Kirby Smart is a Georgia football/U alum. He just dominated CFB for three years. His recruiting is on par and/or better than Bama every year. So your question...
Define "a few"...this was two seasons ago (embed wasn't working). I don't think shooting down rumors was necessary during the 2-4 "COVID" season.
That said, he just signed a contract last year, there has not been one credible report linking him to the NFL, he said this "feels like the beginning", and all of his recent actions line up with an invested coach under contract.
If Jim Harbaugh wanted to leave UM, and get back in the NFL, then Stephen Ross would be backing up the money trucks to Jim's house. The fact that he isn't pursuing him is telling.
It is a fair point. It is nice to have a leader who is eloquent with the media. However, it certainly doesn’t appear to carry much weight in how well one does their primary job.
What is concerning to me is some of the “reports” saying Harbaugh is also not a good motivator/speaker in front of the team. Whether true or not, there was some scuttlebutt that this deficiency is a contributor to why they are so flat in road games.
This could all be BS, revisionist history, deflecting blame etc. However, you look at the way they played at home last year without fans (MSU and PSU in particular given how poorly they also played)…and it certainly makes me wonder.
There has been a lot of negativity around the program. I would argue this is well earned.
However, the 2021 recruiting class and current/anticipated staff changes give me some reason for hope. This is all I can ask for in the off-season as a fan.
It appears Harbaugh is moving from the "experienced" coaches to young and energetic guys that may bring both an increase in recruiting and much needed energy and attitude.
Mike Hart, Mike Macdonald, Christian Robinson (if rumors are true) is a good start.
Certainly concerns still exist. However, I'm interested to see how the staff fills out and how they tackle the rest of the off-season.
Wasn't Dan Mullen reported to being open to NFL offers? Maybe the kid doesn't want to play for a PSU rival and is interested in a warm winter(s). *shrugs*
He worked with Big Boy for 12 years. If this was indicative of something related to our coaching situation why didn't Ben Herbert go back him since it was reported that was Illinois' desire?
Is it fair to say that any Power 5 coach competing at a National Championship level relies on 5-star/major talent at most positions?
Does that detract from him taking a 2-9 Bowling Green squad and going 17-6 with a MAC Coach of the Year?
How about at Utah where he was MWC Coach of the Year his first season and 22-2 overall with a BCS victory by 28 points?
Urban Meyer might be a douche. However, the guy is 187-32 over four jobs in four different conferences. He won National Titles with two different schools. It doesn't get much more consistent than that.
This still doesn't mean he'll be a successful NFL coach.
What leaves you unconvinced? Is it the lack of sustained success?
My instincts tell me he is a douche-bag human. However, as a coach it is hard not to like the results.
He took Western Michigan to an AP Top 15 end of season ranking in Year 4. I'll say that again...Western Michigan. He won their first MAC in nearly 30 years. He has their only bowl win. He put a number of guys in the NFL. He had college gameday in Kalamazoo, Michigan late in the season. There is little doubt if he stayed he would have run rough-shod over the MAC and continued to recruit above WMU's standing.
He took Minnesota to an AP Top 10 end of season ranking in Year 3. He has their only 11 win season in school history. He is seven games over .500 at Minnesota. Other than Glen Mason you have to go back to the 50's for this type of record. Hell...Lou Holtz was under .500 at Minnesota.
He doesn't have two decades of tape. However, at two places it is hard to win he put them on the national stage (quickly) and his teams have largely improved in record each year. I don't hold a 3-4 Corona record against him...particularly with how hard they were hit.
I have no idea if his style would translate to the NFL. However, at the college level his stock should be VERY high IMHO.
Quite a run after an awful start. It is nice they get some tune-up games prior to conference play. 4-5 key players who are new faces. It takes time to develop as a team.
They've found a way thus far and it will be great to watch them the rest of the way.
Clemson’s average rating blows UM’s out of the water 2016-2020. They are recruiting at an ELITE level despite taking some smaller classes that led to more Top 10-15 classes a couple of years.
Further, Harbaugh’s “Top Five” 2017 class has lost 1/2 of its signees. The ones that are left aren’t exactly murderer’s row of future All-American’s.
In short, Clemson recruits at a higher level than UM, has landed and developed elite QBs, and Dabo’s players respond to him and his staff. This is where the hardware comes from.
It doesn’t hurt they play in a weak ACC which means they can not play their best at times and still get to the dance. They beat an 8-5 TA&M by only 14 and barely avoided disaster against 7-6 North Carolina. And again, it doesn’t hurt they have had their two best QB’s of all-time during this championship era.
