Possible football staff hire

Submitted by Big Boutros on

Some SEC insider sites are getting the vapors with whispers that Jim Harbaugh will be hiring Charles W Flanagan HS (Pembroke Pines, FL) head coach Devin Bush, Sr. to a recruiting position for the state of Florida, akin to Chris Partridge's role as New Jersey caporegime. via @RivalsWoody on this podcast

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MileHighWolverine

November 5th, 2015 at 1:17 PM ^

If he wasn't insanely qualified for the job, yes, it would give me the willies. But looking into his background, a very very good HC who has tons of contacts and respect in an area that is overloaded with the type of recruits we covet, makes me feel much better about this potential hiring.

It seems to make a lot of sense even without his son committing if we can come out of this with new pipelines into the FL HS's with 4* & 5* talent. If Jr. commits, icing on the cake.

Joined: 09/02/2008

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Leaders And Best

November 5th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^

He's not the only HS coach Harbaugh has hired. Harbaugh has hired 2 other HS coaches, Chris Partridge from Paramus Catholic in NJ and Rick Finotti from Lakewood St Ed's in Ohio. Both guys rebuilt their programs into state powerhouses and both coach in states we are going to heavily recruit. That profile fits Devin Bush Sr as well. Yes, he has a son we are recruiting, but I think he will have a role in making relationships in Florida that are going to go beyond that as we are seeing with Partridge in NJ.

Joined: 09/09/2009

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SC Wolverine

November 5th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^

Which raises the question as to what is in this for him.  Why would a successful coach want to become a recruiting coordinator?  Is this a foot in the door at the next level, with the idea that it will morph in time to a college assistant coach role?  If not, I'm not sure why a DB would agree to this.  In Army terms, it's like a battalion commander accepting a position on the divisional staff.  That is a promotion that no real soldier would want.  So what's in this for DB?

Joined: 08/18/2010

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Leaders And Best

November 5th, 2015 at 2:00 PM ^

He may get exposure & experience at Michigan that he may not get at Flanagan about how to run a college program. Just because he is coming in as a recruiting coordinator (assuming this report is true), doesn't mean he can't pick up other skills while here along with a recommendation from Harbaugh that could help find a job somewhere else after a couple years here.

Joined: 09/09/2009

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America

November 5th, 2015 at 2:36 PM ^

Here are a numer of "what is in this for him" ideas. I don't know which, if any, of these are true as I neither am in the coaching business nor know anything about the Bush family:

- More money

- Less pressure/stress

- Maybe wants to work in a power college fotball program, and working in this capacity is a better stepping stone than maybe better titles at lesser programs

- Ability to spend quality time with son

- Better working hours

- Desire to pursue alternate career path as maybe he is unsatisfied as a high school coach

- Maybe he was going to retire from coaching when his son graduated anyway, so this lets him stay around football in a lesser capacity

- Maybe he is a hyper-competitive dad who lives for his son to win things, and knows he can directly impact that if he helps recruit.

- Maybe they have some family member that would greatly benefit from the UM hospital being elite

- Maybe they have other children that are involved with the wrong people in Florida

- Maybe he thinks Harbaugh will go the NFL at some point, and he thinks this is his best chance at getting pulled along for that

- Maybe he has never missed one of his son's games and doesn't want to start doing that now

 

 

Joined: 09/19/2009

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Mr Miggle

November 5th, 2015 at 3:07 PM ^

although #3 is fine too. I very much doubt a recruiting job at this level is less stressful than HS coaching. It's not going to give him a lot of free time.

This job pays much better than being a HS coach. It's also a good way to advance his career. He doesn't need more reason than either of those. In fact, he'd need very good reasons not to take a job here.

 

Joined: 10/07/2010

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Mr Miggle

November 5th, 2015 at 2:58 PM ^

It was said at the time he was just hired to bring in Rashan Gary. He's director of recruiting operations. He's replaced Chris Singletary as the top guy in that department. It's fair to consider that he was hired because he was expected to be good at his job, not just to bring in a recruit he had a relationship with. If Bush Sr gets hired, I expect the same to be true. He has worked with our staff at one of the satellite camps..

