Some new OC ideas - Please post yours

Submitted by Ron Utah on

The rumor mill is in full swing, and it appears as few as one offensive coach could be returning.  My guess is that the returning coach is Jay Harbaugh.  It now appears that Al Washington has been hired.

umbig11 has noted that JH is looking for offensive minds the same way he found Don Brown--looking for the best offenses in the country to poach top-flight coaches.  In that spirit, I stopped listening to rumors and started researching the top offensive minds that might be compatible with Michigan.

After a quick scan of the top P5 offenses, here are three names I believe would be great choices for our new OC.  In order to keep this conversation somewhat realistic, there are some key criteria: 1) Cannot be current OC at blueblood program.  2) Cannot be coaching at their alma mater as an OC/HC.  3) Cannot be an OC of a "spread-to-run" offense where the QB is a featured runner.

  • Mike Yurcich, Oklahoma State OC/QB - Yurcich is one of the top offensive minds in the country.  He is an Ohio native, went to school in PA, and coaching in IN and PA before moving to OK State.  While his spread system would be a drastic departure from UM's current philosophy, it does not focus on a running QB.  I do believe we have the personnel to run this system.
  • Mike Norvell, Memphis HC - Norvell's offense at Memphis was #4 in total offense, #2 in scoring offense, and #4 in S&P+.  The former ASU OC runs a pro/spread hybrid.  His OC, Darrell Dickey, was just hired as TAMU's OC by Jimbo Fisher.  The run game coordinator/OL coach, Ryan Silverfield, would be another intriguing hire.
  • Phil Longo, Ole Miss OC/QB - What if Shea Patterson could run the same offense at Michigan?  Ole Miss boasted the #9 S&P+ offense in 2017, Longo's first year as OC.  Longo grew up in NJ and has coached in MN, OH, PA, and IL.  More recently, he rewrote the record books at FCS Sam Houston State, amassing over 6,500 yards in 2016--over 4,500 passing and 2,000 rushing.

Of these three, my top choice would be Norvell, as I believe he is the most compatible with our current style and personnel.  But any of them would be quantum leap forward.

MGoBoard
Football

LSAClassOf2000

January 4th, 2018 at 3:01 PM ^

To be fair, after the fall of Atlanta, Hood took most of the remaining Confederate Army to Tennessee in a vain effort to distract Sherman, which left Hardee with maybe twenty guys and a sack of salt pork. It's not like it was a fair fight from go when we talk numbers. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130636

GoBlueMAGNUS

January 4th, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^

Oklahoma state was the first one that came to mind. Can’t go wrong with Big12 teams if you want good examples of offenses that would translate well to Michigan

Joined: 08/17/2009

MGoPoints: 2242

s1105615

January 4th, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^

No more plays that result in sacks/broken back or necks/concussions to the qb

No more running plays hat get stuffed behind the line

No more plays that result in INTs or lost fumbles, and especially not a touchdown for the other team

More plays that result in touchdowns for UM

Joined: 03/01/2014

MGoPoints: 8603

GoBlueCincy

January 4th, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^

An active head coach isnt going to leave a D1 program to be an OC, just isnt going to happen. Last Memphis coach moved on to a P5 school, moving here as an OC would be a step backward.

Joined: 05/21/2015

MGoPoints: 344

Arb lover

January 4th, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^

Just take the Amazon contract for instance, if they decide to renew for the 2018 season (to make the storyline of comeback from 8-5 to (whatever)), they will make at least $2.5m off of that with minimal work by the program itself. That's just an example. There are lots of ways Michigan could come up with that sort of cash for a sorely needed top name OC.

As far as a demotion, is it really a demotion if he goes to a blue chip program and is getting paid more? However I doubt he'd stay long.

Joined: 11/26/2017

MGoPoints: 6915

Mr Miggle

January 4th, 2018 at 6:07 PM ^

if they want him that badly. But let's be realistic. We're not going to pay an OC $3 million a year. Nor is anybody else. 

Norvell was already a finalist for the Arkansas job. Quitting Memphis a month after signing a 5 year deal is not going to make him more attractive for the next big HC job opening. Nor is proving he's a good OC. It would be a really stupid career move.

If we're just throwing crazy money around, we could make a lot of good hires. But a policy of outbidding everyone isn't sustainable.

