Defensive Position Coach Candidates
With the Mattison and Washington departures, we now have vacancies at LB coach and DL coach. Who are the top candidates to replace them? Any "likely" candidates you expect JH to interview for the vacancies? What about pipe dreams that just might have a chance?
Would you prefer someone with more experience (maybe an NFL position coach) or an up-and-comer with a tireless work ethic who maybe is less well known?
Would you prefer candidates with a strong regional scouting impact (what region....And be realistic if you're gonna say FL, GA, TX, CA - how much does that apply when recruiting to MI?) or someone who is not known as a recruiter but is a great X's and O's coach?
I have no insider info and no clue who they will bring in, but want to have a thread looking forward at potential fits instead of backwards/negative. Personally, I would LOVE them to get Charles Woodson on staff regardless of the role, and groom him to become a DC in the future. No clue if he has any interest, but even without any coaching experience I think he could be an instant difference maker as a LB coach and elite recruiter. (yeah, I know, he was not a LB, but that's the spot that's open. Maybe Partridge goes back there and Woodson would take Safeties?)
January 8th, 2019 at 2:08 PM ^
A few candidates I think would qualify as enhancements or quality replacements. The vacancy leaves opportunity to go after young, high energy recruiters in regional pipeline states of interest.
Simply my meaningless two cents:
Linebackers:
Roy Manning
https://wsucougars.com/coaches.aspx?rc=257&path=football
Derick Nicholson
https://southernmiss.com/coaches.aspx?rc=380&path=football
DJ Smith
https://appstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=748&path=football
Defensive Line:
Brian Baker
https://hailstate.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1935&path=football
Kyle Tatum
https://uabsports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1208&path=football
Byron Thweatt
https://ecupirates.com/coaches.aspx?rc=3282&path=football
January 8th, 2019 at 2:24 PM ^
+1 for you, I like the effort. Wouldn't mind getting Roy Manning back and UAB's line was extremely good this year
January 8th, 2019 at 3:26 PM ^
So... is it more important to get a great recruiter or a great coach. If you have to choose one, which do you choose?
January 8th, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
My personal thoughts are I would rather go for an adequate teacher and excellent recruiter, than a great teacher and mediocre recruiter when it comes to position coaches.
That too me is the difference between building a program like Clemson vs. building a program like Wisconsin.
Now given for a school like Wisconsin, their options are limited when it comes to attracting excellent recruiters to their staff based on institutional policy and geography. Their approach to building their program given that dynamic makes sense.
Michigan on the other hand should have no trouble attracting top talent on the recruiter circuit and use the Clemson blueprint to build up the program IMO.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^
What about Thunder? :-)
January 8th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
I would prefer DJ Durkin as Co-DC and LB coach, AND Brady Hoke as DL Coach. It makes so much sense it’s stupid.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:30 PM ^
... and get RR back as OC.
January 8th, 2019 at 2:42 PM ^
Now we're talking!
January 8th, 2019 at 2:32 PM ^
Old balls
January 8th, 2019 at 2:36 PM ^
I played high school football with the D line Coach at Alabama, Craig Kuligowski, who was also at Miami, and Missouri before that. Wonder if he might be interested in coming home??
January 8th, 2019 at 2:47 PM ^
Reach out to him!
January 8th, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
If Don Brown does leave then why don't we do to MSU what OSU is doing to us? Hire Mike Tressel as DC/ Associate Head Coach/LB coach and pay him what it takes. his defenses have dominated the run game and we keep Zordich and partridge and hire Mike Elston from ND as D line coach. Hes a Michigan man, and Notre dame always recruits and performs well with him there. Then we also have room for Bonamego to coach our special teams like it looks like Harbaugh wants.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
Pretty sure Tressel hates our guts and would likely sabotage us. So pass. I'd look to the Clemson staff, personally.
I get us wanting Elston, but I don't see how he would even consider that move. It'd be a demotion. He's the DL and AHC there.
January 8th, 2019 at 4:58 PM ^
Because Pep is the AHC here, once he's (hopefully) gone, make Elston the AHC. So at worst its a lateral move back to the alma mater.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:11 PM ^
In the event Harbaugh looks to make moves within, which we all know he does, and then add some analyst of some sort I could see him moving Partridge back down to LB which he coached previously and focused on in HS and then bringing on Bush Sr full time to coach Safeties. Obviously he would still need to bring on a DL coach but this scenario wouldn't be all that bad if he can make a sexy hire at DL. Bush Sr played DB in the pros so he knows his stuff and would add some serious recruiting prowess in Florida.
