(ESPN RUMOR) Potential Coaching Moves
Following the Wolverines' loss to Iowa on Saturday in which it was outgained 407 yards to 158 by the Hawkeyes and blew a 21-7 halftime lead, Michigan is 7-4 and Brady Hoke is approaching hot-seat territory. Some coaches I spoke with this week said, at the very least, he will likely have to part ways with offensive coordinator Al Borges. (If Michigan does open again, either this year or next, one trusted college football source suggested that LSU coach Les Miles could finally head home to his alma mater. “I’ll bet that’s where he goes and retires,” the source said.)
Mods feel free to delete if you think it's too much info from a paywalled article.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:07 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 7:40 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
I think we would hate having Les Miles. He makes the most inane coaching decisions with superior talent. If we're rebuilding when he's here, he's going to drive us nuts. Absolutely nuts
November 24th, 2013 at 5:40 PM ^
This, times 1,000. His in-game decision is unbelievably bad at times, and his teams actually play for real stakes. I.e., Les Miles screwing the pooch completely against Ole Miss a couple years ago actually mattered, because LSU is a national contender every year. (Michigan has not been a national contender in November in 7 years). I don't want him here for that reason alone, but, also, because of all of the other stuff we've heard ad nauseum over the years. Where there's that much smoke, for that many years, and it is confirmed by people who worked with him while he was here (ever wonder why L.C. said "over my dead body" about LM to the point that it was LC who pushed for and actually called RR back during the first coaching search? Makes me think that the worst of the rumors from the 80's/90's are true..., or the people who were around the program then believe those rumors to be true. And the Jai Eugene thing is definitely true).
LC may not have liked RR, but he, and a whole lot of others from back in the day despise Miles (hence why L.C. helped R.R. get the job, but then immediately had the "transfer papers" meeting before RR had ever met the team).
I am pretty sure Brandon only "met" with Les Miles during last coaching search to appease the portion of the fanbase that wants Miles. I'm pretty sure DB would never hire him, which is about the best thing I can say about DB, because a lot of people who were around back then believe that those rumors are true, and, if they are, you don't ever forgive a man who does that to a friend/mentor of yours, period, forever.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:24 PM ^
yea god forbid we would have a coach that was actually WON his CONFERENCE at least one time in his coaching career and has won a national title while playing for another.
We don't need that here, we need a guy who hasn't won squat in his entire coaching career.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
cannot stand the idea of losing some conference championship games or losing to Alabama sometimes.....
November 24th, 2013 at 8:35 PM ^
Yeah why would we want a coach that is annually in the National Championship Discussion. That would make us like OSU with Meyer. Why would we want that!
November 24th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
I don't know if I could handle another head coaching search involving infinite never-gonna-happen rumors. I'd eat my own shoe if Les Miles came to Michigan. We've heard it too much. Seriously hold me to that shoe thing, I'd be happy to do it.
I'd be surprised if Al Borges gets fired, but at least that's possible. I'm all for Gorgeous Borges getting out of town at this point.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:25 PM ^
And the Borges comment is obvious to all. He as well as Funk have to go.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
Hopefully there will be plenty more similar pieces leading up to the Game. More pressure on DB and Hoke to make changes to the O.
It's going to be impossible not to compare the "state of the program" between UM and OSU and the gulf could not be any wider at this point.
http://espn.go.com/ncf/notebook/_/page/gamedayFinal1124/week-13
"If they lose, the Wolverines will finish 3-5 in the Big Ten this season -- the same record Rodriguez finished with in his third year at the helm of the team."
November 24th, 2013 at 5:27 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
They have forgotten 37-7. I have not.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:12 PM ^
If Michigan keeps it that close in either the OSU or Bowl game.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:35 PM ^
You have forgotten how bad RR's team was if you believe that.
UM has been losing close games(save for MSU). They were getting blown out under RR.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:57 PM ^
that some folks on this blog only have a one month memory. Srsly, a shrink could make millions of dollars analyzing people on here. It's all 'what have you done for me lately'. Downfall of society.
November 24th, 2013 at 8:13 PM ^
The idea that UM fans are somehow just impatient, given that fact is nonsense. The level of peformance has been disappointing people for an extended period of time at this point.
November 24th, 2013 at 8:53 PM ^
the impatient people who want to Fire Hoke and was agreeing with the poster above me who said no one remembers RichRod's teams getting blown out. I feel that three years is not enough for an NCAA football coach. And I stand by my statement that many people need shrinks.
November 25th, 2013 at 2:23 AM ^
I am not currently calling for his job. I am calling for the jobs of his entire offensive staff. However, if he is unwilling/unable to fire them (most importantly Borges, but Funk and Jackson have got to go as well) then I will be calling for him to get fired as well.
November 25th, 2013 at 8:36 AM ^
Just not ready for another head coaching search drama yet.