Joined: 10/07/2010

MGoPoints: 47648

Ghost of Fritz…

January 4th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^

And many of those plays would work today, in part becasue no one is doing them and no DC has seen them or knows how to defend them.

Offensive styles usually evolve incrementally in reaction to defenses figuring out how to best defend whatever is the current thing.

But OCs could probably make more than incremental changes by studying film from many decades ago, getting ideas, and then adapting them to modern concepts.

Caveat:  Mad Magician stuff would not be easy to install as a package.  Sort of like what the academies or GT do--not so easy to add as a small segment of the playbook.  Takes a lot of practice time to get down right, and the skills mastered may not transfer well to other parts of the play book. 

 

Joined: 10/04/2014

MGoPoints: 23880

DavidGoesBlue

January 4th, 2018 at 2:35 PM ^

Matt Canada, OC from LSU - Dude’s got an offense that can keep the defense off balance with lots of motion and jet sweep action. Was successful at Pitt and worked pretty well with LSU, but I guess there was a rift between him and Orgeron or something.

Joined: 02/03/2016

MGoPoints: 807

blueinbeantown

January 4th, 2018 at 2:50 PM ^

Was in Pittsburgh last year when it was announced that Canada was leaving for LSU and they were going crazy.  Working for Big Ed has to be a challenge, great as a temporary placeholder but awful long term.

Remember when he hired Don Brown.  "I consulted with 3 people, Jack Harbaugh, John Harbaugh and Bill Belichick!"  Think BB might be looking for new coordinators himself this time around.  

How about the following:  Tom Brady wins #6, announces his retirement and joins the staff as OC / QB coach.  Andrew Luck.  Finds out he has a weaker arm than Chad Pennington, retires and joins the staff. Who knows the offense better than Luck.  Someone needed to throw this BS out there!!!!!!  Perfect thing on a day home in the midst of a blizzard. 

Joined: 12/16/2014

MGoPoints: 3856

BTB grad

January 4th, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^

While I think that Harbaugh would be open to some change and tinkering of the offense, I wouldn't expect any drastic change to Big 12 spread/air-raid offenses, even if they don't center on a running QB. He's a pro style guy, always has been, and will continue to be. I think seeing more pistol like his 49ers days or power spread concepts like Alabama/Penn St is a more reasonable expectation, which I would love to see.

Joined: 12/01/2015

MGoPoints: 23516

814 East U

January 4th, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^

I just want position coaches that are also good recruiters. I am curious about the rumors regarding Keith Williams fo WR coach. He was the WR coach at Nebraska who had Twitter "beef" with OSU's WR coach (Zach Smith) and also started the "Calibraska" recruiting thing.

He has had 1 or more DUIs I believe which are red flags, but to be honest I think a majority of people would forgive those if he stayed clean here (and recruited like he did at Nebraska). I mean Jim has had his own drinking issues (both personal and other employees he hired to UofM).

Keith started follow a few of the Michigan coaches (and maybe players?) recently on Twitter. I am sure WD can give a full breakdown.

Joined: 10/24/2012

MGoPoints: 20279

LeCheezus

January 4th, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^

Probably related to the fact that many, many people have driven when they were over the limit and didn't get pulled over.  I suppose the law of averages would indicate most people who have been pulled over and gotten a DUI were probably not driving over the limit for the first time.  I guess people sympathize on some level?

I've been quite careful about not getting behind the wheel when drinking for the last 10 years or so, but i'm probably not alone in saying in my younger days I made some poor decisions.  Fortunately, nobody was ever hurt as a result of my actions and fortunately for me I was never pulled over.

Joined: 06/11/2017

MGoPoints: 9855

corundum

January 4th, 2018 at 2:44 PM ^

Norvell will get a P5 HC job in the near future, so he's not taking an OC position anywhere. Ok State's offense is never good enough to win big games. They get caved annually by Oklahoma and inexplicably lose 2 games every year they shouldn't, no matter how hyped they are. Longo just runs whatever remains of Hugh Freeze's offense and has a unproven track record. He would be an uninspiring hire and would not mesh well with Harbaugh's ideal offense or our current personnel.

Joined: 05/10/2012

MGoPoints: 47323