So we have gone another weekend without a head coach with Greg Schiano letting us know on Friday that he wasn't interested. The pressure continues to grow on Bill Martin finding the right candidate for today and more importantly for the next 5-10 years. There continues to be a number of college coaching vacancies available right now including, UCLA, Arkansas, Washington State, and others. Those that have been filled have been filled with less then "high profile" candidates.
What does that mean for Michigan? It means that smaller schools are now paying top dollars to keep their coach and thoes coaches are happy in those smaller "less" pressure environments. If your the head coach of a Rutgers or Bosie State, your fan base is happy if you make a bowl game. If you win the conference or get to a BSC game you are crowned a hero. Winning the Big Ten and getting to the BCS is the expected outcome at Michigan every year. Which job would you rather have if the money was the same?
If I'm Bill Martin, I have to do one of two things. Break the Bank on a top candidate like a Miles or a Urban Myer if they will even listen (I doubt it) or go get the next "Sweater Vest" or "Bo" from the MAC or Division 1A or 2. I have read a bunch of articles from C-Bus on how Michigan is down and nobody wants this job. It's funny how short their memories are in Columbus, when Tressel wasn't on top of their wish list after Cooper was let go. In fact, he was number 3 or 4 and things have worked out pretty well.
Look at the recent openings the last few years; ND, Alabama, Arkansas, even USC before they landed on an NFL wash up. Each one of these programs thought every coach in the country would come running. That's not the case anymore and Michigan hasn't been in the business of finding a new coach for 40 years. So they are learning a difficult lesson and Bill Martin wasted the fall by not doing enough research or the proper homework.
It's time to fish or cut bait (sorry Bill couldn't resit another boat reference) and hopefully Billy was in town this weekend and not in Cancun enjoying some time off.
So who's left? The rumor mill is saying the following:
Big Names: Falcons Head Coach Bobby Petrino, offering Les Miles the keys to the kingdom after the NC game or Chis Petersen from Boise State.
Not so Big Names include: Brady Hoke Ball State, Ron English current Defensive Coordinator, or Steve Sarkisian, USC Offensive Coordinator.
I'm not sure if our next coach will come off this list or not, but I'm not sure Michigan can go another week with out a head coach. Bill, you keep talking about your plan and process, I hope for all of us it's working.
3 weeks and counting...............
2 comments:
you mention some "big" and "not so big" names. bill martin needs to open his wallet ... if he's pondering any of the big three. i'd love petersen ... he could bring innovation and energy for UM--for years and years to come. of the "not so big" names, i assure you that hoke or english would be a nightmare. we need a change--as, in a relative sense, lloyd carr has run our program into the ground. (yes, in a relative sense.) i don't know much about sarkisian--but i sure do know that i'd prefer a USC coordinator over a current UM coordinator. it's not even close.
Well said, Ramosa. Well Said!
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