Nightly DC Rumblings

You CAN circumvent it by having volunteer or graduate assistants, though. You frequently see older GAs who are really there to coach a position.

Well, Soup Campbell wouldn't be a GA, but you do have people like Montgomery who could help out.

I'm not suggesting that Michigan should go down that avenue, but yes, sometimes graduate assistants are basically coaches.

What he said.

would hire a blatantly inferior DC simply because they are friends. Does not compute!

Anderson wouldn't be my first choice, either, but Stanford did have the #7 DFEI in 2014. It's a little harsh to say his defense "sucks."

Also, NOBODY stops the good spread offenses consistently.

I've looked at Anderson's resume a bit. One thing that jumps out is, he actually only has a few seasons worth of DC experience--he's mostly been a position coach and was promoted after Mason left Stanford. If Mattison wasn't on the staff here that alone would make me nervous--but we do have Matttison so it's not as though Anderson would be totally riding solo.

In his favor, apart from the JH stamp of approval, Stanford did largely shut down Oregon in 2013 (Anderson's first year as DC)--so there is some evidence that he can deal with high-caliber spread options. But Stanford also held Oregon to 14 points in 2012 under Mason, so perhaps Mason was the real architect of Stanford's 2013 win as well.

I also looked at talent levels. From 2010 to 2015, Stanford signed 19 defensive players rated 4+ stars. By comparison, Michigan in that time period signed 27. I realize recruiting stars aren't a direct proxy for talent but that does suggest Anderson might not have the athletes to play as aggressive a scheme as what MaizeHaze wants to see. Remember Wayne Lyons was one of their starting corners last season and he can't even sniff defensive snaps at M.

I do think a lot of people seem to have an unrealistic expectation that the right DC is the difference between 2010 and throwing up goose eggs against the Ohio States of the world. I'm not sure it makes that big a difference. GERG failed because he had terrible position coaches and because he did stupid things like put Cam Gordon at FS. We can't afford an incompetent guy like that. But if the choice is between an okay DC with strong position coaches vs. a rock star DC with some uncertainty in the position coach ranks, I am not sure the latter is a better option.

I believe when it comes to Michigan's DC position it sounds more like a brinks truck going Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep

There are reports that Harbaugh offered Anderson the job, but gave him until this weekend to decide. BYU's process will extend beyond that. He either has to turn down our job or the opportunity to pursue BYU's.

He could do that in numerous places, though - USC, Ohio State, etc.