How Mike Zordich Wound Up at Michigan
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…
January 16th, 2015 at 11:15 AM ^
In other words...Harbaugh
January 16th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
that sweater....
January 16th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
It's fantastic.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
its a fashion risk is what it is. :-)
January 16th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
Maybe for a lesser man. But Jim Harbaugh could pull off wearing that sweater.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
Just like it. Got it for Christmas. I've worn it twice and nothing but compliments...even from MSU people.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
Rock star hire.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
But man, I could really use a HELLO post soon.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:20 AM ^
sometimes that's all it takes. good for him.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
Luck = When opportunity meets preparation.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:20 AM ^
I was going to say he flew, but he indeed did drive.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
He had to. It's a no fly zone.
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!
January 16th, 2015 at 11:24 AM ^
This is pretty much what I said before. Nothing about Zordich strikes me as special, but if Jim decided that he will be a valuable coach, then he's family.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
Looks like John was the first to decide it. Which is great, John knows what Jim is looking for and he won't waste his time on a crap shoot.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
Ellipsis...
January 16th, 2015 at 1:02 PM ^
If the arguably best coaching family in football says he can coach well here, I'll accept that.
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.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
but I believe he made the move from Youngstown to Michigan for one reason and one reason only. No, not Jim Harbaugh.
Money.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
Unless he was making it rain in the club on the reg, I doubt a 12-year NFL vet with NFL coaching experience is hurting for cash.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
so what?
January 16th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
And you think money?
You forgot the "/s".
January 16th, 2015 at 11:42 AM ^
So, even without Harbaugh, you are suggesting a move from Youngstown State to Michigan isn't a good reason?
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
January 16th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^
Youngstown resident here... I know the Zordich family well... The last thing he's heading to Ann Arbor for is money ... I can promise you that ... Go Blue!!
January 16th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
Typing from the south side, can't tell you how excited I was when I heard he was headed to Ann Arbor...
January 16th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
He didn't go back to YSU because it was his dream job. It was a good place to go until a good opportunity came along. Pellini won't be there long either.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
Cynical, ill-informed, and simply a useless comment.
January 16th, 2015 at 5:30 PM ^
some of my best work is when i'm cynical, ill-informed and useless.
January 16th, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^
How can such a comment be said with the confidence of a Nigerian prince. 1. You don't know him. 2. It's YSU to UM, many would make that move.
January 16th, 2015 at 1:00 PM ^
I doubt that very much. I can think of another good one right off the bat that I'm pretty sure was a factor - live with his family in Youngstown, OH vs. Ann Arbor, MI. Pretty tough choice.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:40 AM ^
Small world.
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.
January 16th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^
For sure, or is he still on staff in some capacity?
January 16th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
He's definitely out as a coach because we already have 9, but I think Sam Webb was saying that it was still possible that he'd be retained in some capacity, but didn't specify exactly how/what
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January 16th, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^
Why would he even want to stay? It's obvious he's not wanted by Harbaugh as a coach. So he might as well move on if he wants to further his coaching career.
January 16th, 2015 at 10:14 PM ^
Yeah, I'm really not sure why he'd stay on when he could probably get a coaching gig elsewhere. I was just passing along what I heard on the radio the other day.
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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...
January 16th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
Pretty cool that he and Greg Jackson played together. I really like this staff.
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.
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.
January 16th, 2015 at 2:27 PM ^
Amazing? Its awesome for Michigan that Harbaugh is so well connected, but based on your own data points, its not amazing, its quite understandable. Which is why he is worth the millions.
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.
January 16th, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^
Very enjoyable read.. Thanks for posting..
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...
January 16th, 2015 at 3:14 PM ^
Right on!
January 16th, 2015 at 3:51 PM ^
I love the way he talks haha...
"Another Youngstown boy, hell yeah!"
"I mean, what the hell are you gonna do? They had a hell of a year..."
January 16th, 2015 at 4:48 PM ^
Sounds like 2/3rds of my bar hookups in my life. Whoever talks to me last wins. Timing is everything in life.