recruiting despite his social media policy.
  2. Hoke recruited very well but not lights out. That might be a structural issue with Michigan's lack of oversigning and academic standards, but one could argue that Hoke's recruiting was very good but not national championship great. From the Mathlete's analysis (LINK):

From a talent perspective, [Michigan is] getting closer but [is] still probably another year away. The 2014 team is projected to be #12 overall in roster rankings, with the offense coming in at #14 and the defense ranked #10. The critical defensive line spot is projected at #13. Oregon 2010 is the only team to make the National Championship without better rankings, but 11 additional teams have cracked the top 4. 

Michigan’s projection is still climbing. 2015 will be the year that upperclass is dominated by the stronger Hoke classes and overall talent ranking should have a good shot at cracking the top 10. There are still plenty of other issues to be addressed, but from a purely roster stand point, 2015 should be the first year that Michigan’s roster fits the National Champion profile for the first time since Lloyd Carr left in 2007.

 

Joined: 08/12/2009

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Reader71

January 17th, 2015 at 5:33 PM ^

I guess I agree. Although I dont follow recruiting closely at all, I do believe that we have been neck-and-neck with Ohio since Hoke took over, and they just won it all. Obviously, social media doesn't hurt, but I don't think it matters much, either. Again, we've done fine without it, perhaps in spite of not using it. Buy hey, if its good enough for Hatbaugh, its good enough for me. BTW, I appreciate your presence on the blog.

Joined: 08/30/2009

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BlueCube

January 17th, 2015 at 8:06 PM ^

because of social media. Harbaugh is going to elevate it to an even higher level on his own.

I think it's great that they are using it since it is the way young kids communicate. It makes them more hip but I think the school, coach and success of the team are much bigger factors. Anything that helps is good

Joined: 12/12/2013

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Blau

January 17th, 2015 at 4:33 PM ^

I really think more than anything it's a willingness to reach fans, alumni and recruits. Hoke seemed to be stuck in the Stone Age philosophically regarding social media and I think that trickled down to everyone else. If Harbaugh's coaches and staff use it intelligently and carefully, it's a huge tool to connect with a broad range of people. I think Jay Harbaugh will pay off extra dividends this way too.

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