Alabama Coming After Chris Partridge, But Sam Thinks He'll Stay; Other Coaching Notes
Sam Webb was back on WTKA this morning after being gone covering recruiting. He had a lot of insights on the coaching situation:
• Alabama is coming after Chris Partridge, but Sam thinks Harbaugh will give him more money and he'll stay here. Sam also said CP is likely to be the safeties coach.
• Sam's heard nothing to indicate Drevno and Pep are leaving.
• Dan Enos' role has not yet been defined. If he's not the OC, he'll still likely have a role in play-calling. He turned down a chance to be the Rutgers OC to come to Michigan. (Duh)
• Al Washington is going to coach on defense; don't know where the rumor started that he'd be coaching running backs.
I was listening in the car, so I hope I got all that right.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
We'd be playing tonight
January 8th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^
Why would we add Enos as a playcaller if both Drevno and Pep are staying....that makes 4 people involved in offensive playcalling...way too many.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
I don't think we have the horses - well, we had Shetland Ponies. The 2016 line was not good in space, and couldn't maul people off the line. And we didn't have a RB that could hurt a defense, either. Last year was just a fucking brutal mess across the OL. Higdon came into his own late in the year, as did Evans, but it was too little, too late behind the 3rd string QB.
I'm hoping those Shetlands grow into Clydesdales starting in 2018.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:20 AM ^
Depends on what you mean by "playcalling". You probably don't want 4 people on the mic during games, but 4 people involved in creating schemes and plays during game prep is welcome. If you can't get a "guru" type (which is rare and which Enos, Drevno, and Hamilton clearly aren't), then I want as much creative input as possible during prep.
January 8th, 2018 at 1:48 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
is also calling plays how many coaches will be calling plays next year? Drevno calls them, I believe Harbaugh occassionally calls them and doesn't Pep also have input on play calling? Seems like we're getting too many cooks in the kitchen.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 11:21 AM ^
Drevno was hoping for another college opportunity, and he might leave for a NFL gig if one is offered (but this is unlikely).
Pep desperatly wants to get an NFL gig, but it's hard to say where he will end up until some HC slots get filled. Probably be a QB coach for someone if he gets a gig.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
In Harbaugh I trust.
I am waiting to see what unfolds before formulating a final opinion.
However:
1. The team was soft; hopefully a new strength coach goes toward fixing this.
2. We need to see a team prepared to kick some ass, period.
Go Blue!
January 8th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^
In Harbaugh I trust.
I am waiting to see what unfolds before formulating a final opinion.
However:
1. The team was soft; hopefully a new strength coach goes toward fixing this.
2. We need to see a team prepared to kick some ass, period.
Go Blue!
January 8th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^
Pretty much agree.....
I doubt anyone wants to win more than Jim wants to win.
January 8th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^
A haiku?
January 8th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
I agree with this, especially since he has relationships with them and also wouldn't want to burn his insider sources within the staff. If things are meant to be kept confidential, he will keep them confidential. Sometimes you can read into his "confidence" that can be read from his tone of voice and get some hints, but I wouldn't take much of this coaching info with too much seriousness. Everything he said today was very open ended and more opinion based than factual or "gut feeling"ish. The only factual information that I would take out of this is that Drevno and Pep's role on this staff is not yet defined nor is Partridge.
January 8th, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^
Why would Alabama be coming after Partridge? No offense meant towards Chris. Is this his second/third year coaching? Two different positions in those years? Did those positions show marked improvement under his watch?
I know he seems to be one of our better recruiters , but after Wheatley left that isn't saying much on this team.
Just makes me wonder what he is doing so well that he is on Alabamas radar?
January 8th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
Cool... another WD account.
January 8th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Satan wants to keep one of the very best recruiters in the country out of 'his' territory. This is about him hoarding talent... It's about recruiting, not coaching.
January 8th, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^
Pep has an NFL offer and is just waiting until end of NFL playoffs to announce. Same kind of inside rumor was out there on Frey about FSU and that came true. I don't think Harbaugh hires Enos if Pep is coming back. My guess is ...
Drevno stays as OL coach and run game coordinator
Enos is QB coach and pass game cordinator
Jay stays on offense (likely back to TEs) and special teams
Hope we hire legit RB and WR coaches ... hard-ass types like Zordich has been for the DBs.
Herbert at S&C and pro-style Enos indicates JH is going back to his manball roots. And JH will be much more active in offense for 2018 season - both in game planning and play calling. Enos will be in the booth and Drevno be on the field come game-day.
January 8th, 2018 at 12:17 PM ^
I heard that M matched Alabama salary so Partridge is staying.
I also heard Pep is waiting on NFL offers. He will pick the best one and be gone.
Lets Hope!
January 8th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
He seemed to have Peters ready at least for a red shirt freshman.