I see a lot of these types of posts "the coaches aren't making the mistakes". At what point does leadership matter? When you see a program continue to crumble when the spotlight is on it most certainly is on the coaches. The names on the back of the jerseys change but the results do not. Training, motivation, accountability, recruiting...these are all the jobs of coaches (to name a few) and they all have a direct impact on results.
For the record, I don't want Jim Harbaugh to leave. I want him to take a hard look (another) in the mirror and figure out what needs to be done to turn his Michigan tenure from a footnote into a statue being installed by Bo's.
Five years is a fair bit of time. The clock is ticking.
It has certainly been fun to watch thus far. If UM can start to take care of the basketball a little better they have a chance for another great year. That said, I'll take extra turnovers to watch this style of basketball. Uptempo, athletic, tough...enjoyable.
Now we are worried about McElwain? The guy who parlayed one good season at CSU into a big time job? The guy that lost four games a year at Florida (the guy that humps sharks)? The guy that was beat down by Harbaugh twice? The guy that couldn't beat "Smiling" Tim Lester this year?
"This is a very fun team. It's a very fun culture, very different, but I love these young men. I love them as my own sons," Fleck said. "A lot of times it's easy for coaches to pick up and leave, go different places. These are very, very special people. I believe in what we can do here."
WMU his final year after an 8-0 start:
https://youtu.be/nIUVQhqPjaU
"Love Kalmazoo...my sons...lot of years here...blah, blah, blah"
PJ Fleck loves every place he is at...most importantly PJ Fleck loves PJ Fleck. That buyout/contract won't stop him from going to USC, FSU, or any other situation he deems bigger and better for PJ Fleck.
I suspect Fleck fancies himself an NFL coach and that is his ultimate destination. You can't argue with his results so far. He has taken two programs to a season they might not have had otherwise.
However, I might give Fleck coaching WMU (D1 FBS) to within 7 pts of winning the Cotton Bowl against Wisco the nod over Harbaugh winning at FCS San Diego.
Further, San Diego has won 9 conference titles since Harbaugh left. How has WMU done since Fleck departed?
You can park for free in the neighborhoods. You don't have to hit the MDen or buy overpriced, nasty food at the stadium. There...I just got you to two more games a year. You are welcome.
My guess is his .830 winning percentage and six big ten titles contribute as much to his hero status as his lone national championship. He also made it to another title game. Finally, let's not forget his 9-1 record against us.
Do you believe Lloyd Carr to be on equal footing with Tressel?
He is 69 years old. He coached at Michigan for 13 years of his long coaching career. There was over 20 years between his two stints here. I find his departure to OSU coming directly from UM incredibly distasteful (and likely involves spite despite the apologists) but to call him a "UM lifer" is a bit of a stretch isn't it?
It would be fun to get an opportunity to see him take some snaps next week.
I hope these QBs stay, compete, and help restore UM as an annual B10 contender. Once upon a time, there was a pipeline of NFL QBs that understood they were unlikely to play for a couple of years when committing to UM.
Recent Comments
27 long years…worth the wait. Go Blue!
No alcohol, processed food, AND listening to Radiohead? SMS 988 if you need it Brother/Sister.
Continued football success? More B10 and National Titles? Bo 2.0 with a coaching tree to go with it for UM in 2034~
Kirby Smart is a Georgia football/U alum. He just dominated CFB for three years. His recruiting is on par and/or better than Bama every year. So your question...
Nothing tastes better than turtle soup on a cold, rainy day.
https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2013/04/rick_pitino_didnt_take_michiga.html
Kevin Warren and Archie Griffin taking the L on the podium was icing on the cake. Bang!
https://golf.com/news/us-open-playoff-format-rules-holes-played-history/?amp=1
2-hole aggregate.
T Will has shown potential all year. Thank God he was in the game late. T Will for Heisman!
It is a whopping four players each and UM's includes a kicker...I think we'll be OK.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/jim-harbaugh-calls-rumors-of-possible-exit-strategy-from-michigan-total-crap/
Define "a few"...this was two seasons ago (embed wasn't working). I don't think shooting down rumors was necessary during the 2-4 "COVID" season.
That said, he just signed a contract last year, there has not been one credible report linking him to the NFL, he said this "feels like the beginning", and all of his recent actions line up with an invested coach under contract.
If Jim Harbaugh wanted to leave UM, and get back in the NFL, then Stephen Ross would be backing up the money trucks to Jim's house. The fact that he isn't pursuing him is telling.
To be fair...there were reports of a "Chief of Emotional Police" sign above his home office door.
Kudos that you would still send your kids there despite all the "weirdness" and "stuff".
Having a fantastic training and educational experience for America's future military officers is sure to offend the sensibilities.
And a ring earned that represents "Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service"?
Wow. So, so weird. You are brave Sir!
