Per Bruce Feldman: Don Brown Has Been Sacked
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:16 PM ^
Scapegoats are a huge part of harbaugh’s tenure here thus far
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:06 PM ^
The alternative would be keeping people who underperform. I'm not sure how you measure performance but assuming it is beating OSU he underperformed.
December 22nd, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
Who has underperformed more than Harbaugh?
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:35 PM ^
If Harbaugh was coming back, he was going to have to make changes to the staff. I still think he will wait until after the NFL season to sign or not sign the extension.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
Let's hope we get someone who can change up during a game when the initial plan isn't working. Still, though, that 2016 defense was insanely good...
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:14 PM ^
Yes, 2016 was hot sex. But then I think, Ron English once did this, and that defense was also hot sex. Don Brown defenses have been pretty damn good here, but there are some problems that we need to fix, and this hopefully starts that trend.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:33 PM ^
I think people also underrate that 2017 defense; they didn't drop nearly as much as I expected and gave UM a fighting chance against OSU in a game where Michigan was down to O'Korn and air on offense.
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:21 PM ^
MAN if we could have tried air instead
December 23rd, 2020 at 10:38 AM ^
They were doing great until Barrett got injured and Haskins came in. As soon as Haskins hit the field, Brown's defense was exposed and still hasn't recovered.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:34 PM ^
Am I missing something? So everyone here thinks 2016's defense was just unbelievable? Please tell me what offense that was legit that season that we shut down? Or not even shut down, but stopped them when it mattered!?!? Instead of whining about a spot, how do you let the RB who was stopped in his tracks in the backfield, reverse field and gain all that yardage? How do you let FSU march right down the field to beat you? Ya, Michigan's defense that year could shut down one dimensional 3 yards and a cloud of dust offenses. But they can't be a great defense if they lose the last 2 games because of their inability to get a stop. MSUs defense against OSU in their win in Columbus was a great defense.
December 22nd, 2020 at 9:38 PM ^
I'd also like to add that this "great" 2016 defense of ours gave up at least 200 yards rushing 3 times that season. MSU,OSU, and FSU.
December 23rd, 2020 at 10:54 AM ^
MSUs defense against OSU in their win in Columbus was a great defense.
It also doesn't hurt to be playing in the middle of hurricane. The weather let the defense load the box with no fear of the forward pass.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
Fond memories of the dude but it was time
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
All things come to an end. Good Luck Don.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
He was a problem. He’s not thee problem.
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:46 PM ^
Solve your problems with aggression.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
And so it has begun!
Thanks for 95 yards against MSU but it is time.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Thank you for your time Don, but this is a positive thing.
Will miss your early years success!
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:25 PM ^
This speech is literally the only thing that was allowing me to give him a pass over the last couple of seasons.. but yes, it’s time to move on.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Yes!!!! Had to be done.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Expected.
Goodbye to Dr. Blitz and his stache.
-----
Don Brown was all class on the trail. Told recruits he likely wouldn’t be there next season but to stick with Michigan for its great opportunities. #GoBlue
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:16 PM ^
This to me is really special. maybe it happens all the time, maybe it doesn't. Class is one thing that I still really enjoy about this University
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:31 PM ^
That’s DBs character. The university is not delivering that message to recruits. To be fair, maybe you meant the university employees those that adhere to Michigan’s ethos.
December 22nd, 2020 at 7:22 PM ^
The latter
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
Yeah, that's not one recruits are saying.
https://twitter.com/orion_sang/status/1341502646994292737?s=20
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:46 PM ^
I ask this with all due respect. Has he been living under a rock?
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:17 PM ^
However, Coach Harbaugh better hire the right assistants this offseason.
If Harbaugh keeps changing coordinators and the results (re: wins & losses) don't change, then how long before the common denominator (re: head coach) is finally terminated?
2021 will be year 7. That will be 4 more than Rich Rod got and 3 more than Hoke got.
I want Harbaugh to succeed. Badly. But he needs to deliver SOON.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:27 PM ^
Agree. Not saying this wasn’t the right move but feels a little like DB is the scapegoat here. Another failed staff underneath Harbaugh will be the end.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:33 PM ^
Coordinators are always the scapegoat before true blame is placed in its rightful spot. The only hope at this point is some coaches (Harbs**) reignite their coaching fires and show some grit.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:56 PM ^
Scape goat? 2017, Harbaugh's worst team until this season, starting 3rd team QB John O'Korn [Peters and Speight both hurt] is somehow beating Ohio State in the 3rd quarter when J. T. Barrett goes down with a leg injury. In comes rarely used Dwayne Haskins who proceeds to carve up the Michigan secondary with crossing patterns.
