OCs and DCs around the Land

Submitted by Detwolverine2009 on January 1st, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Happy New Year everyone!

We've all been talking about it on the side, both on here and in person with friends and family... Just looking to start a realistic conversation on here about coordinators now that all but a few teams have wrapped up their seasons.

Who do you think are the best offensive and defensive coordinators for the college game around the country and especially those who might realistically leave where they are and come here for similar salaries as what Pep and Don get.

I'll start with a couple:

OC: Kingsbury looked fun, but is out. Kiffin has ran some good offenses, but has  baggage. So I will throw out Bobo at CSU or maybe Candle at Toledo.

DC: Im not demanding a Don Brown firing, but not as in love as I once was after getting gashed to pieces in big games. Say he takes the Temple job or something, who do we like here? I will throw out Bryan Brown at App State. He is pretty inexperienced but did a nice job. Matt House at Kentucky made them have a competitive season with less than top talent.

 

Haven't seen a specific post on this subject discussing all the possibilities out there. Forgive me if there has. I dont watch a ton of college football outside of Michigan, but looking to see what you guys think!

getsome

January 1st, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^

He's done a great job hiring coaches provided they're not longtime friends like drevno and pep. He's got a pretty good feel if he sticks to best available (though they'll prob share jims overall O philosophy and won't move the needle much but that's a different story)

MaizeBlueA2

January 2nd, 2019 at 6:18 AM ^

Doesn't UCF's head coach still call plays? That's why they brought him there to replace Frost.

I'll repost.

HC/CEO (very limited playcalling): Harbaugh

OC/QB: A young, creative, spread/multiple QB who's going to play every snap with Collins and Black on the outside and DPJ in the slot.

  • Ideas:
    • Brandon Streeter, Clemson
    • Major Applewhite, ex-Houston
    • David Yost, Texas Tech
    • (not young): Larry Fedora, ex-UNC
    • Adam Gase, ex-Dolphins (likely NFL head coach next year)...more realistically, go find a top DII guy, maybe even a HS guy. It worked with Patridge, go find someone who's setting the FCS or DII on fire as a playcaller. Football is football.

RB: Jay Harbaugh (or bring back Wheatley or go get Mike Hart - Jay's been great, but there are other options if he decided he need to grow on his own for a little bit...which he does)

WR/Passing Game Coordinator: Tee Martin (great recruiter, knows QB and WR coaching, Cali contacts)

TE: Moore

OL/Run Game Coordinator: Warriner

 

I envision the PGC (Tee Martin) and RGC (Warriner) in the booth giving playcalls and info to the OC (either in the booth or on the field) who ultimately makes the final decision. Harbaugh's role is to go for it/punt...switch a QB at halftime and win a national championship...etc. - CEO stuff. 90-95% of the playcalling is up to the other 3.

 

DC: Don Brown

DL: Mattison

LB: Washington

CB: Zordich

S: Partridge

 

SPT: Jay Harbaugh/Partridge

 

Don Brown has to learn to be less aggressive and have a counter move when people have figured him out. The person he should honestly sit with is John Beilein.

People used to say the SAME thing about JB. We had to run a motion offense and 1-3-1 zone defense. Now we run an NBA pick and roll offense and we play hair on fire help man-to-man...he adapted after his struggled. Brown has to do the same thing. 

Dayton Blue

January 1st, 2019 at 9:50 AM ^

Hire Kiffin.  It would be entertaining.  That's all most people around here want anyway - a distraction.

Ger Sauden

January 1st, 2019 at 10:51 AM ^

Michigan lead the BIG10 in scoring 2 years ago with Jedd Fisch. There has been something wrong with the passing offense the last 2 years. Jedd Fisch would be better than with what Michigan has now.

 

And I don't see anyone acting like Jedd Fisch is a panacea, and all offensive problems would cease if he came back. But clearly, the offense would be better. Look how great it was to watch Michigan football 2 years ago. The strange Iowa game sure messed that season up. But at least Iowa didn't completely embarrass Michigan like they did Ohio St the next year. Strange things can happen playing at Iowa. 

Would I like to see Jedd Fisch back, especially seeing he would have a better QB, a better receiving core, and an elite offensive line coach, to work with? Yes.

Is there someone else that Jim Harbaugh may have in mind right now? Probably yes. 

But I think we have to see a coaching change in the passing game, one way or the other. 

LV Sports Bettor

January 1st, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^

Ohio State led the Big Ten in scoring two years ago and this year's team scored 2 points overall less in conference play compared to two years ago not per game but just 2 points. Plus this year's conference schedule was a little better than 2016 BT play when you compare wins by the East division and the cross-over foes. 

The Truth Hurts

January 1st, 2019 at 10:23 AM ^

Man forget Fisch, that's going backwards, did anyone look and see how UCLa offense did with him calling it?  We need to do the Urban Meyer and Nick Saban and get a good coach with baggage.  We need to stop taking the high morale road and stoop to the winners level.  We need to call good ole Art Briles and ask him to run my offense and show my young assistants the ropes so they can take over when he leaves.  "But he was in that horrendous scandal,  we can't allow that scum on our campus", get over it, Alabama would in a heartbeat so would OSU.  So we need to swallow the (BLUE) pride and pull out all the stops to get to the top.

s1105615

January 1st, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^

yeah...I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with you there.  I want to be able to like the people I cheer for, and Art Briles/Urban Meyer/anyone associated with PSU under Paterno and the like are all people that I don't want to cheer for, regardless of the "success" they might bring, because the cost of that success is too high.  

