ERdocLSA2004

January 27th, 2024 at 2:55 PM ^

This is college football.  You visit this blog so surely you understand not only the importance but the money associated with this business.  Thereā€™s no time to just sit around and celebrate Moore, he just got the job.  Weā€™ll celebrate when he accomplishes things.  Having an idea of who on your staff needs to be replaced seems like the thing you would find out about 5 minutes after taking the job.  

AlbanyBlue

January 27th, 2024 at 11:48 AM ^

He gone. But expected, I guess. WOTS is that Jim wants him to join.

The thing I will be most upset about in the transition is if Harbaugh strips out the coaching staff of the school that "he loves". Ugh.

S.G. Rice

January 27th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^

I don't think there are many college teams, if any, that would outbid Michigan for Herbert.  Doesn't he already make $1m/year and carry an associate head coach title?

If he wants to be at Michigan they'll keep him.  If he decides he wants to do something different or go elsewhere, they won't.

ST3

January 27th, 2024 at 11:57 AM ^

All due respect, but Brian doesnā€™t know what heā€™s talking about in this particular instance. Who do you think Harbaugh would rather have on his staff, Ben Freakinā€™ Herbert, or this guy:

https://www.chargers.com/team/coaches-roster/jonathan-brooks

Benā€™s about to get a raise, big time. The question is, does he want to stay in Ann Arbor or uproot himself and move to LA?

The top guys in sports, Tom Brady, LeBron James, etc., have their own personal trainers, but an NFL team does not want to deal with 53 different trainers. Many of the players are making 6 figures, not 7, and canā€™t afford to spend $1M annually on their body like LeBron does. Relying on 23-25 year olds to make their own decisions on S&C coaches is ridiculous. The strength training has to be coordinated with the practice schedule.

Iā€™ve been to the Clippers training facility. Yes, thatā€™s the NBA, not the NFL, but S&C is more important in football. The Clippers did everything possible to keep the players under the teamā€™s watchful eye. Nutritionists are on staff, healthy meals are provided, the weight room was insane and the recovery room was equally insane. They had a personal pool with flowing water for you to swim against to workout without putting pressure on injured knees or ankles. It was like a treadmill, but it was a pool.

MichiganFootball

January 27th, 2024 at 4:20 PM ^

I think Brian is fairly accurate when he talks about the role being much different in terms of the strength coach in college versus the NFL.

For one the guys don't hang around and work with the team strength coach in the NFL compared to college (who is the one coach they spend the whole offseason with).  It's much less important to the culture of the NFL team (and part of why the NFL strength coaches get paid much less compared to college ones).  

It doesn't mean their job is irrelevant, but the strength coach is one of the most important hires for a college program and much less so in the NFL (where you are also working with much more finished products physically).

I'd also add that while Lebron spends a million dollars on his body, that's now how much he spends on a personal trainer.  He spends on all sorts of other things.  Personal trainers cost way less than that.  How much do you think guys pay Barwis for instance to train with him he offseason?

King Tot

January 27th, 2024 at 11:51 AM ^

The first post here is Moore saying he is very confident he will stay and most insiders are confident he stays. 

Sam Webb updated the situation 14 hours ago with

Several program sources again said while they expect Harbaugh to make a strong pitch, they believe Herbert will remain in Ann Arbor. They again cited family and the level of impact he has as a college strength coach compared to what heā€™d likely have in the pros.

He also said we are likely to keep our nutritionist as well.

King Tot

January 27th, 2024 at 12:13 PM ^

I think Brian's comment may be a little exaggerated but it certainly won't be the same type of work. He gets to transform athletes as opposed to simply maintaining athletes.

Also, the highest paid strength coach in the NFL is $750,000. He already makes a million and AA Michigan has lower cost of living than LA.

He still may leave, but I am confident.

The Oracle 2

January 27th, 2024 at 12:39 PM ^

Itā€™s not all about money for everyone. Herbert may feel loyalty to Harbaugh or he might be interested in trying something new at the highest level of the game, working with the best athletes. With his talent and track record, he could always return to the college game in the future, if he finds he prefers it. The man has options and may decide he wants to explore them.

S.G. Rice

January 27th, 2024 at 11:53 AM ^

Will you feel the same way if he discussed things with Sherrone and Sherrone gave him the okay?  I mean as much as we all would love to see maxmimum continuity, change is inevitable.  There is going to be turnover every year as guys decide to seek and accept other opportunities.  

Honestly, I don't think it's worth worrying about.  Other than Minter, I'm not sure that anyone else on the staff is really an NFL guy.  These are college coaches.  Maybe they want to make the jump, but I doubt it.  They're great at what they do, most of them are excellent recruiters and appear to be good with that part of the job, and they're well paid.

There will be 4-6 new coaches when all is said and done.  We know that much.  Keep as many as possible, but welcome the new blood.  I will be super interested to see who Sherrone can entice to join the fold.

Amazinblu

January 27th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^

Some coaches will go with Jim.  Other coaches will stay with Sherrone.

The question is - which coaches will go elsewhere?  Hopefully, none.

And, I hope that Sherrone can maintain his relationships with the NFL contacts - moving NFL analysts / coaches into stints in Ann Arbor.  It was great to hear opponents say ā€œwe hadnā€™t seen those coverages before.ā€  Or, ā€œwe didnā€™t expect that.ā€   Those two phrases, IMO, reflect good game planning and schemes.