November 24th, 2013 at 9:00 PM ^
Quite the opposite actually. If people like you controlled the world I feel we'd be stuck in perpertual mediocrity.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:51 PM ^
It was only 37-7 becasue Tressel did a kneel down on our 5 to let time expire.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:30 PM ^
He has a Michigan connection now so he would qualify for the position.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:27 PM ^
at the very least
November 24th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
Get a good O-coordinator and we are fine. Hoke doesn't need to go, neither does mattison. Actually I think our Defense is over-achieving for what we have. Offense on the other hand....
November 24th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
The AD's reputation is on the line too, and with a new President coming in, Brandon won't want to admit a mistake after 3 years.
Hoke bought a lot of good will in year 1, didn't help/hurt himself last year, and lost most of the good will from year 1 this year.
Plus...whatever the hell Miles allegedly did that was so scandalous in Ann Arbor during his time here has never been answered, though I doubt anything but bruised egos (Lloyd's especially).
I think Brandon will loathe a football coach like Miles or Jim Harbaugh or anyone who comes in with a strong personality and is the face and voice of the program. Brandon likes his visibility, and having a boring guy like Hoke who isn't active and visible in the media makes it easier for his ego.
2014 season, hopefully with a strong Prez, will send the message to Hoke and Brandon that football is the flagship of the U's sports revenue and excellence is not optional.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:36 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:54 PM ^
Wrong guy's wife, my friend. Think farther back.
November 24th, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
Bump Elliott's wife?
November 24th, 2013 at 9:13 PM ^
This woman ended up being LC's second wife.
This was I heard from someone who's fairly close with the inner Michigan crew. I could be wrong. Can someone refute me or heard otherwise?
November 24th, 2013 at 10:30 PM ^
Holy shit
November 25th, 2013 at 2:25 AM ^
I've heard the same.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
I just had this conversation with my 13 year old son this morning. He absolutely refuses to admit he's wrong, and told me even if he is wrong, he won't admit it. I told him in the long run, it's the person who can admit he's wrong and figure out ways to right the mistakes who will ultimately be the most successful. He still didn't agree with me, presumably because that would mean he was wrong. In any case, if Dave Brandon were to admit he was wrong rather than stubbornly cling to his choices, he would stand a much better chance of keeping his job long term.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
What allegedly happened is the kind of thing that you don't forgive someone for, ever. I'd like to be more explicit, but it would get deleted.
Hypothetical: You and I work together in a pressure environment. So does Jim. Jim is both of our bosses and is our mentor. You and I work together for years. We are all close.
You have relations with Jim's wife. Jim then gets drunk, an incident occurs, and he resigns.
I would not ever forgive you, and you shouldn't be forgiven. If at some point, decades later, you are in a position to do something that encroaches into my employer/company, and, in this hypothetical, I'm in a position to have influence over whether or not you're allowed to "come aboard," so to speak.... I will do everything in my power to block that from happening, out of respect for 1. the employer, 2. loyalty to Jim and his family, 3. the fact that you are a piece of shit and likely should have had your ass kicked 25 years ago. I wouldn't ever let it go, for so many reasons, but mainly because, again, you'd be a piece of shit and Jim, in this hypo, is my mentor and someone I think is a good man. You are not, in this scenario, and I don't want your grubby immorality and fake bullshit near my employer, lest I be tempted to give you the ass-kicking you never got.
Get it now?
I'm sure this will get deleted.
November 24th, 2013 at 9:18 PM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 3:38 AM ^
There's a lot good career men who have done the same!
November 25th, 2013 at 3:37 AM ^
Hoke was DB man for the job! You never saw the coaches on the short list and DB picked Brady Hoke over all of them. I guarantee that DB is going to stick with Hoke for 5 or 6 years. Hopefully DB will be correct about his man and we will be back to at least contenders in the B1G and BCS bowl games?
November 24th, 2013 at 5:30 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^
There is this repeated Meme on mgoblog that Hoke is loyal to a fault. I'm not really sure where the evidence is of this. I'm not saying there is evidence the other way either, but people say it like it is a fact. I think objectively we can all agree that firing a position coach or coordinator midseason is not a good idea.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:00 PM ^
This is a standard internet fan complaint. Go to any message board after a team loses and you'll see people accuse their coach of being "too loyal" to assistants. In reality, most are willing to let assistants go if their own seat starts to get hot. And Hoke has (at Ball State) cleaned house before.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:14 PM ^
Not entirely true. Hoke "cleaned house" by firing the assistants he inhereted when he took over the Ball State job. I don't think he's ever fired an assistant he asked to join his staff and move across the county to join him like he has with his present group.
There is a world of difference between firing "your guys" and somebody else's management team. Nobody knows yet if Hoke will take out one "his guys" or not. He's never done it before.
November 25th, 2013 at 3:42 AM ^
I kind of wish he would have left the offensive group behind at SDSU as well.
November 24th, 2013 at 7:45 PM ^
And how far back do Hoke and Borges really go, anyway? I don't think it's more than a couple years prior to their arrival in AA, is it?