Would Warde Manuel even make the right hire?
November 7th, 2020 at 4:48 PM ^
I think he should go to.
November 7th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
No. It’s nothing against Warde, but the big money people and blue hairs will demand a ‘MiChIgAn MaN’ so we’ll just go after someone with program ties and keep pissing into the wind - I don’t have a problem with the hockey and bball hires he made, but he went to program ties for those too.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:11 PM ^
He’s a program tie himself.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:04 PM ^
If Michigan Football hires another Michigan Man rather than the best person for the job, then I'll stop rooting for Michigan as a fan and I'll stop donating as an alum.
It's that simple.
/In 2015, Harbaugh was the best guy for the job. It simply hasn't worked out as we hoped.
//In 2011, Hoke was not.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:59 PM ^
The tough part is that, unlike 2015 and 2011, I'm not sure who the best guy is. Maybe that's because, in the past couple years, I haven't paid much attention to college football outside the B1G, but no one really sticks out.
Personally, I can think of two strategies:
1) Find an up-and-comer who will pour his heart and soul into the job and has proven himself to punch above his weight at a lesser school
2) Hire a celebrity who will recruit and let the assistants worry about strategy (such as Charles Woodson—I know, he probably wouldn't do it, but recruiting good CBs is on my mind).
November 7th, 2020 at 8:05 PM ^
Maybe look at Lance Leipold at Buffalo.
November 7th, 2020 at 9:26 PM ^
I always love the “hire a guy who has never coached before” posts.
November 7th, 2020 at 8:19 PM ^
oh, bullshit. you’re not doing anything of the sort.
and if you are, good riddance.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:30 PM ^
Michigan’s brain trust has it’s head so far up its own ass they have no idea how these sports actually work. Michigan is just USC with shittier weather, a bunch of insiders with minimal qualification to be making the decisions they do other than “they’re family.”
We’ve all gotta hope Harbaugh figures this out and changes things up because if he doesn’t they’ll be trying to hire Nick Sheridan.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
The USC comparison is spot on, well done.
November 7th, 2020 at 8:25 PM ^
Another +1 for the USC comparison.
November 7th, 2020 at 8:23 PM ^
Could Fred Jackson be talked out of retirement?
November 7th, 2020 at 9:27 PM ^
To be fair on the basketball hire, Warde was put in an incredibly shitty situation with having to hire someone very late in the hiring cycle, when all other viable candidates were pretty much already spoken for or had explicitly said they were not interested in leaving.
It was really between Juwan, Ed Cooley and Porter Moser. The latter two were not even remotely inspiring hires and their records really spoke for themselves up to that point. Howard was a wild card for sure, but the ceiling was/is enormous. And you knew he’d learned from the best in Miami.
Anywho, the long winded point I’m making is I think Howard was the best possible hire in that moment in time, who also just happened to be an alum. I doubt Warde hired him strictly because he was a Michigan guy.
November 8th, 2020 at 8:24 AM ^
are we seriously bitching about the juwan howard and mel pearson hires? fuck that sideways.
November 8th, 2020 at 11:42 AM ^
Where was I bitching about them at?
November 7th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
Juwan and Mel seem like they have been good so far. Top ranked recruiting classes nationally.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:01 PM ^
And Juwan Howard never would have been hired if he wasn’t a “Michigan Man.” It turned out well so far.
November 7th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
He got Howard right, imo.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:17 PM ^
And Mel
November 8th, 2020 at 12:12 AM ^
I hope so, but too early to say on Howard. Missing Big Ten Tourney and NCAA tournament last year leaves us unsure to be honest.
November 7th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
Whatever he does don’t stay in the Michigan coaching family
November 7th, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
If anyone insists on a “Michigan Man” they should get kicked in the face. That’s nonsense and shouldn’t be suggested at all for our next coaching search.
November 7th, 2020 at 4:56 PM ^
They were guys with program ties, Yes. I'll defend Howard because he was generally seen as unwilling to coach college ball. He was known as an excellent mind and developer.
Same thing with Pearson.
However, same with Harbaugh when it comes down to it. But the other two didn't have the red flags Harbaugh had when he was hire. i.e. Overly stubborn and abrasive.
Warde showed an ability to do a fine job at UCONN. Hopefully he does a good job here in the future as well.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:53 PM ^
I think that people saying Harbaugh wasn't a great hire are rewriting history. His resume was stellar when we hired him. I was personally ecstatic. I just can't figure out how we went from all the promise of 2015/2016 to where we are now.
