Clinkscale to Chargers, per Freep (don’t murder me due to source)
February 10th, 2024 at 10:08 AM ^
Sorry, better link. And sorry for the source again.
February 10th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
Sam Webb and the rest of our "insiders" are truly the worst in the business. It's embarrassing how bad every one of them is. I don't know how people pay actual money for their garbage.
February 10th, 2024 at 10:47 AM ^
Apparently Clink himself told the players he was staying. Then he changed his mind. I don't see how this says anything about Sam.
February 10th, 2024 at 10:52 AM ^
It sure as hell says a lot about Clinkscale.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
It says he’s a human being who can be just as confused as the rest of us.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:17 PM ^
It could just be he thought he could stay but seeing someone else actually get the DC job was too much for him.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:44 PM ^
My completely-speculative take would be that he planned on staying but then had his first session with Wink which made him reconsider for some reason.
Timing of events seems like it would work out.
Or LA just upped their offer to something he couldn’t refuse.
Or his wife.
Maybe his dog.
Definitely probably the dog…
February 10th, 2024 at 2:01 PM ^
Your first paragraph nails it. If you get a new boss, and your new boss either makes it clear he wants someone else in your position (or if you two just don’t see eye to eye), it’s neither unusual nor unfair to look elsewhere for a job.
February 10th, 2024 at 2:42 PM ^
Dog? This has cat written all over it.
February 10th, 2024 at 10:52 AM ^
It doesn't Sam just mentioned that the reason Clink left was being passed over for DC position. The hiring of Wink made him bolt to the Chargers. He wants to be a DC and head coach. So unfortunately this one is on Moore. You think Clink with 3 years under our Ravens def. Would know the system good. Not sure why Moore overlooked Clink and wanted Wink but I would rather had Clink stay and not hire Wink.
February 10th, 2024 at 10:59 AM ^
Why would he tell the players he was staying? At that point he knew he wasn’t getting the DC job.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:02 AM ^
I remember hearing something about the Chargers not wanting to pay his buyout to UM. Maybe something changed on that front. 🤷♂️
February 10th, 2024 at 11:17 AM ^
The only thing that matters now is holding on to the players. Is there an NIL focused on the defensive side of the ball to donate to?
UM’s defense will be one of the most if not the most talented in the country next year.
Best D-line, DT’s elite, edge should be better.
Great LB’s, speed and athletic.
Great secondary despite losing Mikey. McBurrows has a ton of experience and expect the 2nd corner to step into Wallace role.
Maybe only UGA and OSU have proven defensive talent and scheme like UM going into 2024.
If Moore can navigate the schedule with a max of 2 losses, UM makes the playoff and it buys the program a year to reload, rethink NIL, and restaff. Yes, 2025 is probably a rebuilding year.
All that said…Fire Warde! Losing Herbert to the Chargers for a position that doesn’t exist in the NFL was final straw for me. Coordinators leaving for a shot at the NFL with Jim and not dealing with 24-7 recruiting and portal, especially when passed over for promotions, understandable at least.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:56 AM ^
You can contact the Champions Circle and specify which player(s) are to receive the funds.
February 10th, 2024 at 5:58 PM ^
How do they maintain IRS non-profit status if that is the case?
February 10th, 2024 at 1:20 PM ^
On the Herbert reference, I’m not sure why we think NFL teams don’t value somebody like him. The Lions have five on staff covering sports performance, sports science, and strength and conditioning (3 in that area). The Chiefs have the same sort of structure. I stopped looking after that, but hopefully that proves the point.
February 10th, 2024 at 2:12 PM ^
Why would a guy tell players he’s staying BEFORE a DC — his direct boss — was hired? I don’t buy it. Maybe he thought he’d get the gig? But still. Don’t make an announcement before you know the lay of the land.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:21 PM ^
I assume pretty much up until they decided to hire Wink. So most likely it sound like within 24 hours or less.
Also maybe he thought Wink would pick Clink as his right hand man. Not sure but I assume Clink wouldn't have told players he was staying if he wasn't sure at the time. So something changed drastically I assume for him to leave. Something we will probably never find out. Unless they announce Wink is coming and bringing the guy to take over when Wink leaves in 2 years or so.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:06 AM ^
Your post reads like a damn Dr. Seuss book…
”Out with the Clink, In with the Wink”
February 10th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ^
Two in the Wink, one in the Clink
February 10th, 2024 at 11:35 AM ^
If we don't beat OSU, it's going to stink
February 10th, 2024 at 2:04 PM ^
But Ryan Day will still be the Dink
February 10th, 2024 at 2:41 PM ^
That's how I feel after hearing this news.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:48 AM ^
Moore might not think he's DC material. Who are we to judge?
February 10th, 2024 at 12:36 PM ^
Why, we’re the Uninformed Masses, of course! Emotionally-charged judging is what we do!
February 10th, 2024 at 12:07 PM ^
Going to LA does not necessarily get him to a DC position faster than staying at Michigan. In fact it may take him longer now than if he had stayed and learned under Wink.
