Al Washington Leaves For Ohio State
A second Michigan position coach has left for OSU:
Al Washington, who served as Michigan's linebackers coach in 2018, is joining Ryan Day's staff as the Buckeyes' linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator.
This one makes more sense than Day hiring a 70-year-old Greg Mattison to be a defensive coordinator. Washington recruited well during his single year in Ann Arbor.
Michigan now has two open spots for defensive position coaches. Jim McElwain already left to be CMU's head coach and was replaced by Ben McDaniels. Temple's head job is open again after Manny Diaz left for Miami just days after taking it, and Don Brown is the last guy standing amongst the three candidates previously mentioned. It does seem like Temple's moving on from Brown, with "in person interviews" with new candidates scheduled this week and NIU head coach Rod Carey emerging as a new name.
January 8th, 2019 at 4:00 PM ^
But there are a lot more negative things happening, whatever they may be proof of
January 8th, 2019 at 12:42 PM ^
Washington also worked with Don Brown, Michigan has the same money cannon, and although we consistently lose to OSU, are the same caliber program.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
How? OSU has been the better program for over a decade. Aside from one "down" year when Hoke beat Fickell, OSU has been the vastly superior program. You want to talk about history and prestige? Then I'd agree, in general. But recent history has shown OSU to be the superior program. Washington had no ties to Ann Arbor, aside from his connection to Don Brown, and he was only at Michigan for a single year. It isn't like the guy was around for a decade then bolted. He has family ties to both, OSU, and Columbus. So, if we go by what you are saying, that Michigan and OSU are the same caliber program, then he is making a pretty good move as he will, presumably, be closer to family and be back where he grew up. I don't fault the guy for doing what is best for him and his family. I don't love him going straight to OSU from Michigan, but what is he supposed to do? Take a gap year and coach linebackers at LSU or something just to water down the decision to go to OSU for Michigan fans? C'mon.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
We all love to root for this program, but saying we are the same caliber right now is false. They are a step above us and it is ok to admit that. They have been the premiere team in this conference and it really hasn’t been close. They have multiple conference titles in the past 10 seasons, we have yet to even make it to Indy.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
So, all the people on this board who were stating this before and got negged, insulted, and shouted down....were right?
January 8th, 2019 at 11:29 AM ^
Usually how things go around here. People think if they incessantly neg something they don't want to hear it will make it untrue.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
Maizen, have you ever heard the story of Galileo? His peers in the scientific community at the time generally agreed with many of his theories. But it wasn't until well after his death that the scientific community formally accepted many of those theories as law. You know why? Because Galileo was giant asshole.
People don't neg something because they don't want to hear it, they neg the manner in which it's delivered.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:07 PM ^
/\ quite possibly the most underrated comment in forever at MGoBlog.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:05 PM ^
What you said “Maizen you’re an asshole, stop posting negative shit all the time”.
What Maizen read, “you’re intellectually superior, please keep posting every thought”.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:07 PM ^
I had to look it up, but sure enough you are correct. It's right here in my history book..."because Galileo was giant asshole".
January 8th, 2019 at 3:57 PM ^
What to think of people and even scientists who place truth and honesty secondary to their own emotions. If true, Galileo was less egregious.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:45 PM ^
Usually how things go around here.
Says the guy who's been here two weeks?
January 8th, 2019 at 11:29 AM ^
Yes, this is correct. Now we will go back to negging, insulting, and shouting down sports writers and any fan who sticks up for our ancient offense.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:30 AM ^
Let me help you out here. The negging wasn't for "stating" that Washington was leaving (or otherwise KEEPING IT REAL) it was for making any act (transfer, sitting-out, leaving early, taking a job elsewhere, not firing someone) as some sort of indicator on the state of the program.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
Well, there are many good things about this board but that it is rife with wild-eyed, myopic and ignorant partisanship is certainly a downside. Sadly, here, informed and knowledgeable input is too often shouted down and ridiculed.
Otherwise, life goes on...this is part of the deal. There is an elder statesman finishing a career and a young man building a resume.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:03 PM ^
Common sense does not go over too well around here.
Was fairly obvious he was going to go once he was offered. Just appeared Ohio State had more to offer and people don’t like hearing that.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
The only people I negged (and this seems to be true a lot of places) were the people who were like "Harbaugh is terrible and all the rats are fleeing the sinking ship", which is the same reactionary bullshit people who think "contrarian" is a great hat to wear when their "fairweather fan" hat is dirty.
