Harbaugh Speaks to Brian Griese on QB Coach Role
Josh Henschke @JoshHenschke Multiple sources have confirmed that Jim Harbaugh and former #Michigan QB and 49ers coach Brian Griese have had discussions about U-M’s QB coach vacancy. We cannot confirm how in depth the talks were and interest level, just that contact was made.
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
Woohoo!!
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
I think this has a nice ring to it. Hoping the conversations are constructive and whoever comes in to the staff is able to bring some "Sunday experience".
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
Love, love, love it. A Michigan Man. I saw a post on here where someone thought it was a bad idea to have too many former Michigan guys on staff. I personally think the opposite. If you're recruiting and you can point to people who have come back to serve as coaches and mentors, it's very attractive that they can speak first hand about the culture, their training, the college experience, and rivalries. You would have the leaders and best teaching the future leaders and best. The more you have on staff, it can be inferred that those coaches enjoyed and benefitted from their growth and what they learned at Michigan. Also, it would show recruits that when your football career is over, their may be an opportunity for you to come back home and stay in the game you love, while coaching for the school you love. It has a ring of authenticity that other schools aren't doing and don't have. It says, come to Michigan and be groomed by Michigan men, who in my opinion tend to be very smart, articulate and polished. If we can't pry Griese away from the NFL, I would kick the tires on Devin Gardner. Not as an OC but as a QB coach and passing coordinator. I know he would kill it as a recruiter and it would give him a chance to show that he can actually coach in game-time situations and not just as a Monday Morning QB.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:49 PM ^
If I remember right wasn't Mike Hart also pretty critical of JH before he came back to the fold ?
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:28 PM ^
It sounds like you are implying that Michigan should pass over better coaches in favor of people who played here. I want the best coaches and recruiters in the game. Other than Urban Meyer.
which Michigan player would you replace Sherrone Moore with right now? The offensive line is better than any I have ever seen in decades of Michigan football. Executing a way higher technical proficiency.
That said, it’s certainly fine to bring back M players when it’s right. I can’t imagine anyone better than Harbaugh right now as head coach.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:58 PM ^
I don't believe I said hire only former Michigan players over better coaches. What I am saying is that if Harbaugh and Michigan gave special consideration to our own, it increases the brand value. It increases the value of former players who are either coaching or trying to get into coaching because their alma mater will give them a shot. We taught them. We trained them, refined them and turned them into exemplary men of high quality. They learned under Bo, Carr, and the Harbaugh tree and as long as the program continues to produce winning results at a high level that's good for Michigan (I would think) when we acknowledge our own. I'm suggesting that a Michigan Man with great football acumen, values and a promising future might do more for the brand long term, than some guy who only wants to jump start a career that's on life support with questionable ethics. That coach is gone year after year because he has no loyalty to the program, he doesn't understand the culture and it's difficult to get him to buy in, particularly if he's been around the coaching circuit and fired a couple of times. I'm suggesting giving Michigan Men a shot (maybe 70% of the staff) at teaching young Michigan Men how to run football programs and cutting their teeth in the coaching business. Harbaugh's legacy as a coach could be defined by not only producing great football players but perhaps more so, on former players who learned and became great coach's under his tutelage. It's the gift that keeps on giving and recruits and their families will love and appreciate that Michigan will be there for life, not just as long as they're running for touchdowns. That's the hook young man!!!!!
And
I agree and would try to keep Sherron Moore around as long as I can. If he decided to leave I would look hard at the next highly qualified Michigan Man and think hard about giving him a shot. Or maybe I'd call Dominic Raola and see if him and his son want to come here as a package deal. Lol
January 24th, 2023 at 10:29 AM ^
where's the TL;DR version?
