CalifExile

January 23rd, 2017 at 4:02 PM ^

From an NBC Sports article dated 1/18/17:

"The NCAA’s Board of Directors is expected to approve a proposal that will allow college football programs to add a 10th assistant to the coaching staff. The proposal has received the support of the Division 1 Council in this week’s NCAA meetings, which was to be expected. There appears to be nothing else to stand in the way of passing the proposal and expanding the coaching staff at football programs across the country."

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/18/proposal-for-10th-a…

Magnus

January 23rd, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^

I don't know his particular interests, and there's not much specific available from before he was hired at Michigan. However, Pep Hamilton was hired as the passing game coordinator, so RB doesn't make sense for him. Drevno and Frey are career OL coaches, and asking a couple co-OCs - one with NFL experience - to switch positions entirely is unlikely. Also, TE is more easily incorporated into an OL coach's job than RB.

So if you move Jay Harbaugh, he's basically low man on the totem pole and is the "blankest slate." Plus, expanding from a TE coach is a positive thing and makes him more marketable. The other guys are all plenty marketable. He's the one who really needs to "prove himself" if he wants to move up in the coaching ranks.

CalifExile

January 23rd, 2017 at 3:49 PM ^

What is the plan for the 10th assistant coach? I thought you were laying out expectations through Spring camp, which would be consistent with what I've heard (on the authoritative Mgoblog no less). Hamilton and Frey would be replacing Fisch and Wheatley, bringing the team to 9 assistant coaches. I thought the expectation is the 10th coach will be for the RBs.

CalifExile

January 23rd, 2017 at 4:13 PM ^

I suppose my best guess is:

Don Brown, DC with 4 assistants for DL, LB, S and CB. Brown also does positional work with LBs.

Drevno, OC with 4 assistants for OL, Passing (WRs and QB), TE and RB. Drevno does positional work with OL and Jim H does positional work with QBs.

I don't see a reason to move Jay H from TEs and Special Teams, which he would again handle with help from Partridge. Why replace Jay unless you have somebody better. It seems to be aesier to find someone better than him at the RB coach position than at the TE coach spot.

Mr Miggle

January 23rd, 2017 at 4:39 PM ^

He's probably very good at it. I wouldn't be shocked if he was helping Jay some.

You're asking Mattison to coach a lot of positions and want to bring in someone to coach just one. Maybe, but it's not the only way to go.  We've had much more experience on both lines than we will this season and next. Everyone wants to beef up our OL/DL numbers in recruiting. I think it makes sense to do so for coaching too.

Look upon the spring as a tryout.. If the new lineup of offensive coaches is getting the job done, you have more options than just getting the best available RB coach. If it doesn't, then you address the problem.

Mr Miggle

January 23rd, 2017 at 9:00 PM ^

10th asst. Traditionally RB coaches have been given a lot of recruiting duties, as it's supposed to be a relatively easy position to coach. That would be my priority, bring in a top recruiter. That's a way he would be replacing Wheatley.

He could be plugged into DL, TE, RB, maybe WR. Jay could be moved around. Ideally I'd want a young coach to learn from Mattison who might take over when the time comes.