DCC: Iowa State DC follows UMichfootball on Twitter
https://twitter.com/WolverineCorner/status/1346355943173455873
Perhaps he is trolling. Perhaps it means more. I know folks here love to conspire.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:51 AM ^
Did Matt Campbell follow UM Football yet?
January 5th, 2021 at 9:51 AM ^
We can only hope.
January 5th, 2021 at 10:11 AM ^
"we"
nope
January 5th, 2021 at 10:40 AM ^
Let's see:
Young, passionate coach who has made chicken soup out of the scraps in Ames.
Or.
Coach who doesn't want to be here, waiting on an NFL job, looks like a zombie on the sideline.
I'll go with the first choice.
January 5th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
Indeed. I have a feeling Campbell could get the team fired up and do well in his first year. Could I be wrong? Sure but I’d wager he could have a better 2021 season than Harbaugh
January 5th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
There's only one way to find out...let's have them both coach the team and we'll play every game twice. Winner take all!
January 5th, 2021 at 1:02 PM ^
Or, like Roman counsels where each coaches every other game.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:49 PM ^
Interesting how an original post about a tweet about Heacock turns into a thread about a guy, Campbell, who does not appear to be in play at all.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Campbell is a huge gamble in my opinion. I think there is an equal chance that he either makes the program elite or is the final nail in the coffin that spirals us down to Nebraska level. I can see the argument for both sides. We know Harbaugh won't make the team elite but we know he won't tank the program either (2020 exception). Those that are scared of the program fading into obscurity will likely not take the gamble and take the known yet uninspiring option. Those that either already feel like we've hit rock bottom or do not want to accept anything other than outstanding success might be more prone to roll the dice.
Campbell is by no means a home run hire nor a sure thing but what he does offer is a shiny new ball of hype and hope. Seems like we've had plenty of those recently. As long as Harbaugh is not completely checked out (which is definitely a possibility based on recent events), then I'm still in the camp that Harbaugh is the best option to sustain a 8-10 win average until a more promising hire becomes available while also stabilizing the recruiting fronts we have in 2022. Obviously this opinion is degrading every day until he makes an announcement.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I think the argument could be made that Campbell is a better option to stabilize the program. I do not view Campbell as a home run hire but rather a guy who knows how to build a program and keep it going. He probably won’t get us over the top, but I have little doubt that he will keep the program competitive on a yearly basis and win some important games along the way (something Harbaugh has mostly failed to do).
This year has eroded my faith that Harbaugh can even re-stabilize the program. And now throw in the fact that if he does return it will be known that UM was his second choice. He’s gonna have to re-develop relationships across the board and that is not exactly his strong suit.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:29 AM ^
I disagree with your assertion that Campbell is a better option to stabilize the program but I do agree that recent events are making the job only harder for Harbaugh. Personally, I think Campbell would come in and inject some energy and life into the program, have some early success and the warts would then begin to show. We have no idea how he is as a recruiter at the top level or whether or not he is a good enough coach to topple a giant like OSU. Harbaugh as a coaching prospect in 2015 was better than Campbell as a prospect in 2021 by every single metric. Harbaugh injected energy into the program and succeeded right away only for the program to degrade over time. What makes you think Campbell's tenure will be any different (aside from the fact that he is much less proven of a hire than Harbaugh was in 2015)?
You'll point to Campbell beating Oklahoma. I'll point to Harbaugh beating a USC juggernaut. You'll point Campbell resurrecting ISU from the dead. Harbaugh did the same thing at Stanford only much more successfully. This program has eaten up coaches much more established and decorated than Campbell. I'm afraid Campbell is Hoke 2.0.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
Campbell is winning at a historically mediocre P5 program. Hoke had two very good seasons at a MAC school and SDSU. There’s no comparison between the two.
January 5th, 2021 at 12:17 PM ^
Of the coaches since Lloyd left, Campbell would be the third most accomplished coach out of four.
1. Harbaugh (Good start, trending downward)
2. Rich Rod (Started as a dumpster fire, trended upward)
3. Campbell (theoretically)
4. Hoke (Good start, ended in a dumpster fire)
Now tell me why the 3rd most accomplished coaches on this list will succeed where others have failed?
January 5th, 2021 at 12:28 PM ^
I don't think you're completely off-base here, but I also think there's some holes in your argument.
