Bacon's Plan A, Plan B and Plan C. You Won't Like Plan B.

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on

John U. Bacon on the Huge Show this afternoon, offering his updated assessment:

- Plan A is (in no order) Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh or Les Miles.

- Plan B is Greg Schiano. Dan Mullen was part of Plan B, but he's fading.

- Plan C is another Brady Hoke.

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Ray

November 24th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^

I think Schiano is a trial balloon floated by a source. Same thing with Sam's various "I don't know anything but I'm just speculating" comments. Guys like Sam and JUB are smart, they have reputations to worry about, and they have access to the program at stake. Someone reliable is feeding them the tip of the day. If I were trying to figure out public support for a variety of options, one way I'd handle it would be test reactions through venues like Mgoblog. For the record, President Schlissel and Director Hackett, I hate the idea of Coach Schiano.

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BursleyHall82

November 24th, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^

We know that Schiano is a mediocre college coach and a bad NFL coach.

We know that Schiano is an asshole.

We know that Jim Harbaugh is an elite college coach and an elite NFL coach.

We know that Jim Harbaugh can be an asshole, but he's our asshole.

We know that John Harbaugh is an elite NFL coach.

We know that John Harbaugh is not an asshole.

We know that Les Miles is a damn good college coach.

We know that Les Miles is not an asshole, but he is a weirdo.

So, with all this, we know that we want either of the Harbaughs or Miles. We know that we do not want Schiano.

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mgoBrad

November 24th, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^

... and nobody's mentioned this thread's title reads like one of those ridiculous Buzzfeed articles. "The 25 best Thanksgiving foods... number 8 will BLOW YOUR MIND"

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AMazinBlue

November 24th, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^

with no proven track record at a high level program doesn't make us ND, we become Purdue.

This program is sliding down a razor thin rail, teetering on the edge of oblivion.  Get this hire wrong and that beloved Big House we are so enamored with will be 70-75% full and that's it.  The Suites go unsold and donors start to withdraw.

If all that happens, the AD whoever he is won't be the only one looking over his shoulder.

Michigan has to get this right.  And right is Jim Harbaugh.  Les Miles is a second option and stealing Bob Stoops or Gary Patterson is after that.  Beyond that...we are Purdue.  Schiano would doom this program a level of irrelevancy unlike anything ever seen in this state.

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Pthorne17

November 24th, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^

What about Bret Bielema he was a great coach at Wisconsin and has done well in the hardest division in college football it seems like me a perfect fit for both parties

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Stringer Bell

November 24th, 2014 at 8:56 PM ^

Done well?  His only 2 SEC wins in 2 years have come in the past 2 weeks.  I think he's a good coach, definitely a d-bag but I don't see him as a guy that can put us on par with OSU.  He'd be in my 3rd tier of candidates based solely on coaching ability, but his attitude makes him undesirable.

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Pthorne17

November 24th, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^

It's Arkansas he took over for a mess created by Bobby "biker" Petrino and he just shut out ole miss the same ole miss who beat Alabama and LSU. He's struggled that's for sure be he's beat two top ten teams in a row and has he's team bowl eligible. He would be better than Les Miles in my opinion.

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Beat_the_Bucks

November 24th, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^

My two cents, if you don't have somebody from plan A locked up and coming. Bring Hoke back. Give him next year on a short leash. A lot of our starters will be back, and have gained some experience. I want Harbaugh as much as the next guy, but I don't want to do this every 4 years.

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Beat_the_Bucks

November 25th, 2014 at 12:22 AM ^

I truly think this whole situation is going to be handled in the back channels. Some firm has probably already been talking to the agents of the coaches targeted, too see the interest level. You are correct, you have to have a legitimate opening. But you have to have your "ducks in a row" too. If Hoke is fired, and a replacement is not named right away, I'd be worried. But then again, if Harbaugh comes, we will all be happy.



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Oh Deer

November 24th, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^

This has to be the most perplexing type of comment that I have been seeing regarding next year's coach. I really can't see how anyone would be ok with Hoke coming back next year. I would rather the university roll the dice on some other mid major coach and hope it works out than to bring Hoke back knowing what would happen. If you haven't demonstrated the ability to coach by year four, what is going to happen in year five to make things better? I just don't get this line of thinking. No offense to you beat the bucks, but I seriously don't get it.

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Beat_the_Bucks

November 24th, 2014 at 10:03 PM ^

Just my opinion, but my thought process is this. It has taken awhile to get this roster where it is now, recruiting, etc. players have gained experience, and bought into Hoke, etc. I think Hoke's down fall, is he lived and died being loyal to certain players. Guys that just didn't get it done on game day. His player development is in question by many. Including myself in some areas. Nussmeier has had 1 season with this offense. I think our defense has been good enough to win. It's ranked in the top 20. Our offense has not gotten the job done! I personally think if we even had an "average" offense this year, our record would be very different. If Hoke is not brought back, I hope we get the home run hire (Harbaugh) as much as the next guy. But I don't like the idea of just rolling the dice on mid major guy. What happens if that doesn't work? Another 4 years of "rebuilding" or "transitioning of staff". That will bring us to a potential of 12 years of mediocre football? I love this team, as much as the next person. I want this program back where we all want it. No offense taken, and hopefully no offense is taken on your end as well. I just hope they get this right! If that means firing Hoke, so be it. If that means give him another year, so be it. If there is a change, I hope it is a proven guy. I don't like the idea of an unknown. Just my opinion.



