Thursday, January 8, 2015

Michigan Thursday: The Plan Is Coming Together

The Michigan Coaching Staff is now close to complete:

  • Ty Wheatley has been offered the RB position coach gig.  He is speaking with family about it.   I expect we should hear today or Friday.  

  • Michigan has really hired an S&C coach this time and it's Kevin Tolbert.  Kevin worked for Jimmy at the 49'ers and Stanford.   He also was at Michigan for six years between 2001-2007.  Sounds like a guy with a lot of experience and hopefully he can help reduce major injuries like they were able to do at Stanford and with the 49'ers.

  • It seems Michigan and San Jose State have worked a complicated coaches trade.  Michigan gets their SJS OC/QB Coach/Assistant Head Coach in Jimmie Dougherty and SJS gets Michigan's fired OC "Big" AL Borges.   This sounds made up, but it isn't.   Want to know something else funny?   Greg Robinson is their DC.  Yes, Big AL will be running the offense and GRob will be running the defense.   That is perfect spot for both.    What will Jimmie do for Michigan? My best guess is be the TE coach.  He could also be the co-OC and QB coach as well (we know the other Jimmy likes that role) .   Harbaugh likes to have his coaches recruit their specific position nationwide, so there would need to be a QB coach in name.   (some head coaches give coaches specific states to recruit no matter what the position).

  • Michigan has also hired John Baxter (former USC Special Teams and TE coach) to be Special Teams coach.  John ran special teams at USC for Kiffin and has had some very good special teams under his tutelage.   He of course may also be a candidate for TE coach on Jimmy's staff as well. 

  • Greg Jackson has reportedly been hired as Michigan's DB coach replacing Curt Mallory who is going to coach at Wyoming.  Greg played as a Safety in the NFL for 12 years and was on the of the DB coaches in San Francisco under Jimmy.   Sounds like a guy with great experience at a position of need and a good coach.

Here is how it's looking right now:

OC - Drevno
RB- Wheat?
WR - Morton?
OL - Drevno
TE - Dougherty

DC- Durkin
DL - Mattison
LB - Durkin
OLB/DE - Manning?
DB - Jackson
ST - Baxter

We still are waiting on confirmation on Morton, Wheatley and Manning. 

  • DJ is official.  Press Release here.

5 comments:

Scott K said...

From mid to late Dec., once it started to look very possible that Harbaugh was coming to A2, to now.... the entire process of assembling a coaching staff has seemed very cerebral....
Other than a few reports and some speculation, it certainly seems as though very specific candidates have been targeted, sought out and hired.

This feels good. The stability and confidence that has been lacking, appears to be filling Schembechler Hall!! I can't wait for the spring game!

GO BLUE!!

Bob said...

I hope there are 50-70K at the spring game this year.

uncle ron said...

Right on Capt. Bob!!!!!

Jim W. said...

Bob, I have no idea how you have your thumb on the pulse so well...but I appreciate your efforts.

I live almost 4 hours away and have never been to a spring game. That may change this year.

Go Blue!

Big35Hurt said...

I can't say enough about the staff we're assembling. Very impressive. I also have a feeling that we are going to make more than just a couple big splashes between now and signing day.