I should point out that Bush Jr is far from the highest ranked recruit on our board. In fact, he's a 3* to 247 and towards the lower end of the guys we're still recruiting

 

Joined: 10/07/2010

MGoPoints: 47648

poppinfresh

November 5th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^

my ignorance but is there a precedent for this? i guess wayne lyons mom?

 

I understand coaches (i.e. partridge and perry watson) but hiring family members of potential recruits to staff?

Joined: 12/06/2014

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Stay.Classy.An…

November 5th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^

think there needs to be. If Michigan can improve both on and off the field by recruting both father and son, let's get with the business! However, parents get hired onto staff's all the time, it just isn't always publicized information. IIRC, I thought we had a potential Men's BB recruit whose father was a coach that was wanting a position on our staff should his son come to play, can someone help me out with this? It's not as uncommon as one might think.

Joined: 11/27/2012

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turd ferguson

November 5th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^

If this means that in the future we'll recruit Florida anywhere near as well as we're recruiting New Jersey now, then sign me up.

I was just thinking about how great it is that Rutgers supposedly rescinded Patridge's offer because he's a polarizing figure who could harm Rutgers' recruiting in NJ.  I hope that's true.

  • Rutgers' class: 0 commitments and 0 Crystal Ball leads from top 15 NJ prospects
  • Michigan's class: 3 commitments and 2 Crystal Ball leads from top 8 NJ prospects

Joined: 12/09/2009

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beedub93

November 5th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^

So long as he abides by recruiting regulations, then I'm good. More kids from Muck City, please. I'll take a Martavious Odoms and Vincent Smith every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Joined: 11/18/2008

MGoPoints: 5782

Cro-magnon

November 5th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^

I find this hilarious. In a good way. Need a player? Create a position for an influential adult in recruits life. That's how this will be spun all day long. Hired Tyrone Wheatley Hired Chris Partridge. Hired Wayne Lyons mom Hired Finotti, a coach at a top Ohio football producing school. I see nothing illegal here but it will lead to much discussion of the fortunes of Harbaugh. Welcome aboard coach Bush. Prematurely of course

Joined: 09/15/2015

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Big Boutros

November 5th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^

Tyrone Wheatley is an NFL coach and Michigan alumnus.

Chris Partridge has kicked ass in recruiting the state of New Jersey since he took the job.

Wayne Lyons basically doesn't play.

I don't think anyone from Boone signed when we hired Finotti. Kalis was already on the team.

None of these are handout hires for a single recruit.

Joined: 07/08/2008

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alum96

November 5th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^

Who cares about that?

We sit here all day complaining about Urban's tactics and meanwhile he has not lost a Big 10 regular season game in his 3 years and has a NC.  I dont think OSU fans give one whit about our comments, and either should we about what they say.  Also this will make RCMB go crazy which is great.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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FreddieMercuryHayes

November 5th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^

Well, UM might be battling against less fertile recruiting and popluation shifts, but they still have a money canon.  Make it work.  And there's seriously nothing wrong with this.  If this makes you uncomfortable, then it's because of the whole damn recruiting system has been blown way out of control.  This isn't about one recruit.  This is about having great in roads to some of the best recruiting grounds in America for years to come.

Joined: 12/29/2010

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UMProud

November 5th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^

I like the out of the box thinking on this.  Does the NCAA have rules about CFB staffing?  I've sort of wondered this given that JH seems to have created some positions within Michigan football that are new.  I'm not sure how many other programs have these same sorts of positions.  Michigan is truly blessed to have the resources to allow for staff that JH deems necessary and I trust his decisions completely.

But why would Bush, Sr want to give up a coaching job for recruiting?  Money will be better I assume but isn't the coaching/teaching experience what attracts people to these jobs?

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