End of season coaching reviews / changes.
Out of all of the coaches I believe Ed Warriner is about the only one that really enters that A grade area. His offensive lines have regularly showed progress as seasons have wore on. Not sure I could say that about any other position coach. Curious to hear others thoughts on this and whether anyone thinks that Harbaugh will make any changes to this staff over the off season.
January 2nd, 2020 at 7:53 AM ^
We need Dlineman and whoever let it get to this point should be canned. As far as everyone freaking out about Bama goes. For Christ sakes, we all predicted an absolute beat down and based off of Bamas recruiting versus ours, we overperformed yesterday. If Shea could have just hit 25% of his deep balls we’re singing a different tune.
January 2nd, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
Well the only people that I imagine are responsible for the lack of true d lineman are don brown and Benedict Mattison. This is Shaun nua’s first year so he can’t be blamed for that
January 2nd, 2020 at 12:29 PM ^
Mattsson was telling players/recruits he was going to Osu obvi. And now Nua is playing big time catchup.
That’s a total guess with zero evidence but I’m sticking to it and it true i tell you!
January 2nd, 2020 at 7:54 AM ^
I don’t care what anyone says on this board. Facts are facts and Don Brown including Zordich needs to go. Even the national pundits make comments about his all or nothing philosophy. If your going to spend money then hire a MODERN DC. I know people in this board defend him but it’s ridiculous at this point.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:16 AM ^
My biggest problem with Brown is actually Harbaugh. Let me explain. No, I’m not the hugest fan of this boom or bust defense. But that being said, the head coach simply refuses to accept college football 2020 (and going forward) is basically flag football with pads. The objective of any team offensively before any game should be to score 40 points as fast as possible.
My point is, I wouldn’t have a problem with the occasional bust defensively if our offense actually used tempo, used 2020 game theory and could manage the clock effectively. We do none of those.
What is idiotic is pairing a high risk, high reward defense with an offense, by 2020 standards, is still conservative.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:18 AM ^
And we have a winner!! Someone gets it.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:25 AM ^
Best post in months on here.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:48 AM ^
This is a bizarre post. The problem with the defense is the offense doesn't play at breakneck speed?
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:03 AM ^
It is actually a really good take. My only disagreement is that I don't think our scheme is conservative right now, I just think that Patterson was an overrated prospect and could not make the necessary reads to run the offense. I did not see a team trying to play conservative football yesterday, I saw a QB who did not know when to throw the ball and who could not make the necessary throws when he did.
The pace at which our offense runs is a real problem, though. There were several times yesterday where the Bama D was reeling and ANY PLAY would have worked so long as it was ran quickly but we got the clap-look-clap show instead.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
I agree, I guess I should clarify in the sense of “conservative” in the sense of tempo and clock management at the end of either half. Scheme wise, I could quibble a bit as I’m more of an air raid with a QB that can run 6-8x a game but it’s fine, not overly conservative.
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
Also, our QB can't not see guys running wide open down the field with no one within 15 yards of them and not hit them. How many times did this happen this year? If you have a QB with vision we score 10 more TDs this year just based on those plays alone. I hope, whoever our next QB is, can see and make those pay off. Other teams don't seem to have a problem doing so. Why can't we ever seem to?
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^
but we got the clap-look-clap show instead
How much of that is related to this:
I just think that Patterson was an overrated prospect and could not make the necessary reads to run the offense
I'm wondering if Patterson just isn't that good at quickly analyzing things, and he needed that extra moment (the "look" between the claps) to settle himself. I also wonder how other coaches compensate for QBs that are a tick slow at that ... simpler scheme?
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:20 AM ^
To go along with all of this (which I agree)...What drives me crazy is that you knew Bama was going to make halftime adjustments...and you knew that we would not or rather, they wouldn't work...it just seems like the half time / in-game adjustments never happen or flat out don't work....
I had to hold my excitement back yesterday, because we have all got used to being gut punched for the past decade and a half....sigh - Go Blue!
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:37 AM ^
You raise a good point. At least from Bo through Lloyd, Michigan always adjusted well at halftime and usually had great third quarters. I might be mistaken, but I think it's been much different with JH.
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:32 AM ^
Don you mean one read Shea??
He is a one read and panic QB. If that first read is open he is pretty darn good but then his low football IQ takes hold of guy isn’t. This my problem with Bell getting all these targets. It’s not the Bell is the best WR it’s for some reason he is the first read all too often
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:50 AM ^
One of the things I hear about Joe Burrow at LSU is that he's really, really good at reading the defense quickly and making decisions on the fly. He may not be the most gifted athletically, but his ability to "see" the field more than makes up for that.
Burrow is a bit of a mystery to me: did the game slow down for him once he got to LSU? Or did Orgeron do something to help the game slow down for him? Also, were the OSU QBs that much better than Burrow when he was at Ohio State? Or did Urban Meyer "target fixate" on different QBs?