Campus culture played role in Luke Fickell turning down Michigan State football job
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2020/02/10/michigan-state-football-coaching-search-luke-fickell/4714187002/
Has the culture changed?
Campus culture played role in Luke Fickell turning down Michigan State football job
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2020/02/10/michigan-state-football-coaching-search-luke-fickell/4714187002/
Has the culture changed?
"It's Friday; you ain't got no job…you ain't got shit to do."
Craig was clearly a Sparty.
Go Blue!
It is a fair point. It is nice to have a leader who is eloquent with the media. However, it certainly doesn’t appear to carry much weight in how well one does their primary job.
What is concerning to me is some of the “reports” saying Harbaugh is also not a good motivator/speaker in front of the team. Whether true or not, there was some scuttlebutt that this deficiency is a contributor to why they are so flat in road games.
This could all be BS, revisionist history, deflecting blame etc. However, you look at the way they played at home last year without fans (MSU and PSU in particular given how poorly they also played)…and it certainly makes me wonder.
Those five are in my weekend rotation every season. Solid list.
I played Thunderhawk on the way back from the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills. Solid track!
There has been a lot of negativity around the program. I would argue this is well earned.
However, the 2021 recruiting class and current/anticipated staff changes give me some reason for hope. This is all I can ask for in the off-season as a fan.
It appears Harbaugh is moving from the "experienced" coaches to young and energetic guys that may bring both an increase in recruiting and much needed energy and attitude.
Mike Hart, Mike Macdonald, Christian Robinson (if rumors are true) is a good start.
Certainly concerns still exist. However, I'm interested to see how the staff fills out and how they tackle the rest of the off-season.
Wasn't Dan Mullen reported to being open to NFL offers? Maybe the kid doesn't want to play for a PSU rival and is interested in a warm winter(s). *shrugs*
Here I thought he was the assistant sports editor for The Dallas Morning News?
He worked with Big Boy for 12 years. If this was indicative of something related to our coaching situation why didn't Ben Herbert go back him since it was reported that was Illinois' desire?
Is it fair to say that any Power 5 coach competing at a National Championship level relies on 5-star/major talent at most positions?
Does that detract from him taking a 2-9 Bowling Green squad and going 17-6 with a MAC Coach of the Year?
How about at Utah where he was MWC Coach of the Year his first season and 22-2 overall with a BCS victory by 28 points?
Urban Meyer might be a douche. However, the guy is 187-32 over four jobs in four different conferences. He won National Titles with two different schools. It doesn't get much more consistent than that.
This still doesn't mean he'll be a successful NFL coach.
"Not Michigan, UCLA, Cal, UNC, Texas, or UVA level when it comes to public universities, but pretty good in its own right."
"Texas is still an elite academic university."
Q1) Do you consider the the US News rankings as a legitimate comparison tool?
Q2) If yes, how do you differentiate "elite" (#13 Texas) to "pretty good in its own right" (#17 OSU)?
What leaves you unconvinced? Is it the lack of sustained success?
My instincts tell me he is a douche-bag human. However, as a coach it is hard not to like the results.
He took Western Michigan to an AP Top 15 end of season ranking in Year 4. I'll say that again...Western Michigan. He won their first MAC in nearly 30 years. He has their only bowl win. He put a number of guys in the NFL. He had college gameday in Kalamazoo, Michigan late in the season. There is little doubt if he stayed he would have run rough-shod over the MAC and continued to recruit above WMU's standing.
He took Minnesota to an AP Top 10 end of season ranking in Year 3. He has their only 11 win season in school history. He is seven games over .500 at Minnesota. Other than Glen Mason you have to go back to the 50's for this type of record. Hell...Lou Holtz was under .500 at Minnesota.
He doesn't have two decades of tape. However, at two places it is hard to win he put them on the national stage (quickly) and his teams have largely improved in record each year. I don't hold a 3-4 Corona record against him...particularly with how hard they were hit.
I have no idea if his style would translate to the NFL. However, at the college level his stock should be VERY high IMHO.
Quite a run after an awful start. It is nice they get some tune-up games prior to conference play. 4-5 key players who are new faces. It takes time to develop as a team.
They've found a way thus far and it will be great to watch them the rest of the way.
Go Blue!
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2017/01/09/michigan-recruiting-knows-no-bounds-jim-harbaugh-helm/96349318/
Those were the days...
Did his Rivals, 24/7 etc. accounts not get renewed?
…
Titleist TS3 Driver
Titleist 917D 3-Wood
Titleist TS 2 Hybrid
Titleist U500 4-iron
Titleist 5-PW T100s Irons
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedges (48-54-58)
Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Putter
Clemson’s average rating blows UM’s out of the water 2016-2020. They are recruiting at an ELITE level despite taking some smaller classes that led to more Top 10-15 classes a couple of years.
