Some new OC ideas - Please post yours
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.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:23 PM ^
as long as we continue to throw 4-yard passes on third and 9. Those work great.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:26 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:24 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:26 PM ^
Why not look into their top offences and pick a HC or OC from one of those schools.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:34 PM ^
hoooooo-weeeeee, KC Keeler at Sam Houston State would be a cool find
He's only makes 250K at the moment, we could offer much more, he developed Joe Flacco at Delaware, and then turned Sam Houston State into an offensive juggernaut
January 4th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
What about Ken Wisenhunt?
The Chargers aren't about to take leaps and bounds forward with Rivers nearing the end of his career, and he has a proven track record of invigorating offenses and is an innovator -- just a thought from the NFL side of possible hires!
January 4th, 2018 at 4:09 PM ^
I prefer not to get anymore NFL guys who have very little college coaching experience. Lorenz said that the NFL guys who have left to go back to the NFL have been some of the weaker recuiters on the staff.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:45 PM ^
Contradicts what everyone else says about Wheatley. It sounds like Hamilton will be joining them. It makes sense that guys who go back to the NFL may not like recruiting, but obviously you don't hire the guys you expect to return to the NFL. I'd say Zordich is working out pretty well. Fisch and Jay proved to be good recruiters. Drevno and Baxter were mostly college guys who are not ace recruitiers. I'd prefer to judge the potential hires on a case by case basis.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
A few ideas:
- Troy Walters at UCF: I'm not sure what his status is...will he join Frost in Nebraska or take over the healm at UCF? Either way, he's a great football mind, has an awesome background, brings some much needed diversity to the offensive staff, and helped lead a top-10 scoring offense in the country this past year
- Walt Bell at Maryland: Injuries aside, Maryland's offense has looked pretty good under Bell who is widely credited as being one of the best young offensive minds in the game. He's also considered a great recruiter.
- Brian Wright at Toledo: He helped turn Kareem Hunt into an NFL allstar. In his two years, Toledo has posted some impressive numbers on offense, including a #14 finish in total offense in 2017...
Those are just a few. Curious about thoughts to them...
January 4th, 2018 at 3:35 PM ^
Walters has already accepted at Nebraska and won a major award as the top coordinator this year. He's likely to stick with Frost for another year or two and then head toward head coaching himself I would imagine
January 4th, 2018 at 3:40 PM ^
Walters is at Nebraska, Bell runs a QB option offense.
Wright is intriguing. Thank you for that idea.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:51 PM ^
How many pts Toledo score in their bowl game?
Fewer than 19 I believe...
January 4th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
Chad O'Shea
WR coach with the patriots... He's been there for nine years and has done some pretty amazing things with their WRs...
you'd think that some of Brady, MacDaniels and Bellichick's influence have rubbed off on him
coached 7 years in college at Houston and southern miss... was recruiting coodinator at both Houston and southern miss as well as ST coordinator as southern miss.
looks to be in his early 40s
January 4th, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:39 PM ^
What's Jedd going to do? Bring him back.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:39 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:43 PM ^
He's available and I think his show cause is up:
January 4th, 2018 at 4:07 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:45 PM ^
A coach that can get 5yds on EVERY play. You'll never have a 3rd down to worry about.
January 4th, 2018 at 3:50 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^
Might take a look at Major Applewhite, current first year HC of Houston. He's had his ups and downs with coaching. Was hired by Saban to be his OC at Alabama, was also fired by Saban. Anyway, he's still well thought of in Texas, he might be worth a look.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:43 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:02 PM ^
why not bring back another Michigan QB (and BC coach)?
January 4th, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:39 PM ^
His offenses historically have been very, very bad. (Auburn in 2012; Virginia Tech in 2013-2015; Boston College in 2016-2017.)
January 4th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
Jim Harbaugh
January 4th, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^
Darrell Dickey admitted that Mike Norvell called the plays for Memphis in 2017
January 4th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
I wouldn't mind Mike Riley coming in. As much as he's failed as a head man, he's put some decent offenses together and he might do well when not having to focus on other sides of the ball. I want to sy that I prefer the other names mentioned like Canada, but you could do worse than Riley.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
For some reason, Canada is still at LSU. Could be the money they just committed to keeping Aranda will limit their options for replacing him.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:26 PM ^
Our OC (Harbaugh) is going nowhere.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
considering Jedd Fisch is a bad idea. Aside from this year, with UCLA, he's only had one real OC stint, with a talent-poor Jacksonville team. He's coached under some good offensive minds (Shanahan, Spurrier) and cut his teeth under some good defensive guys (Capers). It seems that recruits have been able to relate to him.
But, if you're looking for the Don Brown of offense, I think I found the guy:
Courtney Messingham. Here's his NDSU bio:
http://gobison.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1133&path=football
Admitedly, it would be hard to hire him away from a longtime friend at NDSU, but a significant raise at UM would go a long way toward making it work.
January 4th, 2018 at 11:18 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:40 PM ^
I really don't care. Someone who can run an offense effectively and maximize the talent of the guys he has on his roster. That's all I really care about.
I don't care if it's Bill Belichek or some no-name guy from the NAIA. If they can coach an offense and put players in position to succeed, that is the only important thing to me.
January 4th, 2018 at 4:47 PM ^
Tom Brady?
January 4th, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:53 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 4:53 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 5:59 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:09 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
I like the idea, but I think you may have the wrong numbers for Enos:
2014: 88th (at CMU)
2015: 4th (at Arkansas, with Pittman)
2016: 39th (at Arkansas, after Pittman left for Georgia)
2017: 43rd (at Arkansas)
January 4th, 2018 at 6:00 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
January 4th, 2018 at 6:09 PM ^
He is a Michigan Man!
January 4th, 2018 at 6:18 PM ^
I’m not looking for lights-out offense here. We can go the way with the defenses we’ve had. Just need some competent offense to eat up clock and not turn the ball over.
January 4th, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^