I think Elston is everyone's top choice for DL and he would immediately upgrade the staff. Great coach and great recruiter. Check and check! Apart from him I don't really know where to turn but I've seen Woodley mentioned here a few times and that would certainly be intriguing if he was up for it.
If he holds pat with where the coaches are aligned and looks to bring on DL and LB then the above DL coaches would work here and to pull Manning or Foote would certainly be a coup. I don't know Manning's recruiting acumen or how Woodley or Foote would hold up in this sense but they are and have always been great ambassadors of the program so I am confident they could sell Michigan as a solid place especially with the network they've already created for themselves. Go Blue!
January 8th, 2019 at 3:23 PM ^
I like the Elston idea but still would make a run at Todd Bates. Probably a non-starter but at 35, a Bama grad and current co-DL coach at Clemson he'd be a big splash.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:21 PM ^
Throw lots of money and an associate coach position at Todd Bates. High upside recruiter. Co-DL coach at Clemson. Alabama grad. Good connections in the south.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:36 PM ^
I'd prefer young up and coming coaches from the college ranks. Nothing against the NFL guys, but recruiting is a HUGE part of the college game and they either don't seem to like it or aren't good at it. Exceptions to the rule for sure.
And honestly, I want guys with no prior ties to Michigan. We need to break free of this Michigan Man bullshit and just go out and get the best guys possible. Maybe no OSU connections too, don't want more potential poaching candidates.
January 8th, 2019 at 3:49 PM ^
This is what Woodson's spending his time with these days.
January 8th, 2019 at 5:00 PM ^
What a coincidence! I spend my time these days drinking too.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:45 PM ^
Don’t worry. All Michigan Football fans do,
January 8th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
Looking at Mississippi State's defensive statistics they are actually up there, and probably vs decent competition. 1st in total defense, 3rd in 3rd down conversion (defensive), 7th in 4th down conversion (defensive), 2nd in scoring defense, 2nd in passing efficiency (defense), and an average 10th in TFL, Sacks, and total first downs given (defensive).
Brian Baker is their DLine coach, and has pulled in a bunch of 4 stars in his 3 years there. It also seems like MSST's defensive success is due to their line. This year they got 5 of the 13 SEC's defensive lineman of the week won their championship. (Edit I see his name was floated above as well).
January 8th, 2019 at 4:11 PM ^
Ha I love the though, but I think Charles has a pretty good gig right now. But damn that would boost some attitude around here. Any former player who has been through it would be some desperately needed good buzz
January 8th, 2019 at 4:29 PM ^
Partridge back to LB's
Bush to S
WIll Carr DL
January 8th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Woodson as a DB coach at UM is a wet dream. I think he'd be a massively effective recruiter.
"Hi, would you like to learn how to play DB from me, the first and only true defensive Heisman winner?"
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
January 8th, 2019 at 5:17 PM ^
This may be a wildcard, but I think we should consider Noel Dean former Lowell high school coach.
January 8th, 2019 at 5:20 PM ^
Charles Woodson said he'll NEVER coach.
January 8th, 2019 at 6:09 PM ^
Who knows if you can get an interview with Jim good luck. And if you can the answers are about 4th grade level, not that he needs to tell us his plan but come on, Saban is more accessible then Jim, the stadium is called the Big House because so many fill the place and care and I get the feeling that Jim doesn’t care about the fans but maybe that’s just me!
January 8th, 2019 at 6:50 PM ^
It needs to be stated, that just because someone is a good player does NOT mean they’re a good coach. Hiring Woodson as anything more than a grad assistant would be a terrible, terrible move. Knowledge of the game isn’t enough. The ability to teach the game in a productive way and the ability to connect with players and recruit is paramount as well. It remains to be seen if Woodson has any of those traits, or if he has the desire to coach and recruit.
As for real moves, I’m not really in-tune with positional coaches nationwide, but something I would like to see is Partridge go back to LBs and be given a Co-DC title, and Devin Bush Sr be given a shot to coach the safeties.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
How about Pep for infield coach.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:37 PM ^
I wouldnt want pep for waterboy
January 9th, 2019 at 7:16 AM ^
sparty does better than usual against osu, wouldn't mind stealing a couple of coaches from them say burton and hanyes, their zone stuff could compliment our man to man schemes.
otherwise a duo from uab, there dl coach and secondary coach tatum and shrader would give Michigan a young up and coming duo with southern ties
January 12th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
upon further research i would be happy with brian baker, 19 year nfl vet that turn out an elite d line against elite competition.
malloe, spencer, elston would be good too although harder to get