I assumed Michigan would offer Washington a bump in salary and maybe a title change, but at the same time he's a guy from Columbus who has family ties to the school. He's also been at UM a year. This isn't some storied relationship he's fostered with UM, and 1-year guys jumping around is fairly common at that assistant level. Nobody freaked out when Fisch went to UCLA after, what, 2 years at UM. Or at least bullshit loyalty stuff didn't get thrown in.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:40 AM ^
Because it was UCLA, not Ohio Fucking State. If this had been just about any other school, everyone would have shrugged, but it's not any other school and it seems Ohio State is doing this to specifically fuck with Michigan, it's tiresome and just about the last thing needed by a fanbase that could use good news after a month and a half that has been sub-par(although signing day was indeed fun).
January 8th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
I know that this comment doesn't fit the general mood around the program, but I am not going to get too worked up about a guy who was here for all of 1 year leaving. Yes, it sucks, but this really isn't the end of the world. Hopefully we will bring in good, young talent who can coach up the kids on the roster and recruit well.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:30 AM ^
For me, it only sucks cuz it was OSU and this was the 2nd defensive coach they 'stole' from us. They beat us on the field and then they stick it to us with our coaching staff.
If they left for any other program there wouldn't be this kind of meltdown. Well, there would knowing this fanbase haha.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:44 AM ^
I'm less upset than confused. Rumor has it Harbaugh hired Frey in part because Indiana's O-line roasted his defense crispy, so he's like, "That guy knows what he's doing!" It didn't work out, but I get it. I mean, he basically discovered Brown via Google.
I guess Washington and Day have a history, but it's kind of weird to hire multiple coaches from a program you'd just beaten up, thrown into a bag, set on fire, and then thrown off a cliff.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
Your last bit is true, but it’s also true Day is hiring multiple coaches from a defense that has consistently been one of the best in college football for the past three years.
I don’t see what is so confusing or weird about that. One bad game in which the lynchpin of that defense was knocked out doesn’t change the overall fact. OSU wants in on what Michigan has been doing on defense — how can these hires be read any other way?
January 8th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
Washington I get being a bit of a bummer because he's a young guy who recruits well. But them "sticking" it to UM by taking Mattison feels like a weird move; there was a reason Mattison moved down from DC under both Durkin and Brown, and suddenly re-elevating a 70-year-old guy, no matter how spry and cool he is, to a DC spot seems like a reach. Like, if Texas has grabbed Mattison we wouldn't be calling him a Benedict Arnold or find it particularly damaging to UM.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
Absolutely correct! I'm certain we can get a good LB coach and a good recruiter - we may even have someone on the staff who can be promoted. We heard a lot about Al Washington's recruiting (mostly from Sam Webb), but if the 24/7 "recruited by" column is correct, the assistants we better keep are Sheronne Moore, Chris Partridge, Ed Warinner, and...(gasp) Jay Harbaugh!
January 8th, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
I hear you, but it sucks that in addition to OSU beating us every single year on the field, it feels like they've moved on to fucking us over off the field as well.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:26 AM ^
Well, we all wanted some staff shake ups this offseason, we got them.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:29 AM ^
Technically wrong side of the ball...
January 8th, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
With the defensive performances at OSU and the Peach bowl, is it really the wrong side? Perhaps there were necessary changes on both sides.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:35 AM ^
Touché
January 8th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
D-line was a real problem in both games. There were explanations, but Mattison did not have a replacement ready for Rashan Gary and did not adequately develop the guys playing DT. Washington did not have the LBs ready for Florida. Maybe all of this is for the best.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:45 PM ^
Not Matty’s fault B. Watson was getting cooked on option and slant routes at the line of scrimmage. I get he didn’t generate much of a rush with the DL but the blitzes were not getting home either. That still falls a lot on Don Brown, the defensive game plan he came up with in that game was still ineffective.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:38 PM ^
Meh - at the beginning of the season, Mattison was interviewed and talked at length about how great the D Line is, and how many rotational 1s they have, and the interior really was sort of average at best this year, and certainly didn't perform well enough against OSU's passing attack.
We have come a long way since Rich Rod's defenses under Mattison, but there was definitely a step back on the interior.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
We need Hoke fellas... seriously... hes a great DL coach and great recruiter...
January 8th, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
This is not . . . insane.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:29 PM ^
Now would be the perfect time too. Now that his last players have graduated, there’s no conflict of interest/faction potential.
The only side it doesn’t make sense from is his, as that would be mighty shameful for most people
January 8th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
Maybe I am looking at this wrong, but how can someone like Day who has never had a head coaching role persuade quality coaches to join his staff over a tenured coach with a lot of success at both the NFL and college level. I have been an avid Harbaugh supporter and trust he will be fine, but this just makes no sense to me. It definitely is not money related, so what the crap is going on?
January 8th, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
Logjam up top? No one's taking over Harbaugh's job anytime soon, and Brown was brought in to solidify the DC job.
Mattison, who's been a DC himself, wasn't going to get his old job back as long as Brown's here. Washington's only getting so many promotions as well.