That was 2017 and Brown still hasn't figured out how to stop those crossing patterns:
2017 Haskins 6-7 94 yds 0 - 0
2018 Haskins 20 - 31 396 yds 6 - 0
2019 Fields 14 - 25 302 yds 4 - 0
In roughly the last 9 1/2 quarters, Ohio State QB's have done damage to Brown's pass defense.
40 - 63 792 yds 10 - 0 63.4%
The Brown magic wasn't working any more and a change needed to be made. Harbaugh did what needed to be done with axing Drevno and Pep, now it is time to address the defense.
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:57 PM ^
I'm not a defensive expert....just a fan with observations based on what i see. Northwestern ran a 4 man front with two big bodies at the DT position, and for the most part held the Buckeyes in check. This you could say was with inferior talent than what we could field in a similar scheme. I have to believe that to beat the Buckeyes the 3-3-5 doesn't work...nor against power teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, etc.... Whomever the new DC is I hope he can adapt and provide more of a presence and beef up front. To me that is what we need to make these games more competitive.
Just my two cents.....
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:51 PM ^
OSU ran for 400 yds dude.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:08 PM ^
Not going to celebrate his downfall as he was great for 2-3 years. He failed us the past few years.
I will celebrate the fact that UM recognized that a change was needed and made it. Hopefully the new DC is great.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:08 PM ^
those damn crossing patterns. . .
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:08 PM ^
a posbang for the termination of a guy whose defenses ranked on average #4 nationally during his tenure here (excepting this year)? i support the change of direction for DC, but come on, the guy did some great work here. i'm glad he was here and i wish him very well.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:12 PM ^
Defense got worse every year as the Hoke/Durkin era recruits filtered out. His scheme worked well enough (OSU games excluded) when we had top CB and DT talent...but he has failed to recruit and develop that.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:14 PM ^
Thought maybe he would just retire. Heard some things about his wife tweeting "be careful what you ask for...."
December 22nd, 2020 at 5:38 PM ^
Retire? Why? Prolly getting paid his full salary next year. Maybe $2 mill. Who would retire in those circumstances?
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:14 PM ^
Well said. Dude wasn't perfect, but he was a absolutely amazing at times.
Never heard a bad word about him in terms of personality or extracurriculars. Count me as sad that he couldn't keep the success up.
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:02 PM ^
I was in the stadium in 2016 when we were going for our 3rd shutout in a row. The atmosphere in the 4th quarter against NW was pretty awesome. He must have been doing something right back than and its a shame it had to end this way......
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:09 PM ^
That Northwestern game was 2015 and Durkin was DC.
December 22nd, 2020 at 6:53 PM ^
The "DEFENSE!" chant at the end was something I won't soon forget.
December 22nd, 2020 at 8:54 PM ^
Wrong year, wrong DC.
Enjoy your awesome memory
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
It's a poor look and our fans have very short memories. Being up in arms about the performance of the defense this year is probably not reasonable given the insane circumstances of this season, and not to mention our roster being one of the very youngest in all of CFB. Being upset about performances against OSU's passing attack or Wisconsin's rushing attack in past seasons is more reasonable, but I think that is more Jimmies and Joes than Xs and Os (which is still the responsibility of the coaches).
Hopefully we can find someone who is a little better at in game adjustments, and a lot better at recruiting top talent (not that I'm at all unhappy with some of the underrated guys that Brown has brought in, some of them have turned into outstanding players, but we need to bring in some top athletic talent as well to keep up).
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:20 PM ^
That is fair and I was more so just happy that a giant negative can now be turned into positive progress. Not the best title for everything he did for the University of Michigan.
Dr. Blitz! We have great memories. I'm thinking of him fondly being carried on the shoulders of our defense after winning a sword fight in Europe.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:32 PM ^
Agreed, in addition to what we all saw on Saturday's, I think he should be commended for how he represented the team. Tough but not a jerk. Had integrity. Willing to talk to media without too much crazy coach speak.
It was time to move on that simple.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:34 PM ^
Agree XM.
silver lining: shows Michigan still values beating OSU, as the last two games against OSU was the reason. Hell- we held Alabama to less points (don’t know the delta between Alabama and OSU, but you get my just.)
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:48 PM ^
This was a posbang? Yes!
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:08 PM ^
Harbaugh is obviously going to be signing his extension soon, and has actually probably already done so, considering this news.
Don did an admirable job and served the program well for his first two years. Mixed bag the last three.
December 22nd, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
Why the hell would they not announce it if he had signed already?