CC: Is there really a downside to firing right now?
Say we fire Hoke tomorrow (I know, I know....) .... blah blah
Appoint Nuss (I know, I know.....) as the head interim coach.
What do we have to lose at this point? What if it turns out that Nuss really is being hampered by Hoke? What if he turns out to be a great HC? We clean house and get a free shot at not even having to fully commit to a new HC.
Does this really have a downside? What's the worst case, that we lose as many games as we already are going to lose anyways?
He was an OC that has national championships (not big ten championships) under his belt.
Why not?
September 30th, 2014 at 5:40 PM ^
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September 30th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
why not mattison? (obvisouly if he doesnt leave)
September 30th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
Yea I think if Hoke was fired Mattison would say to the hell with ya and leave with him.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
I wasn't crazy about him coming back after leaving us for a rival in ND. So if he wanted to leave, then don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:12 PM ^
IIRC, ND was offering for his kids to go to school for free while Michigan was not.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^
Exactly. The same thing happens with a lot of UM professors with kids in high school, they either try to get into administration or start looking for other jobs because UM provides no tuition remission for their kids.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:17 PM ^
I want Hoke gone but this is ridiculous, to suddenly bring up in the middle of this shit storm, "Well, gee, I don't really like Mattison either." Yes, he would leave if Hoke was fired. People saying "Just appoint Mattison as interim coach" are not thinking things through. But it doesn't change the fact that he has been a great coach while he's been here.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:59 PM ^
Mattison will absolutely leave when Hoke leaves, but I don't think Mattison would ever walk out on the team early unless he was thrown out. I think he loves the players too much to do that.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
That's extremely unprofessional and a disservice to his players. He may not want to be the interim coach out of respect for Hoke, but I can't imagine Hoke would want his assistants to walk away.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:08 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
Nuss is the more viable HC candidate. Now, he might not be after this job, but at least you will see what you've got there. Nothing to lose, and if it turns out he's a good coach, hampered so far by Hoke, you'll see that and can treat him like a real candidate.
Mattison is about to turn 65 and I can't see him taking over here after Hoke gets canned. Even if he would want the gig, which I highly doubt, he's a bit old for it probably.
Downside is it costs more money to fire Hoke now. The money is a bigger issue than people are giving it credit for, especially when it comes to Brandon. We're asking the University to pony up an awful lot if they can't work out a settlement. It's not a given that they are up for it, nor that they should be.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:20 PM ^
has tanked. He took an offense that was bad, but scored points, into an offense that is horrible and doesn't score points. Are you sure that's the guy you want in charge of the entire team?
September 30th, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^
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September 30th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
I remember RR saying he didn't forget how to coach when he came to Michigan. In hindsight I don't think Borges did either and I'm think that Nuss may actually have an idea about this whole football thing.
What is the common thread among the last two? Here's a hint: It's the guy that watches game film with the Athletic Director.
The present situation also makes me wonder just how bad RR was hamstrung by the AD.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:58 AM ^
Ya think? RR succeeded everywhere but here. And he's succeeding now.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^
hurt recruiting a little and the thought of a season fully imploding after firing a coach, but I think we've pretty much reached imploding level.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 4:01 AM ^
I see Mattison filling in exactly as Orgeron did. I think the team would instantly respond positively and I think Mattison would make a better head coach than Brady, at least for the rest of the year.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
It seems to me that firing Hoke will fracture the Michigan family again. But firing Brandon now will not. We should start there.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:53 PM ^
Keeping Brandon will undermine any possible good gained by firing Hoke, as Brandon is finally deservedly being targeted by a very fed-up bunch of students, alumni, fans, and even faculty and staff. If DB is allowed to remain, this mess will continue to fester and worsen.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:43 PM ^
No coach is going to want to come here and work for an AD that just hung his current coach out to dry for 52 hours. Then proceeded to contradict everthing he said in his press conference a few hours prior.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^
and let his successor hire the new coach.
In my opinion, Hoke is over his head and for whatever reason, can seem to turn this team around, but I don't believe he would knowingly put a player's health in jeopardy.
Brandon has tried to commercialize the department and ducked responsibility whenever challenged. He is poisoning the system and needs to go first.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
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September 30th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
Nuss could be his own OC.
Hoke literally does nothing on this staff so all the position coaches and all the coordinators would be covered.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
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September 30th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
1) Sure, yes I would love a Harbaugh... Really, I want Jim. We have to look at here and now, and a potential of not even having to go on this big expedition, though... why not take the free audible while we have the chace?
2) Mattison... I think he just belongs coaching the defense. I think nuss has more intensity, and Mattison, even if he got the job, is already pretty old.... If nuss worked out, he could be long term, if not, oh well --- at least we tried. I think it could change the whole locker room dynamic, get a little morale back, and you know everyone is going to show up for the first game with a new HC at the big house, and with the word "interim" in front of "head coach," they won't get quite as pissed off if they happen to not win.
I think they'll win more, because Devin came onto the field vs Minnesota and just ran down the field in a "fuck you, i'm going to score a touchdown because I can, and I'm sick of your shit" sort of manner. He still has it in him, somewhere inside that shattered ribcage.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:15 PM ^
...from Gardner. Soley based on Gardner's demeanor during that drive, I'm not totally dreading Saturday night. I'll obviously have to watch the game on mute while consuming an irresponsible amount of alcohol, but still.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:51 PM ^
Brandon won't lose any influence. I agree with the person above who wrote that we should fire brandon first. . .
September 30th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
The season is shot and it's obviously going to happen. Hoke looked shell-shocked in the second half. There is no downside at this point. Hoke is going to have to be scapegoated for Brandon's shitstorm.