Over in Columbus, they've got a new HC with a bunch of coaching jobs to fill and a roster full of 5-star athletes. Even a one-year rental looks good on a resume.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:35 AM ^
Or, to put it another way, two guys who have seen how the sausage is made in Ann Arbor are all of a sudden very eager to get out of Dodge
January 8th, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
It is not Day - it's Ohio State. It's a chance to go from a program that has a good national brand (us) but has been unstable over the past decade and can't seem to make the step up to elite, and which is in the midst of some pretty obvious turmoil to a program that has been an absolute machine over the past 15 years (OSU). Whether it's Tressel, Meyer or Day, that program is currently well set up to be elite - Day is walking into a team with a ton of talent, a bunch of top recruiting coaches and what looks to be a great staff.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:06 PM ^
Meh... I think everyone is putting way too much emphasis on the opportunity to coach at OSU simply because of comparative records or the roster.
Career decisions are about money, opportunity, culture and happy wife. After those 4, it's white noise.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
This seems like the new normal. If you hadn't noticed there is a major arms race going on in college football for assistant coaches. Salaries are being driven up up up. These guys are going to go where they can get paid and build up their resume. They are mercenaries and in that sense we should not take it personally. In the case of Mattison I view it as his last job and he is going to bank as much money as he can before he hangs it up. We won't feel bad for the teams/schools from whom Harbaugh is about to poach a D-line and linebackers coach in the weeks ahead.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:17 PM ^
This in my mind is the correct take on the current events in the coaching carousel. Michigan is not impervious to the new dynamic of coaching in college football.
Mattison has a long history of coaching at Michigan, but he is not a Michigan fan boy. In fact, he left Michigan to join a rival staff once before.
Al Washington was probably always destined to end up at Ohio State at some point in his career. He came to Michigan because he was given a pay raise and a spot on a higher profile coaching staff. He left Michigan for a pay raise and increase in title. If he is successful, he will probably leave Ohio State for the same reason.
This is what these guys do for a living. It shouldn't meant to be taken personally. Would it have been nice to keep Washington and Mattison on staff for 2019? Sure. Is the program crumbling because two position coaches went on to take a job with pay and title raises with our rival? I don't think so at all.
There are highly qualified candidates to fill those roles on Don's staff. If I were Jim, I would take this as an opportunity to go after elite up and coming recruiters in states we're looking to build pipelines. Roy Manning might be a guy worth considering.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
I don't necessarily agree, but:
Money - I can't imagine that OSU has a bigger money cannon than us. After Benedict Mattison, I have to imagine that if that were the only issue, we could have kept him.
Opportunity - we have an aging DC and a new opening to be DL coach. Whatever opportunity exists at OSU, we have the same.
Happy wife - I don't know anything about Al Washington's wife, but I cannot imagine a single person being happier in Columbus than OSU. Seriously, not as a homer who hates all things OSU, but the town itself is pretty non-descript and crappy, whereas Ann Arbor is pretty amazing, in terms of food, culture, things to do, etc.
As for your last point, culture - I can see this being a difference. Michigan, because of who our HC is, certainly has a certain culture. OSU also has its own culture, which is something a bit more SEC than B10. Maybe this is a factor.
I still think that the biggest thing for most coaches would be the opportunity to step into a loaded, stable and winning team.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
When you put 62-39 on top of the success of OSU's program to past 20 years, it's pretty easy to see why someone would go there. Also, people forget we're the main reason OSU didn't get a shot at three national titles in the 90s (1993, 1995, 1997). They've been on a pretty good run.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:37 AM ^
Billy Donlon left the University of Michigan and John Beilein to work for the Northwestern University basketball program with Chris Collins. Sometimes there is more to these decisions. Presumably, you would go with the experienced coach with a track record, but things happen.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:15 PM ^
Don't forget that Urban Meyer is still associated with the football program. I have no doubt he was the one who reached out to Mattison given their history.
For coaches looking to find a position at a good program, it is easier taking a chance on working for Day knowing Meyer is still behind the scenes.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
U of M Basketball is 29-1 in their last 30 games.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:43 AM ^
The other day I almost didn't wear some M gear because I didn't want to catch shit for the UF game (I live in FL). Then I remembered that our BBall team is an ABSOLUTE MONSTER and I doubled up on my UM gear.
I'll still follow footbaw stuff because obviously, but this team is something super special.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
I'm not going to assign a shit-ton of meaning to this, but that's what the Baumgartner's of the world will probably do. Obviously, there's movement among staff (ours and elsewhere) every year. I'd rather it not involve OSU. *Shrugs.*
January 8th, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
FFS. I'm starting to think The Debacle IIXICDVXC was a DJ Derpin' situation, except instead of the DC calling it quits, it's everyone else under him.
Unless Brown leaves as well, in which case I gotta find some trash cans to kick.
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