- I'm interested in what warts you expect would come out after the honeymoon period with Campbell. It seems that he has improved the programs at both Toledo and Iowa St exponentially during his time there (both at least 4 seasons). Iowa St has reached levels that they've never seen before and there has been nary a negative word about the program or Campbell himself
- Hard to judge the guy's recruiting chops at a program like Iowa State. That said, some food for thought: Campbell was the first offer that current M signee JJ McCarthy had back in 2017. Guy has an eye for talent - but getting it to come to Ames is tough sell.
- I can't argue that Harbaugh wasn't the best coaching prospect available when he was hired in '15, but to say that Campbell is much less proven is not even close to accurate. When JH took the Michigan job, he had 4 years of FBS experience (San Diego doesn't cut it). If Campbell is the HC at Michigan in 2021, it will be his 10th year heading up an FCB program and his 6th year at a Power 5 school. Not including the NFL experience here for JH is probably not fair - but you could argue that his time in the NFL has not translated well to the college game or Michigan.
Finally, your last paragraph is where you lose me. Every Harbaugh success that you've pointed out, happened at Stanford. Every Campbell success you point out, happened in the last year. When JH got to Stanford, they were certainly bad and getting worse. But they had made 4 bowls (including a Rose) with Ty Willingham 6 years previously. This year Matt Campbell and Iowa State will finish in the Top 10. For comparison - Iowa State has only finished ranked in the Top 25 as a whole TWICE in the history of the program! He didn't resurrect the Iowa State program from the dead - there wasn't anything to resurrect before he got there.
January 5th, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
Toledo was already a MAC power when he took over. They won MAC titles under Pinkel and Armstutz.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:29 PM ^
Kind've missing my point, but ok. FWIW, Toledo was 35-39 in the 6 seasons prior to Campbell's arrival and was 35-15 during his 4 years there. No doubt Tim Beckman started the turnaround in 2010, but Campbell finished the job and then some. Finished in the top 25 for the first time in 11 years in 2012 and twice overall while he was there (something that hadn't been done since Gary Pinkel was HC). Averaged almost 9 wins a year for a program that averages 6-7 wins a year (1962- present). Toledo may have been a good MAC team before he got there (hadn't actually won a MAC title since 2004), but he raised them up "a bit."
January 5th, 2021 at 3:36 PM ^
You have made this assertion before. But it is still wrong. There is no such thing as a MAC power. The MAC is too balanced to have perennial powers. There have not been any dominant MAC programs for a long time.
January 5th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
What Harbaugh did at Stanford is no longer relevant, that was practically a lifetime ago. What has he done at Michigan? What Campbell has done is relevant as its recent and with his current program with much less resources than Jim has at his disposal with Michigan.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^
Is Campbell a hotter coaching prospect than Harbaugh is right now? Of course. I'm trying to be realistic with expectations regarding Campbell. If Harbaugh and all his accomplishments in 2015 couldn't get it done then what in Campbell's resume suggests he can take the same institution and make it better than Harbaugh did from 2015-2020?
January 5th, 2021 at 1:38 PM ^
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll say this - we are having a conversation about stability. That is simply not what Harbaugh brings. He brings immediate energy and life followed by decline. This is evident in his two most recent coaching stops where things have gone sideways in a hurry. I just don't think Harbaugh is the type of guy to stay somewhere for 10+ years. Eventually, his energy gives out and he tends to grate on people that he works with. Also, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that his players at Michigan don't really love playing for him (I don't think this requires examples but plenty could be given). They may not dislike or hate him, but the effort shown this year is enough to make me think that at the very least he lost their respect.
