Jim and John Harbaugh coaching tree is sprouting

Submitted by dickdastardly on January 31st, 2024 at 1:25 PM

MacDonald to be the youngest NFL coach. Seahawks are getting a good one.

A youth movement in Seattle: Seahawks are expected to hire Ravens’ defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their new head coach, league sources tell ESPN. They’re still finalizing the deal, but Seattle has its man.

At 36, Macdonald now becomes the NFL’s youngest head coach. pic.twitter.com/uZ3vbXTS4n

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2024

CaliforniaNobody

January 31st, 2024 at 1:26 PM ^

You love to see it. I think Seattle going back to its defensive roots is awesome. And another branch of the tree to raid is great too. 

 

Edit- also what a great pitch his trajectory is for us. "We hired this position coach, and got him to the NFL and in a HC spot by age 36 2 years later." 

HouseHarbaugh

January 31st, 2024 at 1:28 PM ^

I hope it works out well for him. They're a solid team, but seem to have upper management issues considering what happened to Carroll. MacDonald is a great coach so he should do well. I'll be rooting for his success against every team except the Lions and Chargers...

Amazinblu

January 31st, 2024 at 1:50 PM ^

I've heard a rumor that every NFL owner is looking to bring Day onto their staff - either as head coach or GM.

There's an additional aspect of this.   Several owners are rumored to have said (as they were enjoying a cup of coffee at a recent NFL soiree) - "I'd be willing to pay a bigger buyout than Texas A&M did for Jimbo if I could have Ryan Day as part of my organization.  I'd give him carte blanche - and, would pay him at least twice as much as the Spanos' have signed Harbaugh for."

ShadowStorm33

January 31st, 2024 at 2:19 PM ^

I'm sure you're being sarcastic, but I honestly had wondered that, at least previously (his star has fallen a bit the past year or two). If you had asked me ~2019-2021, I would have thought he and Lincoln Riley would be about the two most likely coaches to jump from college to the NFL, as they both fit the young, offensive minded mold the NFL seemed to be going to. I certainly feel like Day would have had a better case than a Kliff Kingsbury, etc...

6th Blagdon

January 31st, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^

God, Minter's an old man at 40.  Didn't realize how young MacDonald is. Curious to see if Seattle takes a hard look at JJ. Can't see hitching your wagon long term to Geno Smith despite how nice of a comeback he's had

dickdastardly

January 31st, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^

On a side note, I keep checking Michigan Football's coaching page and, so far, they have not removed Minter. Maybe the webmaster wants to wait until all the changes are made so s/he can make the changes in one fell swoop.

 

AND wait...there's more.

Could Michigan then have a pipeline not just from the Raven and Chargers but also from the Seahawks?

MichiganFootball

January 31st, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^

I think some of it is just waiting till it's all official to make updates.  We know for instance that Newsom is offensive line coach and that's not reflected on the website.

I think in the long run it helps us have multiple NFL pipelines, but in the short term it means we are all competing for coaches at the same time.

blueheron

January 31st, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^

I wouldn't count on a pipeline, but I see no reason that one (or multiple) couldn't possibly exist. Sherrone and McDonald might've gotten along really well during Mike's single year at Michigan. Mike could look back on that year and see the value of one of his people coaching in the minor league.

S FL Wolverine

January 31st, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^

I am happy for MacDonald, but doesn't this potentially seem bad for Michigan?  Since there appear to be a limited number of people who know the Ravens' defense, it seems like it will be harder for us to keep running the scheme if any more defensive coaches leave.  If both Clink and Elston leave, it seems like it will be impossible to keep it going.  MacDonald is certainly going to bring Ravens' staff defensive with him.  JH is trying to build the same thing in LA.  John needs to now plug holes in Balt (Oor as DC perhaps?).  Who would Michigan have left to hire?  We need to open the checkbook to keep our defensive coaches here or we'll lose some key players too.

MichiganFootball

January 31st, 2024 at 1:39 PM ^

Good for Macdonald but makes it harder to the extent we are trying to hire someone for the Ravens tree as now there are NFL DC openings in both Baltimore and Seattle.  I assume for instance that Zach Orr gets one of them and the other goes to someone like Anthony Weaver (who has himself had some NFL DC interviews already).

umaz1

January 31st, 2024 at 1:39 PM ^

Wonder what Raven Assistants will go with him or be promoted to DC now. Assuming Moore was even talking to Orr, I would think this could change things for him potentially.

bdneely4

January 31st, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^

If a NFL team believes the risk is worth it in taking a DC and making him a first time head coach, I think this should give us a bit more confidence in the risk Michigan is taking in making their OC coach into a first time head coach.

FauxMo

January 31st, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^

"What until the Seahawks realize that UM would have gone 0-12 for three straight years if it wasn't for the Greatest Cheating Scandal (TM) in sports history." ~RCMB