How Mike Zordich Wound Up at Michigan

Submitted by Y-Town Go Blue on

Pretty interesting article on how an unrelated phone call led Mike Zordich to head to Ann Arbor.

 

Two weeks ago, as the Baltimore Ravens were preparing for their wild-card playoff game against the Steelers, Youngstown State safeties coach Mike Zordich called Ravens coach John Harbaugh to wish him good luck.

“John and I are good friends and we communicate quite a bit,” said Zordich, a Chaney High graduate. “John was my special teams coach in Philadelphia [in 1998, his last year in the NFL] and we’ve kept in contact.”

The call ended up changing his life.

At the time, John’s brother, Jim, had just been hired at Michigan and was in the early stages of assembling a staff. Zordich had just finished his first year at YSU and wasn’t looking to move on, but John mentioned Zordich’s name to Jim. Next thing Zordich knew, he got a call from Jim asking him to drive to Ann Arbor for an interview.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/jan/16/phone-call-leads-zordich-to-ann-a…

dbrhee

January 16th, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^

I would admit that I would not see Zordich as being part of this staff... BUT if John H see talent and Jim agrees... Well, that as all in one word... Harbaugh...

 

Seems like a great pick up to complement Jackson for the secondary... 

 

Side note, notice the themes and comments from both Zordich and Jackson.. Said similar things and shows that JH (our coach) knows how to make a staff gel into one focused machine.... Amazing.... In Harbaugh we trust! 

Yostbound and Down

January 16th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

I trust Harbaugh on all of these hires and like each one of them. It's also comforting to know that he will definitely take action if a hire doesn't work out and replace them when performance suffers...he values loyalty but values the work and results more. Plus, wouldn't be surprised to see a couple head coaches come out of this staff, Durkin at the top of the list.

dbrhee

January 16th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^

But I don't think money was the issue for Zordich... He could have gone to bigger and greater things than stay at YSU... I think it connection/prestige that will eventually mean more money... Also, learning under Harbaugh as a staff member could only improve his experience and skills for the future.. 

 

You are right the end result might be money but I believe it is more than that for some reason

alum96

January 16th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^

As with all things in life it's so much about who you know...

I wish I had spent less time at UM studying and more networking - man it matters.

definitelynotwiper

January 16th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^

Zordich is a legend in this area (youngstown/warren). 

Combine him with Durkin, and between Boardman and Mooney, 2 of the biggest name schools in Northeast Ohio, and I imagine some local recruiting battles will get pretty interesting...

FrankX

January 16th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^

Have high hopes that background and pedigree will produce results soon.  But realistically, I have to remind myself that patience is required and instant perfection is not realistic.  That being said, I am still in awe at the talent and name recognition on the coaching staff.

Go Blue.

WestQuad

January 16th, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^

It's amazing how Harbaugh having been in the NFL as a coach and player and having a brother as a super bowl winning coach, not to mention his father's coaching career has HARBAUGH totally hooked up into the coaching community at the highest levels.   He is going to have a huge coaching tree.   Damn it, Haraugh is special.

RB's Mustache

January 16th, 2015 at 12:42 PM ^

So, basically, Zordich hears Jim got hired at UM. He's at a dead-end job at YSU, so he calls friend John and says, "Hey, can you put in a word with your brother, and get me out of the armpit of America that is Ohio?"

Sorry, but I don't find this the least bit unusual or interesting. It's probably how a lot of coaches are found. In fact, it's how many people get jobs.

Mgodiscgolfer

January 16th, 2015 at 2:38 PM ^

U of M the Prestige, Resume padding,coach with Harbaugh and his staff, Big House, Michigan Man, Michigan weight room. U of M Drs. actually I could spend the better part of a day thinking of good reasons to coach with Jim Harbaugh and his staff....... Money....Meh...