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Beat_the_Bucks

November 25th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^

I never said it was great. I said it was good enough to win. I'll agree with you on the Notre Dame and Michigan State games. Defense did not get it done those games. But if we had a offense, even an "average" offense. I see a different out come in the Utah game, the Rutgers game, at the minimum. "Maybe" even the Maryland game. How many points were converted by the other team, off turnovers by our offense in those games? How many times did we not come away with points when we had the ball deep in the other teams territory? How many times did we get the chance to punt and change the field position? Instead we turned the ball over. Our offensive turnovers killed us this year, just like last year. Hopefully no offense is taken on your end. I'm just talking football. I've been around the sport my whole life, not just as a player, but a coach as well. Our offense has seriously hung our defense out to dry, in a few games this year. I also know a defense that kept the Michigan State game close for a half, while the offensive, did nothing with some good opportunities.



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Beat_the_Bucks

November 25th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^

I agree, it is on Hoke's player development. Our defense could be elite, but if our offense does not put points on the board, we still lose the games. I think had we had a healthy Peppers, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I agree that Morris might not be the answer either. I worry that if we can Hoke, we strike out on the next guy, and we are doing this again in 4 years. There are people running around here wondering " what could have been" with Rich Rod.



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bj dickey

November 25th, 2014 at 12:21 AM ^

Yeah, but here's the problem. Hoke and harbaugh go way back and Brady has a tight relationship the harbaughs. Jim is wacky, but I imagine that it may be difficult to retain Hoke and get word from harbaugh that he will, in fact, take the job. Once Brady is out, JH might commit. But if we want to keep Brady as a fallback in the event JH doesn't come, it could screw this thing up big.

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Beat_the_Bucks

November 25th, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^

I know. It's a pretty complex situation. If we fire Hoke, we need too have our guy lined up. If we don't have our guy, is Schiano the guy, if we strike out on one of the Harbaugh's or Miles? I'm worried about who is coming if we strike out. Say what you want about Hoke, but he has recruited well. I just worry he lived and died with Gardner. It's a shitty situation either way you look at it. I wish we were winning and not in this situation. Which I suppose is the general opinion.



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ghostofhoke

November 24th, 2014 at 10:00 PM ^

More likely that he's not leaving state. Why leave a program that you've built to contention to take over a tire fire? It's not going to be much more money than what State will throw at him. If he likes being in the SEC why would he leave for what is essentially a mediocre job somewhere else? He could have that train rolling in Starkville for a while and he's loved--Florida's fan base in an ungrateful mess. At least Muschamp cleaned up the dirty side by all accounts inside the program but he hasn't successfully recruited a single decent offensive player since he's been there. If you're Mullen would you go to a 3-4 yr project and leave a winner to do so? People sure do assume a lot.

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My Name is LEGIONS

November 24th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^

beileima had a great thing going at wisc. Why would he come here? Unless he realizes the SEC not his cup of tea



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bronxblue

November 24th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^

I'm sure Bacon has some sources, but at this point anybody claiming to know anything beyond the most basic information about the next potential coach is probably dubious.  I mean, everyone is basically naming the most obvious options because, well, Michigan isn't the type of school to go off-script too much on this selection.  Personally, I think Schiano is an unlikely option, but who knows what Hackett will be looking for.  And yeah, if they strike out on a Harbaugh or (ugh) Miles, I could see a world in which they stand pat with Hoke.  I'd hate that and think it is stupid, but sure there is a world in which that happens.  

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Don

November 25th, 2014 at 1:31 AM ^

If Hackett really has the corporate CEO/bean counter chops he's reputed to have, he'll recognize Michigan football as a severely underperforming but hugely important division whose trajectory is pointing to financial disaster for the entire corporation if it's not corrected quickly. Any manager in charge of such an underperforming division would expect to get canned.

It's necessary at Michigan to have good graduation rates, but the cold reality is that a successful Michigan football program is absolutely essential to the athletic department's overall health. He has to get a coach who will do both things.

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Perkis-Size Me

November 24th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^

I will cry if Greg Schiano is our next coach. He is an extremely poor man's version of Harbaugh. Probably a homeless version.

All asshole, no winning.

It also basically means MSU and OSU are guaranteed to walk all over us for the next 3-4 years at least. Schiano won nothing of note at Rutgers. Why would that change at Michigan?



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Cordera89

November 24th, 2014 at 10:37 PM ^

Michigan need to get off of hired a coach with ties to the school. 

u cant expect Jim or John or Miles to simpling take the job without question.

Jim and John are not leaving the NFL, U need to accept that part,

Miles might rethink that he need to stay in SEC and LSU where he been very Success at.

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