Things you want Warde Manuel to do within his first year

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on
  1. Hire Mel Pearson.
     
  2. Expand the Maize Rage 
     
  3. Remove the ads on the Michigan Stadium concourse pillars, free our poor baskets of this leftover stuff....

 

In other words, Mr. Manuel........tear DOWN those ads.

I would say extend Harbaugh but Hackett is likely to get that done before Warde officially takes over in March.

 

kurpit

January 29th, 2016 at 6:02 PM ^

Michigan Tech was abysmal when he took over there. They had won 6, 5, and 4 games in the three years prior to his hiring. I believe he was big into scouting and recruiting players in his years here so he has a long history of connections in the area.

I think Pearson is certainly a good candidate, but I'd be curious to know who some other good ones would be. I'm not especially well-informed into the rest of the college hockey world so I can't say I know what's out there.

Alton

January 29th, 2016 at 5:30 PM ^

Assuming Berenson is not given a new contract, we shouldn't make this a 1-person race.  Mel is nice, yes, but by no means required.  I am certain that there are plenty of good hockey coaches who would be willing to coach at Michigan; some of them have actually accomplished something as a head coach. 

I guess I don't see the requirement for Pearson over any other candidate. 

 

Alton

January 29th, 2016 at 5:37 PM ^

Sure, if we are fixated on only people who have worked at Michigan.  But we shouldn't be.  Who knows who is out there willing to coach at Michigan (and who has actually accomplished something as a head coach at this level)? 

Hockey isn't the sport where we want to be obsessed over the "Michigan Man" thing.  That's the sort of thinking that led MSU to hireTom Anastos (and what led Michigan to hire Wilf Martin in 1980).

 

ThadMattasagoblin

January 29th, 2016 at 5:41 PM ^

They went on a stretch of 4 years before this where they didn't make the tournament and still make tons of mistakes but cover it up with Motte, Connor, and Compher. I'd be wary of promoting someone on staff. Just get somebody who is proven he can coach whether it be Mel Pearson or the Quinnipiac coach.

Doc Brown

January 29th, 2016 at 8:46 PM ^

Considering Brian has completely turned around our power play the past three seasons, yes I do. Brian's work with the forwards and power play is just as strong as Mel's past work with the defense during his tenure. It isn't Brian's fault the defensemen are shitting the bed.




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Wolverine Devotee

January 29th, 2016 at 5:55 PM ^

People keep saying this but they aren't actually providing any names. 

Rick Bennett at Union is the only other guy I can think of that I'd be comfortable with.

We cannot hire someone who had mild success in an inferior league and not have it work out like the football program did with RR and Hoke. 

Mel Pearson is the only exception to the rule because he turned a sub-five win team into what was at point last year the #1 team in the nation. In Houghton. 

Let's not forget the slide here began immediately after he left. Like a snap of the fingers. 

 

Alton

January 29th, 2016 at 6:04 PM ^

If you conduct a one-candidate search, you are setting the team up for disappointment and failure.

If you reject every coach with "mild success in inferior leagues" except Mel Pearson, you need to give me a better reason than the fact that MTU was rated #1 for a couple of weeks in November 2014.

Yes, Mel Pearson should be a finalist for the job.  But to say right now that he will absolutely be the best candidate is ridiculous.  Michigan needs a national search.  The sort of search that brought Erik Bakich to the baseball team.

Alton

January 29th, 2016 at 6:16 PM ^

Making them a .600 team for 2 years isn't quite a "miracle."  Call me when they are playing in April and I will give you the "miracle" designation.

Listen, hiring Mel Pearson would probably work out well for us.  I certainly wouldn't be disappointed.  But he may or may not want to coach here, and if he doesn't want to coach here, I'm willing to bet that it could work out just fine.  The "Mel or bust" thinking is going to be a problem, because there are other great coaches out there who have done just as much as he has and in some cases much more.

 

kurpit

January 29th, 2016 at 6:19 PM ^

Rick Bennett is a real good candidate. His roots are out east but he has done a crazy good job at Union in a very short time. I could definitely get behind hiring him.

 

Bennett also has that quality hockey coach scowl.

kurpit

January 29th, 2016 at 7:00 PM ^

Mike Hastings of Minnesota State? Jeff Brown of the Indiana Ice? Mark Carlson of the Cedar Rapids Roughriders? These aren't my favorites but I'm trying to look around and see what could be. I like Bennett and Pearson the most.

SBo

January 29th, 2016 at 5:32 PM ^

Well, I want some really nice things. Maybe a really big team. Sprinkle in some some really big rings. Coming with no strings, of course