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
I'm not 100% opposed to this. But I do think you need to have a healthy mixture otherwise the organization gets stale. A little but of an outside perspective is good.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:38 PM ^
I think he would be a home run hire. He loves Michigan. He was a hell of a qb and what I’ve seen from SF qb’s I’m very impressed. Let’s get him back to AA
January 23rd, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
I agree. I think having done TV, he's better prepared for recruiting. It's like having a movie star at your house. (almost).
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
Would be shocked if this happens. Griese was pretty outspoken after 2020 season about Harbaugh, saying things like “enough is enough”. He has come up through the Shanahan system and would be a great addition but doubt we can compete financially vs. 49ers
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
I mean, so was I, but I've repented and I'd bet Griese has too. The bigger thing is getting him to leave a great NFL team for the same gig in college.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:19 PM ^
What are the immediate paths for Brian? He is not going to get the OC job at SF and is probably at least 2 years away from getting the OC job at some other place, as SF's success is mostly attributed to Shanahan.
Moore is a hot commodity and will not likely be here beyond next year, especially if the OL performs well again. So, this could represent an opportunity for Brian to come here with the understanding that he will OC when (if) Moore leaves. It could work.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:28 PM ^
Why is it likely Moore will be gone?
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
He’s gotta be in consideration for a head coaching job soon. Maybe not “next year” but he’s not far off. He had an interview request for WMU this year, and possibly other g5 schools, but he turned it down.
If Purdue is willing to hire the Illinois DC as their head coach, it’s not unrealistic to think a P5 school will come knocking for Moore soon. Especially with Harbaugh talking him up as a head coaching candidate.
Someone along the BC, Syracuse, Pitt, Kansas, KState, Iowa State spectrum of team would be most likely.
January 23rd, 2023 at 8:36 PM ^
Or maybe Jim is selling Griese on being the unnamed HCIW once Jim finally gets his NFL offer
January 24th, 2023 at 8:45 AM ^
Is Oakland in play?
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
If Harbaugh offers him the position despite the past public statements, it would show just how big of a man coach is and how much he is willing to set aside in the name of success for the program.
As far as what he can offer, he could entice him with taking over as sole OC if/when Moore takes a HC job.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
Why in the hell do so many people think Moore is going to take over as HC? It's not happening, nor should it. Dude has never been a HC, anywhere. This is crazy talk.
If anything, in this scenario, you should hope that Griese is able to work his way toward becoming the HC whenever Harbaugh hangs up the cleats. But even with Griese, he would need to get head coaching experience somewhere, first.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:32 PM ^
Both posts reference Moore taking A head coaching gig, not Michigan's. There will be plenty of places interested in the next edition of the carousel.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
Hmm, good catch. I read past the wording, which I don't usually do. I've seen so many people suggest it, I guess my mind filtered out the "a" and put in "the".
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:38 PM ^
Nobody said anything about Moore taking over as HC though…
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
Methinks you didnt read the comment correctly.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
If he can get past Hart's comments, he can get past Griese's comments.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:06 PM ^
yup.... reminds me of something a Sr. Sales Manager told me when I worked in the corporate world, decades ago. "Be cautious of what you're saying and who you're saying it about. Its a small world and you never know who you might be working for or interviewing with down the road."
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
The people you meet on your way up are the same ones you're going to meet on your way down.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:30 PM ^
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
Shoot, if we can get past Harbaugh's comments, he can get past Griese's comments.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
My thoughts exactly. Harbaugh took shots at UofM while he was at Stanford. I think he understands criticism and has thick skin. Hell, Harbaugh is probably the first to admit he wasn't getting the most out of his teams in 2019 and 2020.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:38 PM ^
He clearly understood that or there is no way we would have seen the turn around we have... Those things don't just magically happen. Great leaders are always reevaluating and self critiquing. Those who do not never get where they want to be. James Joseph is harder on himself then any of these fans could be and that is why he probably was able to get through it cause he believed in himself to turn it around which he did.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
Griese made a boatload of money during his playing days. And his announcing days. And he comes from money. He probably will look at fit/growth opportunities over money.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
Might be time to look again at Scott Dreisbach who is now injury free.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:16 PM ^
Underrated comment! Those of us who remember Michigan circa mid-90s all chuckled at this.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:55 PM ^
Ope, he just got injured again.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:30 PM ^
Was he lying? Everybody said enough is enough. So I'm quite sure all is well
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:43 PM ^
everybody said it but....everybody are not prominent public figures/alums of UM and everybody is not getting hired by harbaugh...