The Wolverine …

January 1st, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^

I would love for Michigan to just go out and get the best offensive mind available to keep up with Ohio State in a shootout if it came down to that, Jim would have to just become the CEO of the team and the face of the Team. He made some adjustments last year by letting go of Drevno, so maybe it will finally happen with Pep? 

MgoWood

January 1st, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^

If I had one wish it would be this: Jim has a conversation with Beilein about adjusting to the times of the game. Beilein says that it was tough to let go of some control, but it paid off exponentially. Now Jim takes said advice and let's the offensive dogs run loose. 

 

Would anyone else see a linear line going up, up, and up? Or am I lost in a Offensive dystopia?

JPC

January 1st, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^

I realize that this is just talking, but I think we as fans aren't really well positioned to throw out names. There are guys who have done well other places, but are they assholes? Do they want to come live somewhere that it's freezing by October every year? 

I've been critical of Harbaugh, but he has a long track record of hiring good people. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a great track record of firing the less than good ones in a timely manner - at Michigan. 

TennesseeMaize

January 1st, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^

OC- 

Jedd Fisch, the App St guy, or my little sister would all be improvements. 

DC- 

hope this doesn’t happen, but agree with your sentiment that these big game collapses have really soured my Don Brown love. I haven’t even put on my fake DB mustache in a month.

Honestly, Mattison was running an improving defense with much less talent under Hoke. He never collapsed like Brown’s defenses have in big game situations. I woudnt mind Mattison back in the driver’s seat. Or some up and comer from a smaller school would be fine if he knows how to maximize the talent we have (or is a phenom recruiter) 

Chicago Blue Fan

January 1st, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^

Mattison was fairly awful as a DC. Allowed 42 to TUOS in back to back years, and one of them he held them to 400 yards rushing. There was also the infamous 26 sec TD drive in the Penn St game (while facing a freshman QB).  

I know everyone loves Mattison as D line coach, but DC isn't his strong suit.  Might as well stick with Pony, at least he can snuff bad teams.

bacon1431

January 1st, 2019 at 10:51 AM ^

Points given up to ND under Mattison: 31, 13, 30, 31

Points given up to OSU under Mattison: 34, 26, 42, 42

Also gave up 47 to Indiana in 2013. 41 to Bama and 31 to N’W in 2012. 

You must not remember things very clearly. This is not to say that Mattison is a bad DC or didn’t do a good job with what he was given. But if Mattison is hired, same people shitting on Brown will shit on him when we don’t hold every opponent to less than 14 points

M Go Cue

January 1st, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^

I’m a big fan of Bodie Reeder, who is the OC at Eastern Washington. EW averaged over 500 yards in offense this season.

Also Kenny Dillingham at Memphis.  They averaged over 500 yards this season as well.  Dillingham is a great Tight End coach, which would fit well in Coach H’s offense.

 

jdemille9

January 1st, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^

I'd throw in Cam Aiken, he's a young (under 30 I believe) offensive analyst on Clemson's staff. Been there a few years, at least during their playoff runs. 

Now, as everyone has more or less said in other posts, what remains to be seen is if Harbaugh is too stubborn to change his philosophy and staff. I don't believe he is too stubborn, he got rid of longtime friend and assistant Drevno and we've seen some great strides under Warriner in just one season (long way to go but progress and trajectory of OL is promising). But we shall see, either way I'll remain optimistic about this program. 

1blueeye

January 1st, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^

I would hope he takes the same process as he did hiring Don Brown. Look at who has the best offenses in the country and find an OC looking to move up and pay them appropriately. For all of Don Browns flaws, I still think it’d be hard to find someone a whole lot better. Just find good coaches regardless of their connection to UM or any past NFL cronies. 

Ger Sauden

January 1st, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^

Looking at how badly Michigan was blown out by Penn St last year, and then seeing Don Brown say he thought about that game every morning, and then seeing how badly Michigan beat Penn St this year, I can see that Don Brown is a winner. And he's probably thinking day and night about the last 2 games. He will make changes, and become an even better coach. Maybe in a few years he will be the best defensive coach in modern history. 

jdemille9

January 1st, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^

I would prefer he think about these teams and how to stop them BEFORE they blow us out. Not like the OSU offense was a mystery to us, nor was it a mystery what they'd try to do given what IU did the week prior. I get there was likely a mental hangover for UF and missing Bush and Gary was a factor but there is really no excuse for a team with the talent we have to get blown out, ever. Unless it's Bama or Clemson, those programs are on another level. 

Losing to OSU is one thing, not even being competitive in 3 out of 4 games is another (2 out of 3 for Brown). That said, I don't want to see Brown go, just a shift in philosophy (same as Harbaugh needs for the offense). You can be damn aggressive and blitz from zone looks as well. But sadly, Brown suffers the same stubbornness Harbaugh does - offensive system works when you have a mauling OL and Andrew Luck and the defense works best when you have safeties with elite speed (Thomas and Hill). Gotta change it up when you don't have the Jimmy's and Joe's you need to run your X's and O's/

Ger Sauden

January 1st, 2019 at 11:57 AM ^

Sometimes you have to lose bad to face where you're doing things wrong. Michael Jordan the reason he became so good is because he failed so many times. A baby learns to walk by falling on it's butt over and over. It learns what more by what doesn't work more than what does work.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc

 

The Truth Hurts

January 1st, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^

To be real, the coaches who blew Don Brown out, also worked with Don Brown.  Joe Moorehead and Day.  They knew how to break down the defense because they went against the defense everyday in practice.  Dan Mullen is good friends with Urban so it was easy for him also to get Intel on the defense also.