Bacon's Latest: New Coach Won't Be a Surprise Name

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on

John U. Bacon on WTKA this morning:

- The new coach won't be another RichRod (an outsider).

- The new coach won't be another Hoke (a mid-level relative unknown who does have Michigan ties).

- The new coach WILL be one of the 4-5 names that won't go away: Jim Harbaugh, Les Miles, etc.

He claims no inside knowledge - these are just gut feelings. Nothing new really, but when JUB speaks, it's always worth a thread.

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Coach Carr Camp

November 21st, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^

I'm sorry, I just can't let something like this go without comment. Les Miles had 9 players drafted last year (most of any school). 5 were under classmen, and 7 were on the offensive side of the ball. This was after 9 guys went in 2013, and 8 were under classmen. You heard that right, Les Miles has lost 18 guys in the last 2 years to the NFL. Its not possible to reload that kind of talent, but yet he's still bowl eligible in the toughest division in the country. His offense is having a pretty bad year, but its still light years ahead of our tire fire. This is with a true soph QB and after losing 7 starters from last year.  

Joined: 04/08/2014

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htownwolverine

November 21st, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^

I read somewhere yesterday that Miles has already agreed in principal to take the job as second choice if Harbaugh backs out.

Sorry I just can't remember where I read that but I did read it.

Joined: 09/02/2009

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turd ferguson

November 21st, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^

If I'm putting that together correctly, Bacon is guessing that we'll get one of the 4-5 "insider" (i.e., U-M) guys who are very well known.  Are there that many names on that list?  Jim Harbaugh and Les Miles, obviously.  John Harbaugh?  Who's next?  It seems like a big jump to a guy like Teryl Austin (and I wouldn't call Austin a name that won't go away).

By "another Rich Rod," did he just mean that he won't be a major surprise?  Mullen's name has been out there, for example, and although he's an "outsider," he wouldn't be a major surprise.

Joined: 12/09/2009

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Ali G Bomaye

November 21st, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^

I can't think of another person with Michigan ties who would be a viable option other than Harbaugh, Miles, and Austin.  I still don't know how everything went wrong with RichRod, but I hope we're not limiting our pool of candidates for fear that an outsider will have some kind of culture clash.  There are some obvious limits - we're not going to hire a Steve Spurrier or Mike Leach - but I don't think we should limit ourselves to the most conservative, P.C. personalities out there.

Joined: 07/08/2008

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JFW

November 21st, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^

I don't have alot of history following Bacon. Is he a guy that lets real things slip via his 'gut' feelings? My emotions are on roller coaster, and I'm trying to install some filters.

I'd love to have Miles or Harbaugh. Though, to be honest, I think that both guys have more risk than originally thought. And its not all associated with them. I had thought that Nuss could come in here with his great reputation for grooming QB's and get one of ours servicable. Both aren't playing well, even when not under murderous pressure. Yet it wouldn't shock me to see him do well after he leaves here. Mattison is the only one who has been consistently good. What is under the surface that makes our resurgence so hard? The predominant culture now? Political infighting? AD meddeling?

I think Harbaugh would have the best chance. But its not 100%. I think he'd need a solid backing from the President, and I'm not getting warm fuzzies on that. I think he'd need that support because I think he'd almost have to remake Schembechler hall, and tell people to Follow Me or Get Out, and that would make enemies. And when he made a decision that one of us didn't like, he'd have to have the backing to be able to deliver the Harbaugh version of Aaron Rogers 'Relax' to the fans.

Miles? He has record, but can he have the same success away from the Southern talent pool? Would he be able to overcome the seeming opposition to him in Schembechler hall? If he doesn't show instant progress I think that his clock management issues and other little quirks will turn the online community against him quickly.

I read an article in the news today:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2014/11/20/since-canham-retired-michigan-turmoil/70041462/

That makes me worry there is so much unrest between football program, AD, and President that a new coach, even a good one, might not be enough.

Joined: 10/20/2010

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NoVaWolverine

November 21st, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^

There are good coaches out there who don't happen to have Michigan ties. We need to find the best coach who will get Michigan football back to winning games, and I frankly don't give a crap if he has "Michigan ties" or not; I just care whether he knows what the hell he's doing.

Harbaugh's obviously choice 1, 2, and 3, because he'd be the perfect combination of most qualified on-the-field coach and someone guaranteed to heal (for a while, anyway) the stupid factional rifts in the program that emerged when RichRod was here. But if we can't get JH, I hope we're open to other non-Michigan possibilities. Presumably, an "outsider" this time around, like Mullen, will benefit from seeing what went wrong here for Rodriguez... and also presumably, the Carr-era turds who never got on board when RR coached here now regret their role in undermining a coach who's proven to be a winner everywhere he's been, pre- and post-Ann Arbor, and will give the next "outsider" the benefit of the doubt.

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