Gob Wilson

January 27th, 2024 at 11:54 AM ^

From this blog earlier this week: "Can you name one strength coach in the NFL?"  Maybe Harbaugh will make high-profile strength coaches "a thing" in the NFL, but Herbert can probably influence more athletes at UM and still make a lot of $. He already has several NFL players working with him in the off season. I hope Herbert stays and gets a raise. 

Blau

January 27th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^

To the Dukeā€™s point, Gittleson was a longtime S&C coach for Michigan athletics. Chances are you only know the S&C coach for the team you root for, regardless of whether itā€™s in the NFL or CFB.

I donā€™t think the MGoStaff point on not knowing who NFL S&C coaches are has a relatable point. Nobody outside of Michigan would come up with Herbertā€™s name without googling it. Heā€™s great and we all want him to stay but letā€™s not act like taking a similar role with an NFL franchise isnā€™t equally as prestigious or rewarding.

Doesnā€™t matter if a lot of NFL players have their own trainers already. Personal trainers arenā€™t considered part of the team and arenā€™t in meeting rooms with the coaching staff. Herbertā€™s role in a NFL franchise could be as expansive as he wants it given that Harbaugh has been great about promoting staff through the ranks and adding additional titles to generic positions. Not sure if it was Brian or Seth who made that point but it doesnā€™t really hold water in my opinion. 

MichiganFootball

January 27th, 2024 at 4:23 PM ^

I think the thing is however, other college strength coaches are fairly well known as well in a way where NFL strength coaches just aren't.  

His role is never going to be as expansive as it is in college because he's not going to be involved with the players in the NFL 365 days a year (and in the offseason in particular) the way he is in college.  And in college it's much more about molding the players physically, whereas in the NFL you're dealing with much more finished products.

Harbaugh didn't take his strength coach from Stanford with him the 49ers (who was also very renown and well known at the time).  

Harbaugh soldier

January 27th, 2024 at 11:59 AM ^

Most overlooked is the importance of clinkscale and hart. If those guys move on be because they were passed over for campbell (oc) and whoever to be named later (dc) - would be huge losses and mooreā€™s first big mistakes as head coach. 

poseidon7902

January 27th, 2024 at 12:09 PM ^

For those interested in what a S&C coach in the NFL makes as opposed to just taking someone's word for it, I found this:  
 

In the year 2020, Eric Ciano was named as the ā€œStrength and Conditioning Coach of the Yearā€, having 11-year of experience in this field. He was the head strength coach of Buffalo Bills and his net worth is around $300,000 per annum, according to the sources. He has rewarded this title from the perspective of defensive lineman Harrison Philips is ā€œThe two things that I think Ciano does the best is number one he brings people together and it motivates everyone to accomplish goals during the seasonā€. He further added, ā€œNumber two, he hires a fantastic group of supporting staff who go above and beyond.ā€

 

https://howigotjob.com/salary-guide/how-much-does-an-nfl-strength-coach-get-paid/#google_vignette

 

https://www.nsca.com/salary-survey/

Gree4

January 27th, 2024 at 12:09 PM ^

Can you name another strength and conditioning coach in college? NFL trainers are just as important. Herbert is an associate HC though, thats the difference 

The FannMan

January 27th, 2024 at 12:28 PM ^

Not sure thatā€™s true in the NFL.  Per Sam, et al., NFL players have their own trainers.  NFL players arenā€™t hanging around to go through the teamā€™s S&C program in the off season.
 

A example that does worry me is Mike Barwis. He never went to another college or to the NFL after Rich Rod was sacked. He opened his own place in Plymouth and worked with pros in various sports.  He now has multiple locations in Florida and Colorado.  (Probably because thatā€™s were pros go in the offseason.)  I am more concerned about this path for Herbert than the Chargers.

jdemille9

January 27th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^

Or maybe his comment was just meant to put the focus back on Sherrone Moore, the first black head coach at Michigan(which feels like it's kind of a big deal) and not make it about the S&C coach. 

tybert

January 27th, 2024 at 12:27 PM ^

I have no doubt, once Ben considers the love he has from the players and fans, that he stays at UM. He should be using today as a way to lobby for a bit more money, that's all. 

Professional athletes don't "listen" to anyone other than perhaps their HC and position coach. Most of these guys have guaranteed contracts and aren't interested in what some might consider a "fad" (Ben's enthusiasm). 

College FB is about taking freak talents who haven't had great conditioning and turn them into Zak Zinters. This is where Ben constantly gets fresh recruits who will buy in.

Brian is right about the unappreciation and lack of player support across the roster for a S&C coach. In college, if you don't buy in to a great S&C program tailored to your needs, you end up like the Ohio LG and C who get pushed down by Harrell on the game winning INT. Pro guys will NOT as a whole listen to a Ben. 

LabattsBleu

January 27th, 2024 at 12:35 PM ^

Pro athletes are a completely different animal.

I doubt any of those things Michigan does, at a team level, works at the NFL level.

Having leader boards showing gains, internal competitions, regimented lift schedules as team building events? Guys in the NFL are beyond that, have famliles outside interests...hell, some have been pros in the League for years...

Herbert IS the Michigan Strength program.

I don't know if he stays or goes, but NFL teams do not run their S&C programs like colleges, so it depends on what Herbert wants in his career.

I think Herbert's response was perfect: today was Sherrone's day and Herbert wanted to leave that spotlight on Sherrone.

Personally, I believe he stays at Michigan, but we'll see.