Category: Football

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Top Candidates to Replace Brady Hoke as Michigan Head Coach

As Brady Hoke’s tenure draws to a merciful end , speculation turns to possible replacements.

Michigan’s swift and brutal collapse precludes anyone from the current staff replacing Hoke; even highly touted offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier has been tainted by the team’s failure.

The resignation of athletic director David Brandon only adds to the intrigue. Any potential coaching candidate may wait until interim athletic director Jim Hackett either takes the job permanently or is replaced by university president Mark Schlissel.

If Hackett replaces Hoke he needs to learn from his previous mistakes. Whomever is selected can’t be viewed as a backup choice because the school whiffed on its top picks and the search needs to be quick and efficient.

Here are the top candidates to replace Hoke:

Cam Cameron

Cameron is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for LSU under Les Miles. He spent a decade at Michigan where he began as a graduate assistant and eventually rose to wide receivers and quarterbacks coach. He was considered a coaching prodigy at Michigan before leaving to be the quarterbacks coach in the NFL (Washington). Cameron’s rise stalled after returning to be Indiana’s head coach where he compiled a 18-37 overall record. After Indiana he returned to the NFL with San Diego mentoring quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Drew Brees, Miami (a one season 1-15 stint at head coach) and Baltimore.

Pros: Michigan ties, and strong background developing pro quarterback talent.

Cons: No recent recruiting experience at the collegiate level, poor track record as a head coach.

Assessment: Once Cameron would have been considered an elite candidate for Michigan but his experience has primarily been as a pro assistant with little success as a head coach. Has strong ties to John Harbaugh at Baltimore but his odd midseason firing during Baltimore’s Super Bowl run raises questions.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: A great candidate for quarterbacks coach but slim chance of being head coach.

Jon Gruden

Gruden’s name comes up whenever a major program is conducting a coaching search. Michigan fans went ballistic when this snippet from his college yearbook surfaced:
Gruden has expressed interest in returning to coaching telling an audience in 2013, “I haven’t lost a game in 3 1/2 years…I would like to give coaching one more try.”

If and when he decides to coach again, Gruden will have no trouble getting interest from pro and college teams and his role of broadcaster has given him access to the top programs in the country.

Pros: Strong professional experience, won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. He has been a popular broadcaster with ESPN since 2009.

Cons: Only four seasons of coaching at the collegiate level (1986-89), and no recent collegiate recruiting ties.

Assessment: Gruden’s name often surfaces for collegiate openings despite his lack of collegiate experience and time away from coaching. Gruden would be a high profile hire that would fit with athletic director David Brandon’s vision of Michigan being an elite destination however, Gruden has shown no recent inclination that he would be interested in coming to Michigan.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: Low

 

Chuck Martin

Martin is currently the head coach of Miami (Ohio) after serving as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame and head coach at Grand Valley State. It’s dangerous business to compare anyone to Michigan legend Bo Schembechler but check out this Martin quote out via The Miami Student:

Here’s what’s in it for you if you come to Miami: I’m going to kick your ass every day. If you don’t want that, then that’s fine. I’m good. Not many people are selling you a good ass-kicking these days.

Martin also took a significant pay when he came to Miami and is praised as a top coaching prospect by Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports:

He was the perfect combination of experience and acumen; a proven tactician and motivator. He could both develop talent and recruit it, both at the elite level of Notre Dame and finding diamonds in the rough in D-II.
While Miami was once was considered the cradle of coaches, Martin learned his craft at Grand Valley State under Brian Kelly before taking over and winning 48 straight regular season games (2005-09) winning two division II national titles.

Pros: Great success as a Division II head coach, extensive recruiting ties throughout the midwest.

Cons: Less than one season of Division I head coaching experience, Doesn’t have the profile of some other candidates.

Assessment: In 1969 Michigan lured Bo Schembechler away from Miami and the rest is history. Martin has great credentials to lead a major program but doesn’t have the national profile to satisfy alums who have suffered through the Hoke era. He probably has the best upside of any coach on this list.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: Low

 

Jim Mora

Current UCLA coach Jim Mora is rumored to be on Michigan’s radar to replace Hoke. Mora has experience coaching at the college and pro level (Atlanta and Seattle) and has done a good job rebuilding UCLA. While at UCLA Mora has turned down offers from both the University of Washington and Texas.

Pros: Proven ability to rebuild college program.

Cons: Has stated that he hopes to retire at UCLA, no recruiting ties to the midwest.

Assessment: Mora would be a great choice, but he doesn’t appear to be available.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: Low

 

Greg Schiano

Former Rutgers and Tampa Bay (NFL) head coach. Schiano is credited with building Rutgers football up to the point where it could join the Big Ten.

But not everyone is a fan. Former Rutgers player Anthony Davis blasted Schiano after signing a lucrative NFL contract via CBSSPORTS.COM.

