Monday, December 1, 2014

Michigan Monday: Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Michigan played hard on Saturday but like a majority of the Hoke era lost the game.   Now it's the off season and most of expect some type of press conference today or Tuesday regarding the future of Brady Hoke.   There is a theory out there that Michigan won't fire Hoke until after the football bust, which is scheduled for 12/8.    Update:  Reports are that there are Michigan coaches on the road recruiting today.   Really?

As we wait for Michigan to make a decision, other programs are not waiting:

  • Nebraska fired Bo Pelini yesterday.  Which was bit of a shocker.  They just extended him last year to 2019 and will owe him nearly $8M.  He always won at least 9 games a year. 

  • In a bit of bad news, the one guy I trust with NFL news and of course is a Michigan grad Adam Schefter believes that Jim Harbaugh is not going to consider college jobs.   That he will probably approve a trade to the Raiders.   I guess living in the Bay Area is the most important thing to Jimmy and his family.   I don't see any other reason to take the worst job in professional sports.  The Raiders lost 52-0 to the Rams yesterday afternoon.   The only good thing about the Raiders is Michigan Wood:  Woodson and Woodley (out with an injury).   None of us are in Jimmy's mind, but it would seem to me his coaching style is a much better fit in college, then the NFL.

  • Assuming that Jim Hackett knows/confirms that Jimmy is staying in the NFL.   That means the #1 candidate would be Les Miles.   There has been some rumblings in LSU circles that Les might be headed to Ann Arbor.   As I have said here many times, I don't believe Les would ever turn down a chance to coach the Wolverines.

  • Reports are that Florida has an offer out to Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze in the $4.3 range. Ole Miss of course is trying to keep him.   Jim McElwain from Colorado State (temporary home of Dee Hart) is also reportedly a candidate.

  •  SMU hired Clemson OC Chad Morris.

The Jimmy news is not great but what's interesting is what Florida is doing.   There was thoughts they were going to take a run at Brian Kelly (wow the Irish have fallen off this year), Dan Mullen or Bob Stoops.  They said early on that Dan Mullen wouldn't be a candidate but many thought that Big Game Bob might be.   Either way, I like Florida's AD style, he isn't waiting to get a new head coach in there.

  • Drake Johnson tore his ACL in the same knee against OSU
  • Former Michigan DB commit Garrett Taylor has committed to Penn State

12 comments:

Rob said...

Waiting to fire Hoke until after the 12/8 Team Football bust is BUSH LEAGUE. Hoke can still attend and fill the same role - I'm sure he would be happy to do so because he cares so much for the "115 sons" he recruited...

Its this kind of clueless, inept shit that keeps us uncompetitive from an athletic department, overall Program standpoint in NCAAF. Florida and Nebraska are making decisive, power moves to get a competitive advantage on landing top-tier coaches, and we are standing around tossing our own salads.

He needs to be fired TODAY.

Whether Jim Harbaugh is in the mix or not does not matter. If Hacket is doing his job, he already has been talking to Jim and his agent and knows if Jim will come or not. If Jim is all about returning to help out his alma mater, go back-door deal that shit and plan your announcement when Jim and Umich are ready. If Jim is more about keeping his wife happy with NoCal living then we REALLY need to get on the coaching search NOW.

Big35Hurt said...

Taylor to Penn St? LOL Hilarious. Don't drop the soap kid.....good riddance and I hope he enjoys his yearly thrashing for all 4 years by us.

Sad news for Drake. Best wishes to that kid. He was FAR and away our best back this year displaying burst, decent hands, and even the ability to get his nose dirty in pass pro. At least he has a full year to rehab.

Les Miles would certainly be better than most. I just cannot understand the Harbaugh thing. He KNOWS he's the only candidate if he wants the gig. So if he doesn't want it then he should just say so publicly.

I'm a little surprised these kids have decommitted for the simple reason that Michigan is a YOUNG team and no matter who they get to coach them next it will surely be a big name guy.

I still find it "interesting" that Damien Harris hasn't committed anywhere. he's got to know that Kentucky will always be a whipping post and Urban Liar has only had 1-1000 yd rushing RB in his coaching career. So, maybe, just maybe, he's still in the fold. After all, he grew up a Wolverine fan.

We could do a lot worse than Les Miles. He's a little "quirky" but he always gets his teams up for big games and he always hires quality assistants. Maybe he'd bring Fournette with him. LOL Just kidding..

Hugh Freeze far and away outcoached dan Mullen in the egg bowl. Kudos on a job well done even thought it cost me a ton of ca$h. :o(

Rob said...

"I just cannot understand the Harbaugh thing. He KNOWS he's the only candidate if he wants the gig. So if he doesn't want it then he should just say so publicly."

I agree with this comment 100%. But the only thought I would have on it is perhaps Jim is using the attention so he can pull a "Les Miles" and leverage it for a big contract at his next NFL gig...

Bob said...

I don't think Jimmy will say anything about other jobs publically until he doesn't have a job. This is why all this stuff has to happen behind closed doors. He knows he could have another NFL job if he wants it. He knows he could have the Michigan job. The worst thing is he keeps Michigan on the line and jumps to the Raiders. The best thing he can do for Michigan is shake Hackett's hand and say I'm coming after the season or tell him straight out - I'm staying in the NFL and will coach the Raiders, Jets or Chicago. He turned down the Raiders while he was at Stanford, the only reason I see him taking that job is waiting to live in the Bay Area.

With that said, Hackett has a task that he needs to complete today. Tic Toc Jim!

M go Clean said...

Meeting between Hoke and Hackett tomorrow; http://www.maizenbrew.com/2014/12/1/7316501/scout-coms-sam-webb-confirms-that-meeting-between-interim-ad-jim

Scott K said...

Les has made some really questionable calls... Les has also won a National Championship, has been a factor in the SEC, has recruited well, has developed recruits into NFL players, has hired a quality staff.....
If Les is the guy..... at least we're getting a proven winner. Cam Cameron back in A2 as OC.... We could have the same situation as they had at Free Shoes U....well, without all the felonies and stuff... (Cameron the replacement for Miles when he retires)

I just hope this doesn't play out over months... actually weeks would be too long. LSU isn't in the conf. championship, all they have left is a bowl game, nothing holding Les in place.. Harbaugh, it just seems highly unlikely. How could his ego let him leave the NFL without a Superbowl ring when he got so close?

Go Blue.

Squashman said...

Please please don't hire Les Miles. Too old... Just coasting at LSU. Can't develop quarterbacks...poor poor clock management and game decisions. He under achieves with great recruits... Sound familiar?

Big35Hurt said...

"Doesn't develop QBs"?

Didn't he develop the #1 pick overall in 2007?

Also seemed like Mettenberger developed well under him (& Cameron).

Miles will recruit ELITE talent all over the field.

Jim W. said...

Don't hire Miles? At this time I think he would be a great hire.

The program is a mess and recruits jumping ship.

Miles would bring a big name and stability. If he can right the ship for a few years then we can (hopefully) get another solid coach.

Scott K said...

We need a winner and stability.... Hire Miles with the agreement that Cameron is the Assistant HC and Les' replacement when he retires..... We get a coach who can win, recruit and turn this trainwreck around.... And we get the stability of 2 generations.

M go Clean said...

Miles has a 4.3M contract through 2019 would M actually consider buying that out?

Squashman said...

Hire Miles. Keep the circus going. He is weird. Under achieves. The 2007 number 1 quarterback was Sabin's recruit with Sabin's coaching. Google Miles... Follow his antics. Eats grass... Clock management is a joke. Too old... Not the long term answer. Would be a disaster.