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
Not everyone.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
And JH had made statements about UM... so all even?
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:25 PM ^
He hired Mike Hart. I think that is something they can get through.
January 23rd, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
Exactly, this was my thought too. "Enough is enough" is nothing much to put behind them.
January 25th, 2023 at 7:49 AM ^
After 2020 he wasn’t wrong. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who wasn’t singing that same song. Harbaughs a grown up and I’m sure can look past someone who was basically right at that time. 2020 made Jim the coach he’s been the last few seasons. He put some “steel in his spine” and got it done.
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
This makes some sense. Getting some very positive chatter for how he's handled the SF QBs under Kyle Shanahan.
Of course, he's only been at it one year. But he seems like an intriguing option.
Going to plug the thread from a couple of days ago that really lays a lot of the options out well and has some excellent discussion.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:39 PM ^
It also, in theory...allows you to take care of some of the guys who are on the staff (notably Moore and Hart). Maybe you call Griese a Passing Game Coordinator and QB Coach, meaning Moore is no longer a co-Offensive Coordinator.
Semantics, but sometimes it makes it easier to justify pay increases.
All the focus has been on Harbaugh, I've been waiting for an announcement on new contracts for the assistant coaches (all of them).
No disrespect to Jim, but he made over $10M last year with all the bonuses. The whole money thing was overblown, I believe he wound up being the highest paid HC in the league.
Michigan needs to back up the Brinks truck for the assistant coaches. Jim's been here the entire time, but we didn't get this thing to where it is until THIS group of assistant coaches arrived in Ann Arbor. Pay up and keep them.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:43 PM ^
Genius move by Harbaugh. Griese is getting praise for his part in selecting and developing Purdy. Griese is also very close to lots of the guys on the '97 NC team, like Charles Woodson. Reaching out to Griese to smooth over any hard feelings from 2020 strengthens Jim's standing with many more than just one former player. Maybe Brian's not interested but appreciates the outreach and has a suggestion or two of guys Jim should interview. You also probably get the 49ers to give Brian a nice raise. OTOH if Jim actually gets Griese to come on board, you get a very accomplished college and NFL QB and a guy who has spent the last year under Kyle Shanahan. Probably get 12-24 months of great headlines from Griese's buddies in broadcasting too. Of course, if Griese turns out to be a homerun, you just found your next Michigan OC and HC for down the road.
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
Does Purdy still have a covid year? Just in case we need to beef up the QB room for 2024.
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
I wonder if Harbaugh is talking to him about a job or if he is consulting with him on ideas to fill the vacancy. It would be great to bring Brian to Ann Arbor but it seems the job here would be a lateral move at best and that his future is in the NFL or the broadcast booth.
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^
Thought the same thing, why would he take a lateral move position-wise while moving from the NFL to college.
Only thing I could think of would be if they sweetened the pot by offering him the co-OC position Weiss vacated.
January 23rd, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
Might not care. Unless he's just mismanaged the hell out of his finances, he, his kids, and grandkids are probably set for life. Coaching at your alma mater, as the last QB to lead them to the promised land, when they've gotten so close the last couple of years, the closest they've gotten since you've been there, with a talent like JJ, could be enticing.
January 23rd, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
Ann Arbor cost of living vs SF?
January 23rd, 2023 at 5:23 PM ^
Because he played here? Because there is more stability coaching in college. Because he loves Michigan? Basically, for all the same reasons that Harbaugh decided to coach here (and stay here).