He does admire Schiano for sticking by his beliefs while leading Tampa Bay via WWW.NJ.COM:

I respect him for keeping his ways no matter what happened…He believes in what he believes in and he’ll die by it. Even if I don’t believe in what he believes in, I still think it’s pretty impressive that he can stick to what he believes in so firmly.

Schiano was heavily criticized for his style of coaching and game tactics before being fired after the 2013 season.

Pros: He’s available, Michigan previously tried to hire him in 2008. He has extensive recruiting experience.

Cons: Bailed on Michigan once before, stumbled badly at Tampa Bay (NFL).

Assessment: Michigan thought Schiano would be its coach in 2008 before he changed his mind. He still has strong support among some boosters who admire how he rebuilt Rutgers.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: Medium

 

Les Miles

Miles has been a candidate to be head coach at Michigan forever– just ask his agent. In the past the rumors have always resulted in a new contract and a raise. But LSU may be tired of Miles after a subpar season.

Pros: Extensive experience at the college level and bonafide credentials as a “Michigan Man”.

Cons: At 61 is he up for rebuilding Michigan? Might have a trouble recruiting to Michigan’s academic standards.
Assessment: Les has long been a favorite of Michigan fans.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: It’s his for the taking if either Harbaugh declines.

 

J. Harbaugh (John/Jim)

The Harbaugh brothers have been the topic of speculation for years among Michigan fans.

Athletic director David Brandon tried to hire John Harbaugh and talked to Jim during his last coaching search. Sources have reported that John will not pursue the Michigan job, citing his friendship with Brady Hoke.
John is a great coach and with solid integrity. According to ESPN John was one of the few people within the Baltimore Raven organization to immediately call for the team to cut ties with Ray Rice after a controversial video emerged:

Although the grainy video did not show what had happened behind the elevator’s doors, the images horrified Ravens coach John Harbaugh, according to four sources inside and outside the organization. The Super Bowl-winning coach urged his bosses to release Rice immediately, especially if the team had evidence Rice had thrown a punch.

Jim on the other hand has a long and complicated relationship with Michigan going back to playing days as quarterback for Bo Schembechler. After playing in the NFL, he interviewed for Lloyd Carr’s staff but didn’t get the job. A few years later he took shots at Michigan while he was the head coach at Stanford.

Jim Harbaugh is the number one coaching prospect for most Michigan fans. Rumors abound that his act might be wearing thin in San Francisco and Michigan might be a viable option for him.

John Harbaugh

Pros: Extensive experience at the pro football level.

Cons: No recent recruiting ties at the collegiate level.

Assessment: John has the right temperament to fit in at Michigan but is reportedly not interested.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: Low

 

Jim Harbaugh

Pros: Michigan ties, head coaching experience at the collegiate (29-21 at Stanford) and pros (44-16-1 at San Francisco). Recent collegiate recruiting experience.

Cons: High maintenance, contentious relationship with NCAA and opposing coaches. A beat writer’s dream.

Assessment: Jim Harbaugh is the only candidate who will satisfy most Michigan fans. It’s unlikely he would mesh with current athletic director David Brandon but there are factions at Michigan that would more than happy to clear that obstacle out of the way. The big question is whether Harbaugh would surrender his dream of winning a Super Bowl and return to Michigan. Jim and John are hyper competitive and John has a Super Bowl ring—beating Jim to win it. If Jim can get over that then the Michigan job can be his.

The stars have aligned and Jim can name his terms to return.

Likelihood of Getting the Job: It’s his for the taking.

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Michigan versus Ohio State Football Looking Back — 1999

The era of the late ‘90s was arguably the most recent golden era of Michigan football. The Wolverines were winning big, the national economy was roaring, and in North Jersey, a young couple had a baby girl who may someday study at the University of Michigan. Maybe.

What is certain is that the girl’s father was in Michigan Stadium for the 1999 game against Ohio State, the fifth and final installment of the series. Over the course of the season, senior Tom Brady had won a quarterback duel with local legend Drew Henson, fueled largely by his ability to lead the team to dramatic comeback victories. Brady led the Maize & Bleu to comeback wins over Notre Dame, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State and Alabama that season. Against Ohio State, the Wolverines started out very slowly on a cold, rainy day in Ann Arbor. The Bucks took the early lead when Steve Bellisari threw a short touchdown pass to Kevin Houser. In the second quarter, Brady found Anthony Thomas on a screen pass, and Thomas rumbled 30 yard. A few plays later, Thomas followed the offensive line into the end zone for the tying score, but Ohio State recaptured the lead quickly when Bellisari threw a short scoring pass to Jamar Martin. The Michigan defense came out strong in the second half and DeWayne Patmon intercepted a Bellisari pass to put the Wolverines in scoring position. Still, the Michigan offense sputtered, and Hayden Epstein salvaged the drive with a field goal. Shortly thereafter, Ohio State extended the lead to 17-10. Then Jonathan Wells spun out of a tackle and took off for a 76-yard run to the Michigan 5 yard line, and only a Todd Howard tackle prevented a touchdown. On the surface, Michigan appeared to be in serious trouble, but this proved to the turning point of the game. The Wolverines stopped Ohio State three times, and when the snap was high on an field goal attempt, the kick sailed wide of the goal posts, taking Ohio State’s momentum with it. Suddenly, Michigan started to wake up.

