December 6th, 2017 at 4:16 PM ^
Might be a spot for DB Sr to step into.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
or Patterson's brother
December 6th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
Or maybe someone who knows what they're doing. Our DBs have quietly overachieved for the last couple years. The last two seasons: we think they're going to be a liability, and then they play shutdown coverage game after game.
Hats off to Mr. Smith. I trust that Mr. Harbaugh knows of another position coach in the NFL who can come do similar work.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^
I wouldn't call that "overachieving" considering their recruiting make up and coaching.
If they were some 2 star, 5'8" CB that ran a 4.7 40 and played lock down coverage, that would be overachieving.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^
Textbook definition: they were expected to do poorly, but achieved excellently instead.
That's called "over"-"achieving"
December 6th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
I don't think anyone expected them to play "poorly". They're young, so I may have expected a few more "oh no's", but I certainly didn't expect them to be bad.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
Probably spitting hairs, but i wouldn't call that overachieving. That's exceeding expectations, IMO.
December 6th, 2017 at 6:40 PM ^
potato potato
December 6th, 2017 at 7:47 PM ^
It doesn't read as well on paper as it sounds out loud. Let's try this one...tomato tomato. Any better?
December 6th, 2017 at 8:59 PM ^
Not really. Let’s call the whole thing off.
December 6th, 2017 at 9:01 PM ^
Great minds something something.
December 6th, 2017 at 8:59 PM ^
Potato, potahto.
Tomato, tomahto.
Let's call the whole thing off.
December 6th, 2017 at 6:45 PM ^
They were expected to be good with some growing pains, but instead were a strength of a very good defence.
December 7th, 2017 at 6:46 AM ^
Who expected them to do poorly? People who read into coach comments way too much. Anyone watching those two kids play ball in high school all star games knew they’d be decent from the start. The only way to see them as underachieving is for them to not live up to recruiting ratings, as many did in the past underachieve at that position. Some could say Steibling overachieved, but Hill and Long are doing what Top rated recruits are expected to do. I guess we aren’t used to that around here. Perhaps Metellus overachieved, our of the four, by living past expectations of fans, but that is it.
The coaches were critical of the youth because that’s what coaches do—try to motivate by challenging. They knew these kids have the talent that brought them to UM.
December 7th, 2017 at 8:20 AM ^
We didn't expect them to be bad. But we also didn't expect them to be so friggen good that teams literally stopped throwing at them half-way through the season. Simmie Cobbs will start in the NFL next year - yet against Hill and Long I may as well have replaced him! The safeties, IMO, weren't as good as the corners, but they were far better than a lot of MGoPeeps give them credit for here. On an any average B1G defense, they would be standout stars. On Michigan's top 5 defense, they're merely average players.
December 7th, 2017 at 7:54 AM ^
I think the "or Pattersons brother" was a joke. Devin Bush Sr is more than qualified. 1st rd pick at safety I believe, proved himself to be a great high school coach and we have 3 of his guys that are all getting some form of PT as true sophmores, and spent the year as an analyst in the system. This more than fits into the same pattern of Partridge, and hopefully we could get DB sr on the recruiting trail in FL with all the HS connections he must still have.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:14 PM ^
Or DB Sr to safeties coach, Sean Patterson to his old analyst role, Shawn Jefferson as our new 10th assistant to coach WRs and Van Jefferson and Shea Patterson come to play! The total family affair but with heavily qualified individuals.
December 6th, 2017 at 8:32 PM ^
the Shawn Jefferson that used to coach WR's for the Lions?! Damn the man had some FIRE on the sidelines.
December 6th, 2017 at 9:17 PM ^
Shawn's real name is Vanchi and yes he is Van's dad.
December 8th, 2017 at 4:37 PM ^
if Shawn went by Vanchi he'd be a hall of fame receiver. Vanchi Jefferson is a STRONG name
December 7th, 2017 at 8:24 AM ^
I'm good with Shawn Jefferson as WR's coach - thought he did a pretty good job with the Lions in that role.
Edit: Shawn also had a pretty good NFL career for himself. He knows the WR position inside and out...
December 6th, 2017 at 4:25 PM ^
Don Brown's dad is also Don Brown & is a coach? MORE MUSTACHE!
December 6th, 2017 at 4:17 PM ^
Booo.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:17 PM ^
Good for him to be moving up. I have confidence that JH/DB will bring in a suitable replacement.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
I think this is the way to approach this... Good luck to him and excited for the next coach.
December 7th, 2017 at 7:42 AM ^
Don Brown and Swag Mattison will retire someday, so here is another excellent coach spinning off to higher position who may come back someday in the coaching tree.
December 6th, 2017 at 6:14 PM ^
He is known as a top recruiter at UCLA and was not retained by Kelly. He was often cited as the main reason DTR chose them.
Smith has been our lowest paid assistant, by some margin. With two secondary coaches, that makes it look like he works under Zordich.
That could mean they're open to replacing him with a promising young coach who might still be light on experience. We've also seen that Harbaugh is always looking for upgrades. Martin would at least provide one as a dynamic recruiter.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:18 PM ^
We can't deny that Smith has done a great job here. It would be a bummer to lose him.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
Sort of amazed after 4 posts that the inevitable "Charles Woodson for defensive backs coach" hasn't started.
.........and no, there is absolutely positively no way.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^
He would have to take a massive pay cut, and increase his work load.
Why would he take an entry level position?
December 6th, 2017 at 4:23 PM ^
Duh. We know.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:33 PM ^
For the same reason Tom Brady takes less pay. The team, the team, the team.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:50 PM ^
Tom Brady taking less money is one of the weirder myths of sports, he restructures his deals and gets more gauranteed and bonus money which allows the patriots to spread the cap hit over mutliple years. It works for both parties but it isn't some altruistic thing Brady does, he gets more money faster than if it was in salary.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
And he's one of the few multi-millionaires who are only the second-highest income in their own marriage.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:07 PM ^
that.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
Tim Duncan then
December 6th, 2017 at 6:32 PM ^
through the tb12 sports therapy center
December 6th, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
Coach? Let's just throw him out there in a Nosdoow jersey and hope nobody notices that a 40-something is playing for us.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:24 PM ^
Delano Hill looked 40- something.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:34 PM ^
and we noticed
December 6th, 2017 at 6:21 PM ^
But what about Michigna man Ty Law? What's he up to these days?
December 6th, 2017 at 6:47 PM ^
I think he might still be bitter.
December 6th, 2017 at 6:49 PM ^
Maybe, probably, I think.