If it was my choice, Brandon would be told to fire Hoke and then Brandon would be fired on the same stage, as soon as he got up to indicate that his speech was finished. It's a bit WWE, but tjhe WWE has more credibility than the University of Michigan does right now.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
If Nuss turns out to be good as a HC, do you really think players will decommit from michigan when they're coming to play for a HC that was Bama's OC?
September 30th, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
I should have added, yes, I want Brandon gone more than anything, but I see a mid-season coaching switch up as a great opportunity to try a new coach without having to commit to risking 10 more seasons of failure on a bad choice.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
No downside at all. I kind of figured Nuss was hired as a potential interim HC in case S hit the fan this year. I just didn't know how much S there would be.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
I thought the same thing when he was hired. If the team didn't do well this year, Hoke would be ushered out, Nuss would get appointed HC and would make changes on the staff accordingly. With how things have gone though concerning how Shane's injury was handled and the shitshow that has been the offense, I would think it would be smarter to just clean house. Who knows though at this point..
September 30th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
Not defending Nuss but his level of blame for the Morris situation pales in comparison to Hoke. Nuss has to make a play call based on down and distance, personel, defensive personel, etc. Hoke literally does nothing but clap hands and slap butts on the sideline. I think Hoke should be fired simply because this exposes the fact that he does absolutely nothing on that sideline. He is a glorified cheerleader.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:07 AM ^
He's not even that. I've read -- so I don't how true it is -- that the offense and defense players don't really interact a lot, that there's not a whole lot of team chemistry. That would make sense when the head coach is so hands off and just lets the coordinators do their thing.
I think firing Hoke and appointing Mattison would do wonders for team chemistry. Mattison seems much more like a leader the players can rally around.
September 30th, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^
fire brandon and brady, Nuss interim HC and see what he does. honestly if he was still at bama and this shit storm still happend without him, he would be on the shortlist for headcoach anyway.
I think the offence is not all him, I think he is being handcuffed to a gameplan. we saw the same things with borges. commitment to the run game when it was obvious it wasn''t going to work. and when it didn't work and we opened things up atleast things worked somewhat (I view this as hoke telling borges/nuss to do what they want )
September 30th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
The downside is for Dave Brandon. You have to think like he does. Right now the hysteria is focused on 2 directions. If he cuts Hoke all the focus goes to him. So I'd be shocked if Hoke is fired because that means 7 weeks of "Fire Brandon" with no offset. You always keep one man lower on the totem pole to take the arrows - that corporate ladder climbing 101.
As for me? No downside. We can see from the organization and communication in the program Hoke is lax. He is a CEO coach without any CEO abilities. Other than making decision to go for 2 pts and on 4th down I dont see anything Hoke does on game day. He is a lame duck recruiting - he can't say anything about "coming to play for me".
I'd rather promote Heck from WR coach and see how he does - he was associate coach at SDSU for 2 years with Hoke which is sort of a Cheney to Bush role based on how much Hoke seems to be lost.
Nuss doesnt deserve a promotion at all. He needs to focus on scoring a TD more than once every 3 games vs real teams. Mattison would stay on out of loyalty to the school and then exit stage right after the season. Let those 2 stay in their roles - both have a lot of issues to work on. Heck has less on his plate.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:13 PM ^
Conversely, firing Hoke could save Brandon's job. Part (not all, to be sure) of the anger directed at him is that he stands by Hoke.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
Recruiting. I know this is the wort case scenario in the middle of the recruiting year(2015).
Do we stop chasing the big time names like KLS?
Or go for a new strategy and start looking for kids that aren't superstar recruits?
This thought came to me when I thought about Depth, I don't want to have to go through that again. A new coach is enough, but if we can at least salvage a recruiting class with a "few" MAC level players just so we don't have to start walk ons later down the road. Is this a bad idea??
Hopefully someone understands what I am thinking here. As I probably didn't explain fully.
September 30th, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
Obviously not an ideal situation from a recruiting stand point, but is recruiting going to be worse under an interim head coach than it would under an obvious lame duck? The fact that this is expected to be a smaller recruiting class ought to help mitigate some of the smoldering crater holes that impact depth. To me, the real depth issue is not about recruiting, but about potential transfers.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:11 AM ^
Under Hoke, we've been beat or almost beat by MAC level teams. So I'm not sure worrying too much about recruiting is warranted at this point. What good is talent if you don't know how to develop it? What we desperately need is competent coach.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
I think firing both now seems to make a lot of sense (definitely Brandon, but Hoke too). Yes, short game week for the interim to piece something together for Rutgers, but it's also a first game at Rutgers -- a pretty good dry run out of the spotlight before coming home to PSU UTLIII and then at MSU. If I were named the interim (and I officially accept if offered), I would prefer the practice game at Rutgers (win or lose) to starting at home in prime time.
September 30th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
I'd say Mattison. I'm totally just thinking about the Ravens connection with Harbaugh
September 30th, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
Nuss's conference from yesterday, I didn't even see it posted here (may have gotten lost in monkey rodeo)
Is he the only coach that works for this team that elaborates on situations? Is he the only one taking blame for coaching SUCKING?
Anyone want to analyze this video?
btw: did it look like he was biting his tongue and pissed off when asked about why shane wasn't swapped out earlier?
September 30th, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
At 7:50 in nuss's video... did he take a swing at Hoke?
September 30th, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
I really dont care what happens as long as i know HOKE is gone,Nuss would be interesting to see him run the show on his own, im sure some of Saban rubbed off on him.... BUT my number one guy still is JIM Harbaugh i just love his attitude and NO BS coaching style....you gotta admit either one would be a big change from the "hippie" mentality that hoke has....