I'm ok with hiring a coach with Michigan ties if they're qualified. Nobody comes to mind that is though.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:24 PM ^
Harbaugh was a home run higher that most Michigan fans wanted. Anyone who claims otherwise is engaging in revisionist history. Hasn't worked out the way we thought, but the hire made Jim Hackett the man.
November 7th, 2020 at 9:10 PM ^
Lmao you can't figure out where all the promise went? Lmao, thats easy.. its recruiting.
Harbaugh had success with hoke and Mattison defensive lines..
The talent his staff has recruited is utter fucking hot trash
November 7th, 2020 at 4:58 PM ^
Hugh Freeze has Liberty rolling. Not saying he’s my choice .... just saying he wins everywhere, beat Bama in Tuscaloosa, and was building Ole Miss in to a good program after decades of futility
November 7th, 2020 at 5:00 PM ^
I hope this is tongue in cheek. Huge Freeze is a POS that shouldn’t be anywhere close to a college campus.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:18 PM ^
This is big time college football (allegedly). If he can win, bring him on.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:21 PM ^
I guess I disagree with the win-at-any-costs mentality if it brings certain people, like Freeze, into the fold.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:58 PM ^
That's why you're a loser.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:48 PM ^
That’s kinda my point. I don’t really want Freeze but if Michigan wants to play big time football, they need to play it like like those who are on top. Or, they can keep the moral high ground and the “student athlete” idea and be what they have been for 15+ years. A couple “close but not quite years” sprinkled in with 90% mediocrity, regularly getting curb stomped by rivals.
If Hugh Freeze came in and won a B1G title and maybe even a National Title then had sanctions or whatever after the fact, it would be worth it.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:52 PM ^
You could hire a guy who is willing to play “big time football” without hiring a guy who ordered hookers for players.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:43 PM ^
Good lord what’s wrong with you?
November 7th, 2020 at 6:48 PM ^
Hugh Freeze is trash. He should never coach any D1 program.
And no, I don't want another 'Michigan Man'.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:16 PM ^
I mean, I'm all for paying players, but Freeze was way, way past that. I'd rather not field a team than have that. Icky icky, man.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:24 PM ^
Um, no. You fail to get that Michigan (rightly) believes that the university's reputation is more important than its football team's record.
If you want to be mercenary, this isn't the school for you.
Priorities. Embrace them.
November 7th, 2020 at 9:23 PM ^
This is exactly right. Harbaugh is not going anywhere. Alums will understand why. Not try to minimize non-alum, but Michigan is not a win at all cost University. Michigan will be absolutely fine without a football program. Fans that are not interested in academia will have a hard time understanding this. He runs a clean program, no drama or sanctions and graduates higher character kids. This is all they want Harbaugh to do. Winning is a bonus.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:07 PM ^
And that is the depressing reality to passionate Michigan fans who want to win.
November 7th, 2020 at 4:58 PM ^
Who’s the right hire that we even have a shot at getting?
November 7th, 2020 at 5:15 PM ^
Fickell.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
He’s be a great hire, but I honestly think he wouldn’t take it because he hates Michigan that much
November 7th, 2020 at 5:36 PM ^
The Waterboy will never coach a Michigan team, sorry.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:45 PM ^
We forget that Bo had two different stints as an OSU Assistant and was great friends with Woody Hayes. Bo came to Michigan with a ton of OSU ties. That’s not saying I like Fickle. I’m just saying ties to school can change.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:27 PM ^
I agree Judge. He is a winner and a normal guy. That alone will be refreshing. He's also the baddest dude to walk the sidelines. Watch him wrestle in high school on YouTube. He will bring toughness to the team.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:29 PM ^
Fickell would be a home run hire. He is exactly what the program needs in every way. I don’t know that Warde is smart enough to hire him, but he would quickly turn this program in the right direction. He is a phenomenal recruiter and his teams play with an edge, something this team has completely lost.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:36 PM ^
Joe Brady
November 7th, 2020 at 8:05 PM ^
Tony Elliot, Clemson OC since 2015.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:03 PM ^
Not if there are any “Michigan Men” on his short list. That is the last thing we need right now.
November 7th, 2020 at 5:09 PM ^
There's no Michigan Men left that are appropriate for the head coaching job. Scotty L certainly isn't.
Jim Harbaugh is the best Michigan Man you'll ever get. And it seems the college game may have passed him, and he's better suited for the NFL.