All this is me musing around the question of what in the hell is going on with the QBs at Michigan. Patterson was merely average. Patterson was 42nd out of a 100 nationally in overall passing. He was 53rd in QB rating. He was 95th out of 100 if you count *just* completion rate. Patterson started earlier in the season when he was clearly hurt ... was a hurt-Patterson still better than a healthy-McCaffrey? I find that hard to believe, given what we've seen of McCaffrey before. McCaffrey might not be a world-beater, but he had to be better than a hobbled Patterson who wouldn't exercise the run option much.
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:41 AM ^
Compare Patterson's deep throws with Jones'. Jones' first throw of the game was right on the money, as was his second TD, a deep throw that was inch-perfect past an outstretched LaVert Hill. In modern college football, your QB HAS to be able to hit those throws consistently, as they will be there. Burrows has done it all year, Fields was very good at it, and Jones did it yesterday. Shea did not, and in fact I can't remember the last time we had a QB who could consistently hit guys downfield. Until that happens opposing defenses will cheat their safeties and LBs and we will have no choice but to grind out yards rather than the quick strike that is the bread and butter of successful teams.
January 2nd, 2020 at 12:45 PM ^
I always kept holding onto the hope that Patterson miraculously turns into his 5 star self. Sigh. That game yesterday was Okorn esk. It was dumbfounding. On our first drive if he throws the ball like any average qb in DI could....he hits nico for a couple big chunks and maybe a tug because nico was free. So fuckin frustrating.
Ruddock and healthy Wilton have been our only qbs that look like DI qbs against good competition. Jeez we hope Dylan or Milton is that type. WTF ahhhhh
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:13 AM ^
No the problem with the defense is the offense can’t freaking score against good teams. The defense got more then enough stops yesterday for the offense to do something. They didn’t.
What the poster is telling you that playing with tempo can lead to scores and many more opportunities to score. If you don’t think so you don’t watch enough college football. I’ll also add you better run the QB in today’s football too.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
Alabama scored more points against Auburn and LSU and lost those games...I don't think defense was that big of a problem yesterday, actually
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:43 AM ^
The offense while looking somewhat promising yesterday, still underperformed pretty badly. South Carolina scored 23, Ole Miss 31, Texas A&M 28. An Auburn team that got somewhat mauled by Minnesota still scored 34 (on offense) on Alabama
The defense was pretty good yesterday. I think any of us would've gladly taken 28* points allowed vs Alabama when the game mattered. Passing game didn't show up
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:39 AM ^
College football is an offensive game. Does that help you ?
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:49 AM ^
Michigan blue hairs don’t like “basketball on grass” so good luck.
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:48 AM ^
This is so overused, the blue hairs couldn't care less what offense we are running if we are winning. They are watching OSU run all over us with this "basketball on grass" offense and even Saban has now switched to it.
Nobody cares as long as we are winning.
January 2nd, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
2007 called. They want their hot take back
January 2nd, 2020 at 1:05 PM ^
Thanks, great post! Forward it to Coach Harbaugh
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:34 AM ^
This: "The head coach simply refuses to accept college football 2020 (and going forward) is basically flag football with pads."
If coaches today could flood the field and freeze it, they'd have offenses on skates.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:39 AM ^
Don Brown's defensive philosophy works... if you have a DLine that is creating pressure on its own and handling double teams to keep the LBs clean. Whoever let the DLine recruiting fall behind is most to blame.
The same would go for any other defensive coach's philosophy. The three teams that really "beat" us all had big lines that were able to double team our DEs and pound the rock down our throats. There is not a single coach in the NCAA who would have taken our current dline roster and gotten better results from it.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:41 AM ^
I don't believe JH will let DB go. He loves him and considers him his right hand man. DB has also said he won't change his philosophy and when solving your problems with aggression no longer works it's time to hang them up. So, IMO our best bet is DB retires on his own because he believes his system is no longer best for UM and he passes the torch to Partridge, which is likely what it will require to retain him much longer since others are willing to offer a coordinator position.
January 2nd, 2020 at 7:56 AM ^
Warriner, Gatis and Partridge can stay. It's not Gatis's fault that he had a turd for a quarterback. Entire upgrade on defense. Also hire an elite quarterback coach as Harbaugh seems like he is too busy or incompetent to perform this task.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:02 AM ^
We know Harbaugh isn’t going anywhere, so realistically I would like to see a change at DC.
Brown fielded some pretty damn good units during his tenure but his D just isn’t capable enough against top tier offenses.
There would be a lot of younger DCs out there who would love a chance to coach at Michigan.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:45 AM ^
Moore and Jay Harbaugh have also proven to be valuable recruiters and their positions have shown promise & progress. It would be nice if Brown passed the torch, but JH is not letting him go as he believes he's the best coach in America and his right hand man. The only one I'd like to see upgraded is Zordich due to a lack of recruiting prowess, but I also don't see that happening either.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:03 AM ^
Ben McDaniels is the QB Coach
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:07 AM ^
Ben McDaniels (brother of Josh) is the QB coach and this season was his first year on the job. Seems a little soon to condemn him especially considering no one he was a part of recruiting is even on the roster yet.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:19 AM ^
Harbaugh works with QBs just as McDaniels.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:28 AM ^
You know what they call an elite QB coach? An offensive coordinator or a head coach. It’s a position coach. If you are elite at that, you move up. You are putting too much into that coaching spot. Why not hire the QB coaches from North Dakota State and Wyoming based on Carson Wentz and Josh Allen?
