If not Harbaugh who is Plan B?
Not five seconds after the game ended my 63 year old brother was on the phone demanding that Rich be fired and Harbaugh be made the Head Coach. He said he was "embarrassed" yet again and as a Michigan alumni he didn't much like being embarrassed. He proceeded to list every play that went wrong and decided that they were all a function of poor coaching. When I tried to reason with him on the age of the team we were fielding he gave me the "but we're Michigan" rationale that age was no excuse. I listen to him for a while and then asked him "who do you want as coach if Harbaugh says no thanks". He had no answer.
I want to be VERY clear that I am still firmly in the keep RichRod camp. If I was Brandon I would tell Rich that Gerg and all the D assistants have to go and that we're going to throw as much money as we can at the best DC we can find and let him pick his team.
Now that I established where I fall on the coaching issue I have an open question to the anti-Rich faction of the board (and my brother). If Harbaugh says no - who's your plan B? Les Miles? Cam Cameron? Chris Peterson? Gary Patterson? Who? I think we need to look no further than South Bend to see what happens when you start making coaching changes without a solid replacement lined up.
There seems to be this presumption that Harbaugh would leap at the chance to come back home but what if he says no. Then what?
November 27th, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^
RR, but if I had to choose, I'd go with this list.
1. Anyone but Les Miles, who's bullshit ethics deserve to stay in the SEC.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:28 PM ^
Agreed
November 27th, 2010 at 8:30 PM ^
I don't think Les would leave LSU at this point anyway even if we wanted him. I'm not sure my heart/stomach could handle having Les as coach, but I still love watching the guy.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:34 PM ^
but we have field turf so he couldn't eat the grass here
November 28th, 2010 at 4:57 PM ^
His own fanbase hates his guts, and that's during a year they're top ten BCS.
November 29th, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^
I just came back from Baton Rouge and the folks there basically think that he's stuck there just because of that.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^
When you throw a ridiculous contract at a guy to keep him from jumping ship to Michigan.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
If we want to keep the spread O, I would say Dan Mullen.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
Dan Mullen's at Mississippi State right? And it's Mississippi State that suddenly decided once Cam Newton got good report he was asking for money right? No thanks.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
They reported early on. Even the SEC confirmed it.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:45 PM ^
WGAF when / how / why it came out? Cheaters shouldn't be rewarded, ever. I want Auburn to LOSE and I want Newton blown out of the Heisman race. Play by the rules or don't whine when you get busted.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^
If change were to happen, he'd be my number one choice, bar none. He's a star with great recruiting ties, great offensive pedigree, and has turned Miss St around with a mean defense.
I'd make one of these show up on his door:
November 27th, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^
MSU always had a solid D under Sylvester Crooms. They just lacked an offense. That's what made Mullens a good fit.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:12 PM ^
Couldn't agree with you more on Dan Mullen. Living in Florida, I hear Gator fans whine daily that they want Mullen back. If not Mullen, then Chris Peterson.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:13 PM ^
If we got a new HC, we obviously would have some rebuilding to do. But if it were Harbaugh, wouldn't we be changing back to "Michigan football" that everyone seems to be clamoring for?
And if so, I have a tougher question. Does it take more time to rebuild a program with a new system AND head coach, like we would have with Harbaugh, or is it the same amount of time rebuilding as just a new HC in the same system?
I don't want to rebuild for another 3 years, and have this same damn discussion in 2013.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:30 PM ^
and then leaves for the league that had Millen for a GM. We spend 3 years trying to rebuild, fire the coach and begin again. Some of us have died before Michigan regains national respect, let alone prominence.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:39 PM ^
I mean, Harbaugh is a sharp guy and going from the spread back to pro is a little bit less difficult than the other way (RRod had to recruit slot receivers and condition his o-line to be more nimble and athletic, reinstalling a variation of a pro-set could for the most part use the existing pieces with modified schemes). I wouldn't seem right somehow if we keep our scheme to try and replace the god of the spread and shred with one of the guys he taught it too. I don't know what its like inside the program, but unless DB sees something else that indicates this team won't improve with another year of growth, I'd really still prefer to keep RRod. I guess the one upside of Harbaugh is that he would immediately electrify a lot of our alumni base (AA native, Michigan golden boy coming home after BCS success at an absurd academic school) and to use DB's words, this would like provide a "new source of revenue."
November 27th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^
Harbaugh ran a spread when he coached San Diego. I wouldn't assume he'd go straight to pro-style here. Maybe, like his mentor, he's able to adapt his offenses to the talents of the players he has.
November 28th, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^
Rodriguez ran a passing spread at Tulane, I think he'll adjust to the players he's got to work with...
December 2nd, 2010 at 7:26 PM ^
What about hiring Shuler and keeping Calvin McGee at OC? Then we can go for the trifecta and bring in Randy Shannon as DC. Damn, that'd be ridiculous. I know McGee is a Rich Rod guy but might he stay behind? Why not?
Dan Mullen has to be interviewed if we fire Rich Rod. Even if we do end up hiring JH need to at least look at Mullen first.
Not interested in having an OC takeover as HC, especially one that has Cam Newton at QB and has no problem with it.
If I was looking at NFL guys (which I don't favor just an if) I think we'd have to look at Leslie Frazier and Ron Rivera.
One more DC name to throw out would be Rob Ryan.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
The return question is, if Rich stays and stinks it up next year, and Harbaugh (ugh) is coaching the 49ers, what's our back-up plan then?