Ian Gold then intercepted a Bellisari pass and Michigan was threatening. On first down, Brady found Shawn Thompson with a short pass, and Thompson stretched the ball across the goal line for the tying score. On Ohio State’s ensuing possession, defensive back James Whitley hit Vaness Provitt right in the gut, sending the ball high into the air. Once the ball came down, Michigan defensive back Cato June landed on the ball, and now things were all going Michigan’s way. Brady began to mix the run and pass perfectly, and the Michigan offensive line started to wear down the beleaguered Buckeyes. With 5:01 left, Brady connected with wide receiver Marquise Walker along the Michigan sideline, and Walker stuck the ball in the end zone for the go-ahead score, giving Michigan a 24-17 lead. The scoring was done, but Ohio State got one more chance. On third down and 2 yards to go, linebacker Dhani Jones wrapped up Bellisari’s legs and the Buckeye quarterback went down. Now it was fourth down. One more play for Ohio State. Bellisari threw an incomplete pass over the middle, and Jones waved his arms, indicating an incomplete pass. After a tremendous struggle, Michigan took possession of the ball, gained a first down and ran out the clock.

The win sent Michigan to the Orange Bowl, where the Wolverines came from back from a pair of 14-point deficits to beat Alabama in overtime, 35-34. Michigan finished 10-2, and ranked No. 5 in the national polls. Brady’s performance in his final year caught the eyes of the NFL, and he went on to lead the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl

championships. Few historians mention the 1999 season in Michigan history, but this was undoubtedly one of the most underrated teams of the past 50 years. Many historians even wonder if Michigan would have beaten Michigan State had Lloyd Carr replaced Drew Henson with Brady sooner than he did. If Michigan had won the Michigan State game, there’s a good chance the Wolverines would have won the next game against Illinois, and Michigan might just have won its second national championship in three years.

Thanks to ABC and youtube poster WolverineHistorian for the footage of the game. As always, I own nothing related to the game.

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Michigan versus Ohio State Football Looking Back — 1962

The Michigan Wolverines suffered a ton of disappointment in the 1960s, but even in those most discouraging of days, there were reasons for optimism.

Take Gary Moeller. In the fourth installment of the series on the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, Moeller was the captain of the 1962 Buckeyes team that thrashed Michigan, 28-0. Ohio State finished the season with a record of six wins and three defeats, while Michigan finished with two wins and seven defeats. On the surface, there’s nothing good for Michigan fans to take from that game. But as we learn in life, sometimes, you have to look beyond the surface.

Moeller was a true student of the game who played both center and linebacker for the Buckeyes, giving him a thorough knowledge of the game. 1962 was his senior year, and he went into coaching afterward, and got a job Miami University (Ohio) in 1967, serving as an assistant on head coach Bo Schembechler’s staff. When Schembechler moved to Michigan in 1969, Moeller moved with him. After Schembechler retired following the 1989 season, Moeller took over as head coach at Michigan, the school he had worked so hard to defeat less than a decade earlier. Moeller coached the Wolverines for only five years, but during that time, he did much to develop the Michigan roster. In 1997, three years after Moeller resigned, Michigan won the national championship, completing an incredible 12-0 season against arguably the toughest schedule in the country. Moeller recruited many of the players who starred on that ’97 team, and the Wolverines won the national championship that season, 25 years after Moeller served as an Ohio State captain. Sometimes, you never know who your allies will be.

Oh yes, The Game in 1962. Ohio State held Michigan to 142 net yards of total offense. The bright spot for Michigan? The Wolverines eventually recovered from this defeat. Even when things look bleakest, there is always hope for the future.

Thanks to the Bentley Historical Library for the box score below. As always, I own none of this material.

http://www.umich.edu/~bhlumrec/athdept/fbstats/1962osu.pdf

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Ranking Best Games in Michigan-Ohio State Rivalry

Michigan vs. Ohio State has been called the greatest rivalry in sports, and the teams are meeting for the 97th straight year and 111th time overall. Michigan leads the series (58-46-6), but Ohio State has been on a roll, winning 11 of the last 13 meetings.

“The Game” has been marked by remarkable performances, surprising upsets and great competition. Both teams recruit many of the same players, and those who leave their home state to play for the other team often draw the ire of both family and friends.

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