From what has been said about Campbell, I think he brings the exact opposite personality. There are articles out there about how good he is at relationship building with players. His players at Iowa State absolutely love playing for him. So, I disagree with your comment that he would "have some early success and the warts would then begin to show." He knows how to coach at a high level and he has the people skills to last a long time at a place like Michigan. I don't think with the talent that he will be able to bring in that he would ever have a season as bad as what we saw this year. I could be wrong, but I for one would rather take my chances with a guy like Campbell. And to be clear, I'm not expecting him to get us on equal or better footing as OSU. I'm in the camp of people who think that barring fundamental changes to college football or the way football is treated at Michigan, that this just isn't possible.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
Thanks, this argument makes a lot of sense to me. Harbaugh certainly has a track record and this might just be another stop on the roller coaster ride of Harbaugh's coaching career. But i'm also wondering if Michigan's woes are a Harbaugh/Hoke/Rich Rod problem or a Michigan problem? Have we just been hiring entirely unlikeable coaches who stew toxicity in the program? Hoke seemed to be a relatively likeable guy, good recruiter and a terrible schematic coach. It is easy to succeed at ISU, Toledo, San Diego, and Stanford where expectations are either low or non-existent. It's another animal all together to coach under the pressure of the Michigan stadium lights. Of course i'll support Campbell if he gets hired here but these are the reasons why I have a cautioned opinion in getting excited for Campbell when Harbaugh failed. You're culture and likeability assessment does give me some hope though.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:27 PM ^
Very few have toppled OSU lately.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:59 PM ^
Harbaugh beat USC 10 years ago. Campbell beat Oklahoma this year. Not much of a comparison.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:46 PM ^
Difference is, the Harbaugh we have isn’t the same guy that built Stanford. He’s not the guy who coached San Francisco to three straight NFC title games. Hell, he’s not even the same guy he was in 2015 or 2016.
So comparing THAT Harbaugh to Campbell doesn’t make any sense since we don’t have that guy.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:49 PM ^
You make a decent argument, so good job there, but you lose steam at the end, because Harbaugh's accomplishments all came at Stanford, not Michigan. 2021 Harbaugh is a cardboard cutout of Stanford Harbaugh, with about as much fire.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:24 AM ^
For me, I don't really care if this program becomes Nebraska-level vs what they are now. What's the difference? Beating average teams and not winning anything does nothing for me.
Roll the dice. This whole "stability" does nothing for me as a fan. There are always like 5-7 games built in as auto-Ws every season. Winning a couple more "toss-up" games doesn't move the needle.
Harbaugh's checked out. It's not a possibility. He is.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:37 PM ^
I agree with you that it feels no different for me than if we were Nebraska. It's meaningless to win 9 or 10 games a year when you can't beat OSU, barely beat MSU, not go to the B1G championship game, not go to a big bowl or the playoffs.
I am not sure Harbaugh's checked out. I REALLY REALLY hope he has checked out. Because if he hasn't, if he's really trying, then he is broken as a coach.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:41 PM ^
Not sure I agree with you. Winning 9 to 10 games is much better than what we experienced this year (futility, hopelessness, ridiculed not only by our rivals but the entire country). That is what Nebraska has been for the past few years. Would you really rather relive this season 3-4 straight times or the 8-10 win seasons we've experienced under Harbaugh with the beat downs from OSU and other strong opponents. Yeah, not looking to lose to App State or Toledo anymore.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
1. Every hire is a huge gamble. If our current situation proves nothing else, it proves this.
2. We are Nebraska. Once great program, now cannon fodder? Check. Does nothing well while continuing to recruit talent? Check. Former star QB now floundering head coach? Check.
3. While I could agree with you about Harbaugh not cratering the program a month ago, the way has handled this contract extension, has done nothing but breed instability in the program. What happens if next year is worse and not better?
It's time to move on. Campbell isn't perfect, but he's the best option for Michigan.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:40 AM ^
Agree that any coaching hire is a crap shoot. But we know what we have...a coach with a defined upside (10 wins) and a now defined downside (sub .500). He will not get the program to the "in the playoff picture," otherwise known as beating Ohio State.
So, its time to hire a new guy. Nobody is a perfect option except Saban, Meyer, Swinney, Day. But they ain't coming. We can go the Sarkisian retread route or we can take a shot with a young coach with a damn good track record. To me its swing for the fences with the young guy. Steady as she goes is the recipe for 9 wins in a good season.
One more thing. In what universe can anyone see an equivalence between what Campbell has done at Iowa State to anything Brady Hoke has achieved?
January 5th, 2021 at 12:04 PM ^
100% agree with everything. To expand on point number 2, I think it's funny how people here are still so convinced we aren't on Nebraska's level yet. We've been more relevant for about 3 seasons out of the last 4, but before that the programs had been pretty much equal on the field since 1997. And the team Michigan fielded in 2020 is every bit as bad as Scott Frost's have been. If you want to hang your hat on Harbaugh's 2016 and 2018 seasons, in which Michigan won: 0 conference or division titles, 0 bowls, and 0 games against OSU... well, I don't know what to tell you except that any superiority you perceive is just in your mind.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
Dude, Nebraska has 5 losing seasons out of the last 6, including 4 in a row.