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<br>Frankly, everything has risks, and no one will know what is right or wrong till it succeeds or fails.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
there are some new "can't miss" up and coming coaches. give RR one more year.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:44 PM ^
Is that really an argument in his favor? Three years ago, he was one of those "can't miss" guys. Now he has the lowest winning percentage in school history.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:56 PM ^
it's a response to the "we have to get harbargh now, because he's the only answer and may be gone next year" crowd.
imo, RR is the answer for next year because of the reasons stated ad nauseum. we return everybody!!! the team will be better next year. freshmen become better sophs. sophs become better juniors, and they are the core of the team right now. it's only natural to believe that this team will win at least 2 more games next year.
if not, than RR has had his 4 years, which i think any coach deserves.
ie. i was not a amaker supporter at all. i thought we deserved a more experienced and established coach. (i advocated stallings even before the ellerbe hire, but oh well). but i said he deserves 4 years to get his players into his system. 7 years was too much though.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:28 PM ^
if I'm Brandon, I see quietly whether Harbaugh will take the job. If not, I announce not only that Rodriguez is back, but is getting an extension. The last thing this program needs is a repetition of December 2007 -- or anothe season of what does Rodriguez need to do to keep the job.
BTW, with all the atmospherics around the program, it wouldn't shock me if Rodriguez is the one to pull the plug and resign.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:44 PM ^
That would be exactly what I'd do with what I know of the program. I don't think speculation would end even with an extension though, we have a rich enough program we could buy out any program in therory.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:43 PM ^
I can't see too far into the future, but Brady Hoke at that point. He's likely going to picked up a BCS school this year (Minn or Colorado are tossed around a lot). So in a year he might have a resume of:
8 Years on Carr's Defensive Staff
Good run in the MAC, Good run with SDSU
One year a BCS School (or two if we give RR 5 years)
Assuming he does well with a smaller BCS Program I'd be all about Hoke.
Or Les Miles. I know he's not popular, but the man is 57. So if we fire RR, we grab Miles. Miles stays 4-6 years, ideally wins a Rose Bowl and retires. By then Hoke would have even more of a resume to consider and we could make a call if we want to go after him. I don't see Les Miles as a long term fix, I feel more like Miles would love to come here as kind of a capstone on his career and it would give us time for Hoke or another target to compile a larger resume.
Hoke was associate head coach in 2002 when he left. I like to imagine a world where in 2002 we pay him a lot more than Ball State offers. In '06, Hoke is promoted to DC instead of English and then when Carr retires instant continuity. So my love of Hoke might be unrealistic in some ways.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:05 PM ^
Even if it is wishful thinking. I just don't see Hoke getting hired after a huge losing season in Year 1 of whatever job he takes.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:10 PM ^
Yeah I only see Hoke ending up here if we hire Miles or our next HC is a bust. In say 6 years Hoke will either be at a major school or a bust basically. If he keeps winning a Michigan, Florida or someone will go for him. So the only way we're on the market in 5-6 years is due to Les retiring or a HC firing.
If RR stinkns the joint up next year he's gone and Hoke's resume would still be kind of weak likely.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:42 PM ^
You cannot be serious. Jeebus.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
George O'Leary?
I hear he was a Rhodes Scholar, got the Congressional Medal of Honor, and was the first man on Mars.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:25 PM ^
invented the condom...what a prick
November 28th, 2010 at 6:02 PM ^
The R&D that went into its development?
November 27th, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^
Brady Hoke?
November 27th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^
I don't necessarily want Hoke but he does have SDSU almost in the top 25.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^
I think Chris Petersen is a good coaching candidate. He has built a solid team on both sides of the ball, despite their recent loss.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
Really? If you thought the Big East was a joke....heh the WAC?
November 27th, 2010 at 7:40 PM ^
His teams are very disciplined and play sound football across the board. It's foolish to only hire coaches from BCS conferences. Look where OSU plucked Tressel from...
November 27th, 2010 at 8:14 PM ^
Florida did okay when they hired Urban Meyer.
November 28th, 2010 at 3:22 AM ^
Florida 7-5, 4-4 SEC
I'm mostly pissed at other people, but bringing up a coach that has the same record as RR and has as many recruiting advantages as 5-7 Texas is assinine. They got their Tebow MNC and we could get a Denard BTC if people would just be patient.
November 28th, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^
...you earn the right to have an off season after the period of success that Meyer's had at Florida. If Rich's first two seasons were near that caliber, people wouldn't be complaining to this extent (they'd be complaining, but not to this extent).
November 27th, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^
that has seen Boise that they are a wonderfully coached team. I have criticized their previous claim to being in the MNC, but there is no question at all that Peterson can coach.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
Colorado thought BSU coaches were "can't miss" as well....
November 27th, 2010 at 9:05 PM ^
I dont like Peterson because of the way the players handle themselves on the field. Little things like not handing the ball to the official and his players constantly talking trash are two things that Michigan does that I think makes it a better program.
I know they do not correlate to wins and loses but still important.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
I'm thinking Gus Malzahn given his success with the spread. Or if we're looking for a defensive mind, Gary Patterson.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
Plan A being bring in an innovative coach to bring in a dynamic spread offense and give him time to fill the team with his players. Support him and keep the Freep off campus.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
Kind of like Rich Rodriguez? How about we just keep the Freep off campus starting next year?
November 27th, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
I know there are a lot of Les Miles haters on this board but I'm that desperate. Despite all the stupid things he has done, he still WINS games. He can cheat as long as he doesn't get caught just like everyone else. If they can't get Harbaugh or Les, then stick with Rich and see how things turn out.