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:51 AM ^
I’ll give McDaniels another year if only for the fact that we need JJ McCarthy to stick to his commitment. Fire the guy afterwards if you have to. McCarthy has elite upside and having to resort to some nondescript 3 star backup if he decommits would be not ideal considering what happened with 2020 recruiting.
January 2nd, 2020 at 11:18 AM ^
Honestly, the QB room looks to be the best it has since Henne/Navarre time in terms of potential * depth...:
McCafferey - RS JR (High 4*)
Milton - RS SO (4*)
McNamara - RS FR (High 4*)
Villari - FR (project/backup - 3*)
Now, I expected a lot more out of Patterson. We all did, I’m sure. We as fans should be patient and quit whining that we didn’t beat Alabama— the team EVERYONE had favored to win the National Championship at the beginning of the season. Between them and Clemson, most sites had them at 5:2 or 2:1 odds [behind Clemson at some/most sportsbooks].
The reality is, Michigan is back to being in the conversation. They are not “Playoff Ready”, and Ohio State has been in a better position, realistically, since ‘02. We are about (slightly below) the ‘02 Ohio State level now. Maybe Brown does need to go, but, I for one, have no clue who Michigan could [realistically] replace him with.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:07 AM ^
Is Gattis replacement on staff already? If not, they better get his replacement on staff, asap. Normal progression shows he won't be here past 2 more years, probably gone after next when the qb can actually make the throws..... need that transition to be as uninterrupted as possible.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:41 AM ^
I'm still agnostic on the Gattis hire, but we seemed to score a lot more points last year with Pep, who everyone wanted to fire.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:53 AM ^
A lot of those points were in garbage time. Gattis’ offense is a lot more QB reliant. If you don’t have a QB who can process the information and reads within 2-3 seconds, you’re going to have a bad time... see Michigan this year.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
That’s right. But it can’t be said enough that Gattis offense put players in position to be successful. How many times were receivers running wide open and Shea shit himself and forced it 5 yards behind his guy into double coverage. Yesterday was case in point. If Shea had even 20% accuracy then Bama was reeling. Gattis actually delivered by years end on what he said he’d do but when your qb Tommy boys every other play there’s not much you can do. That’s on Harbaugh for not inserting someone else. If we’re gonna lose we may as well have done it in style with a new qb chucking the dam ball 50yds a click. Shit, Milton could have did as well throwing hail Marys on every play.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:10 AM ^
Why switch to a QB reliant offense when we don't have the QB to run it?
Either way, we're stuck with it now, so hopefully Dylan/Joe can run it better next year.
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:32 AM ^
Bc playing a ball control offense with a boom or bust defense is not feasible?
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:56 AM ^
Because all the best offenses in CFB are QB reliant.
January 2nd, 2020 at 10:01 AM ^
Not only CFB. Literally all of football. See Mahomes, Jackson, Brady, Rodgers etc.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:10 AM ^
Here are my (hopefully) non-emotional takes:
1. Offense
Gattis - the offense showed a ton of improvement over the course of the season. Unfortunately, once again we were undermined by poor QB play. Gattis’ offense is somewhat dependent upon the ability to hit the occasional deep throw and Shea just kept missing. I am actually excited to see what Gattis does in year 2.
RB / OL - no complaints. Whichever coaches are most involved with the RB and OL are doing great work as both improved significantly over the season.
WR / TE - whichever coaches are responsible for WR need to be fired immediately. Our receivers are simply not developing. Terrible drops plague this offense and the routes are just not crisp (generally, obviously there are exceptions). We are wasting potential here.
2. Defense
Partridge is doing a great job. Honestly, the rest of the staff needs to go. Our DL (and I include recruiting in this eval) is just not getting it done, and our secondary is too frequently out of position.
3. Special teams are fairly well coached.
January 2nd, 2020 at 8:23 AM ^
as i implied below---recruiting, recruiting, recruiting.
Gattis is in charge of wr's
Nua has only been here 1 year. you can't blame him for lack of DT bodies. If Nua can't recruit get rid of him, but i have no idea. a
Brown goes. we can't prosper on mass, RI & Conn players. Promote Partridge to DC. Zordich is beyond bad as a recruiter. he's from youngstown, do we ever get a player from that eastern ohio area? get rid of him. both are old guys---backfill with young dynamic recruiters..
January 2nd, 2020 at 9:31 AM ^
Sad thing is, after 5 years, Darboh and Chesson are still the best receivers Harbaugh has had, and, of course, his staff didn't recruit them. He may have recruited some higher ranked receivers, but they haven't played as well as Hoke's leftovers.
January 2nd, 2020 at 12:10 PM ^
Gattis coaches the WR and did so at Alabama too. He is the one who coached the guys we saw yesterday. Safeties(who you are blaming for being out of position) were coached by Partridge. So how is he the only good defensive coach?? I think you’re a little confused. You know who would be a bigger loss than Partridge? Anthony. The linebackers showed great progress this year and Anthony can recruit. And there is talk that he might move on as well.