O'Korn just wasn't good. After the injury, Fisch wasn't able to bring Speight back either.
Pep has a long history of success and that he was bad this year is a very dubious conclusion based on one year and our roster of quarterbacks where the most talented ones were a redshirt and true freshman.
I won't be upset if he leaves, but I don't get all the hating he's getting
January 8th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^
Pep has a long history of success
As OC at Howard:
1999: #43 offense
2000: #103 offense
2001: #82 offense
As OC at Stanford:
2011: #8 offense
2012: #29 offense
As OC Indianapolis:
2013: #15/32 offense
2014: #6 offense
2015: #24 offense
January 8th, 2018 at 2:23 PM ^
That's not a shabby record over his first eight years as an OC, and he's not even OC here
January 8th, 2018 at 2:29 PM ^
doesnt scream to much success to me, i think a guy named Luck helped more with those numbers, really only 2 good years and a decent one out of 8
January 8th, 2018 at 2:32 PM ^
#8 and #29 at Stanford is really good.
And #15 in his first year in the NFL and #6 in his second is really good.
His last year wasn't so hot, but the Colts have been doing poorly.
Speaking of which, to your Luck comment, I agree that Luck is a huge asset, but a QB can't create a top D without players and the schemes around them.
You really don't look at Stanford and his first three years in the NFL overall and say wow, that's actually pretty good?
January 8th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^
#8 at Stanford is really good.
#29 (coming off #6-2009, #3 - 2010, #8 - 2011) is mediocre to ok.
#15 in the NFL isn't really good... it's just mediocre.
I'd say there are:
2 good years (2011 Stanford, 2014 Colts)
3 mediocre years (1999 Howard, 2012 Stanford, 2013 Colts)
3 bad years (2000 Howard, 2001 Howard, 2015 Colts)
January 8th, 2018 at 3:17 PM ^
Stanford: #29/120 or so is way above average. Stanford wasn't exactly a recruiting powerhouse when he did it. So you're saying 90 OCs are medocre to suck?
Colts: And while #15 is "medocre," it was as I pointed out his first year as a coordinator in the NFL. That's pretty good.
As for Howard, I don't really have a basis to evaluate his performance. It was also where he was cutting his teeth as a coordinator.
Your grading curve seems unreasonably harsh for a relatively young coach for performances that aren't that bad. And #8 NCAA and #6 NFL are pretty damned good for any OC
January 8th, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 5:30 PM ^
by that standard since no one is good we can't hire anyone
January 8th, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 2:24 PM ^
Why?
January 8th, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 8:52 PM ^
... hyperbole is a great argument. but wow, it isn't.
So we have a redshirt freshman as our best QB passing to freshmen WRs, and it's the fault of the ... coach. Yeah, sure it is ...
January 8th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
- I support JH. And he wants to win as much as or more than anyone.
- I don't blame JH or recruiting or Drevno for the OL. I believe 2018 is the year we turn the corner, and 2019 we become truly successful on the OL. I say this because the OL affects everything on the offense, and they haven't been good.
- I also don't blame Pep for the QB disaster, for all the freshmen receivers, for the OL. Next year we "should" have a better OL, a better QB, and receivers who know how to run routes. Let's see what that does.
- Frey or Drevno needed to go. They weren't really on the same page, and we paid the price in 2017. You could have gone either way, but not both. Harbaugh has chosen. While the power football design is not as common, and hardest to do riight, I personally believe it will eventually pay dividends in terms of championships. It isn't a gimmick, but a long term strategy, the kind necessary to beat OSU.
- I'm completely with Brian in terms of hot takes, and a lack of patience, and "off with their heads," "fire the coaches," mentality. Smh. Michigan has been a disaster, and it takes time to rebuild and recover.
- I absolutely don't care about the money. The football team is paying it's way. Go ahead and pay the assistant coaches and position coaches whatever you can to keep them.
- Definitely want to keep Partridge. And I think that Washington will be a big part of better recruiting, especially in OH and PA.
January 8th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
Don't get me wrong, I agree with most of what you said.
One question though. How do you know that Drevno and Pep were "weren't really on the same page?"
January 8th, 2018 at 1:53 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 10:40 PM ^
Finally!! A rational and cogent poster on MGoBlog. I was thinking this was turning into some sort weird anti-universe RCMB.
(Most posters know, but blow by the fact that we had 40 freshman and 18 sophomores on the 2017 team.)
January 8th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
company-man sam webb is doing his job. 2 days after signing day both pep and drev will probably be gone.*
January 8th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 3:12 PM ^
Whatever happens can we please not split play calling duties. Lets just name a OC and let him run it. That said Pep is still free to go
January 8th, 2018 at 3:42 PM ^
We need a legit RB coach. Now. I would love for Mike Hart to get the position.
January 8th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^