archie collins

The unluckiest sports program on Earth caught a doozy in the dinglies last week as co-DC/cornerbacks coach/crack recruiter Mo Linguist took the late-opening Buffalo head job. How bad the fallout will be depends on which replacement coach Michigan can get in this late hour. Here are the gentlemen Michigan could take a swing at. We'll tackle some of the big names first and if we're still shopping later this week I'll have a Part II with other candidates once we have a clearer idea of the market.

STEVE CLINKSCALE, KENTUCKY

CURRENT JOB: Kentucky defensive passing game coordinator/DBs coach.

SUMMARY: Age 43. Well-regarded Midwest DBs coach who’s responsible for all of the Kentucky recruiting incursions into Michigan and a chunk of the recruiting success the Wildcats and Cincy have had against MSU in recent years.

HISTORY: Defensive backs coach at Kentucky under Mark Stoops since 2016, set to pick up passing game coordinator duties this year. Was DBs coach for three years at Cincinnati under Tommy Tuberville, promoted to co-DC in 2015. Prior to that was cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator under Tim Beckman and Tim Banks at Toledo (2009-‘11) and Illinois (2012). Spent seven years (2001-‘07) after college as DBs coach of his alma mater, Ashland, in North-Central Ohio. Originally from Youngstown.

SIGNIFICANT STATS: Passing defense YPA (sack-adjusted) under Clink:

KENTUCKY:
2015 (prior): 6.30, #70 ovr, #12 SEC
2016: 6.72, #83 Ovr, #11 SEC
2017: 6.69, #87 Ovr, #12 SEC
2018: 5.21, #21 Ovr, #4 SEC
2019: 5.08, #10 Ovr, #3 SEC
2020: 6.43, #64 Ovr, #6 SEC

CINCINNATI:
2012 (prior): 5.81, #39 Ovr, #4 Big East
2013: 5.34, #14 Ovr, #2 American
2014: 6.25, #70 Ovr, #7 American
2015: 6.49, #80 Ovr, #5 American

PLAYERS : Safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. (2019,  6th round to Texans) was a JuCo who committed to Ohio State once upon a time. CB Kelvin Joseph (2021, 2nd round to Cowboys) was a sit-out transfer from LSU. CB Brandin Echols (2021 6th round to Jets) was another JuCo. Safety Mike Edwards (2019, 3rd round, Bucs), who was already starting when Clink arrived. Safety Mike Tyson (2017, 6th, Seahawks). Clink also recruited 2020 All-American James Wiggins to Cincy before he left.

CONNECTIONS: Knows Gattis well through Tim Banks, the former Penn State co-DC who’s now the DC at Tennessee, and has been another thorn in Michigan’s side in recruiting.

PROS: Has had three players drafted over the last three years, after UK hadn’t sent a defensive back to the NFL since 2012. Outstanding recruiter, has been a massive thorn in Michigan’s side in recruiting (e.g. 2020 Oak Park 5-star DT Justin Rogers) and even worse for Michigan State. Can match Linguist for connections in Tennessee, and gives the staff a presence in Ohio that they currently lack.

CONS: MSU might be able to flip back some of the 3-stars Clink has committed to UK.

WOULD HE KEEP WILL JOHNSON AND THE REST? Yes. He might also reopen things with TN LB Keaten Wade.

WOULD HE TAKE THE JOB? That’s the big question. He turned down overtures from Michigan when Chris Partridge left but now that Michigan has a “co-DC” title, more money to offer, and an almost completely different defensive staff, maybe things will be different this time? Kentucky hasn’t had an issue giving their assistants raises to keep Michigan from poaching them.

[AFTER THE JUMP: More memories of recruitments lost]