Further, Harbaugh’s “Top Five” 2017 class has lost 1/2 of its signees. The ones that are left aren’t exactly murderer’s row of future All-American’s.
In short, Clemson recruits at a higher level than UM, has landed and developed elite QBs, and Dabo’s players respond to him and his staff. This is where the hardware comes from.
It doesn’t hurt they play in a weak ACC which means they can not play their best at times and still get to the dance. They beat an 8-5 TA&M by only 14 and barely avoided disaster against 7-6 North Carolina. And again, it doesn’t hurt they have had their two best QB’s of all-time during this championship era.
"...he'll have to recruit and develop players after urban's have run their course."
From the looks of his 2020 and 2021 classes he has the first part down pretty damn well. Developing is another story.
The wave of Meyer's players?
You probably shouldn't look at this.
https://247sports.com/Season/2020-Football/CompositeTeamRankings/
Certainly not this...
https://247sports.com/Season/2021-Football/CompositeTeamRankings/
I see a lot of these types of posts "the coaches aren't making the mistakes". At what point does leadership matter? When you see a program continue to crumble when the spotlight is on it most certainly is on the coaches. The names on the back of the jerseys change but the results do not. Training, motivation, accountability, recruiting...these are all the jobs of coaches (to name a few) and they all have a direct impact on results.
For the record, I don't want Jim Harbaugh to leave. I want him to take a hard look (another) in the mirror and figure out what needs to be done to turn his Michigan tenure from a footnote into a statue being installed by Bo's.
Five years is a fair bit of time. The clock is ticking.
It has certainly been fun to watch thus far. If UM can start to take care of the basketball a little better they have a chance for another great year. That said, I'll take extra turnovers to watch this style of basketball. Uptempo, athletic, tough...enjoyable.
Thanks I will. Oh you meant...nevermind. Go Blue!
Truer words have never been spoken...
Now we are worried about McElwain? The guy who parlayed one good season at CSU into a big time job? The guy that lost four games a year at Florida (the guy that humps sharks)? The guy that was beat down by Harbaugh twice? The guy that couldn't beat "Smiling" Tim Lester this year?
I think UM will survive.
If you bet Michigan outright you'll make approximately $275 on a $100 bet. The money line WAS +275. I'm sure it is moving.
"This is a very…
Minnesota:
"This is a very fun team. It's a very fun culture, very different, but I love these young men. I love them as my own sons," Fleck said. "A lot of times it's easy for coaches to pick up and leave, go different places. These are very, very special people. I believe in what we can do here."
WMU his final year after an 8-0 start:
https://youtu.be/nIUVQhqPjaU
"Love Kalmazoo...my sons...lot of years here...blah, blah, blah"
PJ Fleck loves every place he is at...most importantly PJ Fleck loves PJ Fleck. That buyout/contract won't stop him from going to USC, FSU, or any other situation he deems bigger and better for PJ Fleck.
I suspect Fleck fancies himself an NFL coach and that is his ultimate destination. You can't argue with his results so far. He has taken two programs to a season they might not have had otherwise.
I understand what you are attempting to do.
However, I might give Fleck coaching WMU (D1 FBS) to within 7 pts of winning the Cotton Bowl against Wisco the nod over Harbaugh winning at FCS San Diego.
Further, San Diego has won 9 conference titles since Harbaugh left. How has WMU done since Fleck departed?
I guess you were down on Urban Meyer at BGSU and Utah?
You can park for free in the neighborhoods. You don't have to hit the MDen or buy overpriced, nasty food at the stadium. There...I just got you to two more games a year. You are welcome.
My guess is his .830 winning percentage and six big ten titles contribute as much to his hero status as his lone national championship. He also made it to another title game. Finally, let's not forget his 9-1 record against us.
Do you believe Lloyd Carr to be on equal footing with Tressel?
He is 69 years old. He coached at Michigan for 13 years of his long coaching career. There was over 20 years between his two stints here. I find his departure to OSU coming directly from UM incredibly distasteful (and likely involves spite despite the apologists) but to call him a "UM lifer" is a bit of a stretch isn't it?
His mom is an alumna of Michigan but his father is an alumnus of Stanford (Master's Degree) .
https://www.blackfives.org/bio/
This may have some bearing on where he is supposedly leaning.
It would be fun to get an opportunity to see him take some snaps next week.
I hope these QBs stay, compete, and help restore UM as an annual B10 contender. Once upon a time, there was a pipeline of NFL QBs that understood they were unlikely to play for a couple of years when committing to UM.
"basically premium board speculation"
Has there ever been an indication of anything more than this? Further, has there ever been a true "insider" who takes the time to post on fan forums?