Harbaugh has one losing year in 6, and his second worst year was 7-5 when he ended up with the third string QB.
Don't think the Callahan. Solich, or Pellini eras at Nebraska is very relevant to where they are now, as compared to were Michigan is at now.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Other huge gambles: Bo Schembechler (with all the 3 loss seasons at Miami Ohio), Jim Tressel (Youngstown State).
To win big, you have to take big risks and be willing to fail big. If you're not willing to take big risks and want to play it safe, then you'll remain stuck in mediocrity in perpetuity, like Michigan is now.
It is an even bigger risk for a guy like Campbell to leave what he built at Iowa State, basically a job for life, and turn Michigan into a serious Big 10 contender. Just because we might want him, doesn't mean we will get him.
January 5th, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
We know harbaugh won't tank the program (2020 exception)
?
that's not how that works
January 5th, 2021 at 12:55 PM ^
Did you not watch us play this year? We already are Nebraska. The only thing that saved us from more embarrassing losses was covid rules.
We are currently spiraling under Harbaugh. You are choosing to ride a plane that is already on fire with the hope that maybe the fire can be put out mid-flight because it was a wonderful plane 6 years ago by choosing to extend Harbaugh. A brand new plane is a new hope for a fan base that is numb and giving up watching games religiously like we have in the past. Not to mention Harbaugh is stringing us along as plan B so he can feel out what kind of NFL interests he gets. Why/How is a coach that is trending downwards after 6 years and coming of his worst year by far our best hope at sustaining 8-10 wins a year? The hole we are in was 100% dug by Harbaugh and his hires.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:24 PM ^
Harbaugh won't check out, but the players might on him.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:58 PM ^
I am of the personal opinion that it’s worth the gamble. Though I do agree with you for the most part. The only thing that makes me thing otherwise about Harbaugh tanking the program the game against MSU, circa 2020. I just can’t get past it.
January 5th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^
I don't think people consider personality enough. If you watch Campbell on the sideline, he is fiery and passionate and he is very interesting to listen to in his press conferences. You can easily see players connecting with him. Now look at Harbaugh and Hoke. Like you said, Harbaugh looks like a zombie and he's weird as hell and appears to not even care anymore. From what I've read, he has also never been known to be a master motivator. Hoke seems like a nice guy, but he was far from charismatic and he's pretty irritating to listen to. All the great coaches have a certain presence about them.
January 5th, 2021 at 2:41 PM ^
Wait, so you’re telling me you moved on from the ‘qb whisperer’ Fickell?
January 5th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
Campbell has always been my #1 choice. Fickell is probably second.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:25 PM ^
Only this fan base would want to trade a .727 regular season win % for a .559 win %...
We may need a change in the future but Campbell and his .559% win % at ISU is not the answer.
Considering the current coaches available, Harbaugh is the answer today.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:54 PM ^
Lazy to look at his winning percentage and not take it in context. Campbell is at Iowa State. A P5 doormat that is always in the bottom half of recruiting in their conference.
Michigan is the second best recruiting team in the conference and is easily the most talented team in 9+ of their games. Michigan SHOULD have a better winning percentage.
What Campbell is doing at Iowa State is similar to someone winning 8-9 games consistently at Illinois or Purdue. Do you realize the coaching ability it would require to do that? And then you want to be lazy and go “well they didn’t win as much as Michigan or OSU.”
January 5th, 2021 at 10:53 AM ^
What does Flight Tracker say?
January 5th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
Waiting for Sir Yacht and Counterstrike Guy or it's not happening.
January 5th, 2021 at 1:43 PM ^
No but the New York Jets are
January 5th, 2021 at 9:52 AM ^
ZOMG!!!!!
January 5th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
I cant wait for soup to lead us to the glory days of a 9-3 season with a 31 point loss to OSU to close out the year.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:55 AM ^
Hey, at least it would be different this time!!!!!!
January 5th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
So you think Campbell is not an upgrade at all over Harbaugh? I would disagree with that.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:58 AM ^
Honestly I have no idea if hes a upgrade or not
I just think we're cursed as a program.