Wink is 60 and could easily move on in 1-3 years. Is Minter 1-3 years out for a HC job? Maybe.
Did Harbaugh promise clink next up? Maybe.
It just seems like an emotional reaction.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:29 PM ^
In Clinks opinion he thought this was his best option to move up. Maybe Clink wanted a guarantee that he was the man when Wink left and wasn't guaranteed that. I have no idea but I guess Clink thought this was his best bet.
February 10th, 2024 at 2:14 PM ^
Correct. Also the conventional wisdom, fwiw, is that Clink’s greatest value was as a recruiter.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:22 PM ^
You would think Sherrone, with three years of observing Clink in the Ravens' system would know whether he wanted him to be the DC.
February 10th, 2024 at 3:34 PM ^
So many on here second guessing Sherrone as if they're more qualified to make head coaching decisions for Michigan, after acknowledging what a big job it is.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:23 PM ^
maybe he wasn’t offered the DC position because of his possible exposure in the current ncaa investigations? i think it was twofold.warde wanted dome name recognition with the position and a veteran presence to help Moore grow into his HC position? I don’t think you want a whole staff growing into positions they have no experience in at all. that could be a disaster. i mean Moore was just a position coach five years ago with Central Michigan,not exactly a great resume up until his success here.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:27 PM ^
I said when minter left you either make Clink the DC or lose him.
February 10th, 2024 at 2:30 PM ^
That’s a shame. I wouldn’t have minded him or Elston to be DC.
February 10th, 2024 at 3:46 PM ^
Moore was on the same staff as Clink for 3 yrs. Clearly he saw something he didn't like.
That doesn't mean Moore is infallible - he may not have a clue himself. We will see in 3 years. But clearly if he saw Clink as the right option he wouldn't be going out of house as he barely has at any other position.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:42 AM ^
Because Clink changed his mind after they hired Wink, you disparage insiders. Blame the fickleness of the men making the decisions. It gets tiresome when the first response is to blame the reporters for “being wrong” when coaches…change their minds, or even lie to reporters before they sign their MOU/new contract.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:48 AM ^
fIrE wArd
February 10th, 2024 at 2:45 PM ^
I’ll say one thing for Sam, he was right about one thing: Harbaugh values loyalty.
But the opposite is true too. Now that he’s no longer loyal to Michigan, he is going to gut every part of the program for himself, consequences to Michigan be damned.
February 10th, 2024 at 5:08 PM ^
I give Harbaugh a pass because he won us the National Championship.
But at this point, he's really using up his goodwill. If he merely won the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl, I'd think he was scum right now.
February 10th, 2024 at 7:55 PM ^
Sorry, I disagree, Sam Web is great! Even if he somehow got this one wrong.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:08 AM ^
Maybe this last departure is a further indication that those leaving don't have that much conficence in Sherrone Moore and the future at Michigan, moving forward. It seems like the possibility of a wholesale departure of most of the staff would have been checked out by the AD (and Sherrone) prior to Moore's promotion.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:21 AM ^
It shows that Sherrone did not prioritize retaining Jim's staff. If that's what he truly valued, Clink and Elston would be co-DCs. Their departures were easy to predict. Obviously, he values having an experienced DC more.
It's not the direction I was hoping Moore would choose, but I hope he is vindicated.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:36 AM ^
Maybe they are good position coaches, but not ready or capable of being a good DC.
We pretty much kept every offensive coach and lost every defensive coach.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
I think that’s rather telling unfortunately 😕
February 10th, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
We promoted 2 offensive coaches and 0 defensive coaches. That heavily influenced the stay vs. go decisions.
February 10th, 2024 at 12:34 PM ^
Which is extra dumb because the defensive side of the ball is the side where we need to retain players instead of letting them get poached. You’ve now lost position coaches for Will Johnson, Grant, and Graham.
edit: actually you’ve lost position coaches for every player on defense
February 10th, 2024 at 11:58 AM ^
How do you know this?
February 10th, 2024 at 12:30 PM ^
Promotion and retention arent the same thing.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:23 AM ^
I think it's just a perfect storm of timing and opportunity. Nobody who's been in college football for awhile will pass up an opportunity to move up to the NFL. And if you were a part of a national championship winning staff, there's only one way to go.
February 10th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
It's a debacle of fucking epic proportions. How this isn't sorted out weeks ago before Sherrone is even named coach is just beyond me. How are the people in charge of a $130M/year business so incompetent?
February 10th, 2024 at 11:52 AM ^
Oh, the annoying dramatics of fans. I find the hiring of an OC who leaves a few weeks later more a debacle. Or losing your HC to a conference opponent demotion in position…
We have the HC, the OC, and a veteran, proven new DC. The DC may want his guys—and Clink may have had the change of heart when he saw that or was told that he wasn’t going to be groomed or given more responsibilities. Wink Martindale has been well respected for 99% of his coaching career. He’s an NFL guy who’s going to provide the returning starters on defense with even more NFL preparation.