If he leaves, who?

Submitted by 1408 on January 20th, 2022 at 9:10 AM

I'm prepared for all the downvotes.  I've been a top 0.5% Harbaugh backer on this site all along, especially in the dark ages of 2020 when he was being maligned by essentially everyone.

If Coach leaves for the Raiders, the Bears or whomever, who would we accept as our next coach?

Once I get over my crippling sadness and anger towards UM, I suppose I could learn to accept Luke Fickell.  I like the idea of having the sole criteria be a focus on beating OSU and think he would provide that.  

Here's hoping JH stays because I think he would finish his career as the best coach in Michigan history and an all time legend.  But what if he leaves?

Buy Bushwood

January 20th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^

Well positioned internally?  How is that?  We have no one who has ever proven himself to be an elite college HC.  The promotion of highly regarded assistants at elite programs fails to maintain the previous level more often than not.  While many of these assistants have proven themselves as good assistants, running a program top to bottom involves many, many layers that derive exclusively from the HC.  Off hand, and I'm not being snarky, so would like to see your list, I can only think of a few assistants who really worked out, Carr, Wittingham, Chip Kelly, Lincoln Riley (whose ship, I think, was developing a slow leak), Wisconsin, certainly a few more.  But so many more have failed.  USC alone has churned through 3 former assistants who've been abysmal over the last 10+ years. Nebraska, Miami.  

And while I don't know that Gattis will fail or rise to the occasion, he hasn't really proven himself to be a great coordinator yet, a la Venables, Aranda, Jimbo Fisher.  He doesn't even have as gleaming a track record as Narduzzi did.  Presently, Gattis has the track record to be plucked to a Mid-major, or very low-tier power 5 team, where he can prove himself further.  

Harbaugh is a special personality- larger than life- a HC personality.  If he leaves we need a nationwide search to identify the best candidate to run the program long-term.  The fact that no other prominent HC vacancies have hired our assistants says it all about where they are on the proving grounds.  

Joined: 10/24/2020

MGoPoints: 21653

gbdub

January 21st, 2022 at 12:24 PM ^

My favorite was Seth implying the commentariat was racist for thinking Harbaugh was meddling in the offense / Gattis not really calling the plays (as a reason for why the offense was less than stellar). Yes, racist commenters want MORE Gattis and LESS Harbaugh. C’mon man. 

That said, on paper Gattis makes more sense. But Macdonald seems like a potential rising star too. Happy to have both.

Joined: 02/16/2010

MGoPoints: 26761

DMack

January 20th, 2022 at 2:02 PM ^

We won because of a total team effort on and off the field. We won because Mike hart was able to teach Hassan Haskins more than he had been learning and when we needed him, he stepped up big-time. We won because Josh Ross was a leader and led the team in tackles, which is what leading by example is all about.

We won because Hutch and Ojabo played like the best, record breaking sack combo in football. We won because Sherrone Moore changed the mentality of guys playing on the O Line and got superior play from them all. We won because our punter/kicker were among the best and hardly ever missed.

We won because We had two very good QB's one of which was a great game manager who didn't make mistakes and the other a rare talent that needed the opportunity to play but not be rushed. We won because JH knew that we would need them both.

We won because Gattis had the courage to mix up the playbook and make our team less predictable than the last few seasons, on offense. We won because our TE, All is an absolute stud and his back-up is pretty damn good too. We won because Clink changed the culture of the secondary and convinced them that they could play with anybody. We won because when our WR1 went down to injury, our WRs played by committee, which made us even less predictable and harder to game plan for.  .  .  .

TOTAL TEAM EFFORT!!!!. 

    

Joined: 06/22/2015

MGoPoints: 2743

JonnyHintz

January 20th, 2022 at 5:59 PM ^

My one reason is that he hasn’t been a very good OC overall and the majority of fans have wanted him fired up until the Penn State game this year. To go from spending 80% of your tenure receiving (warranted) criticism to being named head coach isn’t something that’s going to excite fans. 

Joined: 01/11/2015

MGoPoints: 48360

DMack

January 20th, 2022 at 10:11 PM ^

I think we have our guy and we should just give him the lifetime gig and stop all this back and forth foolishness. He just wants the love and respect that Bo had. If it were to happen, which I don't think it is, I believe because its so late in the cycle, and the home run hires are all gone, you have to give Gattis a shot. He's earned it and deserves a chance to show what he can do.

I'm not convinced that because Fickle rode the coat tail of Urban Meyer and has won at Cincy that he's all that great. Cincy doesn't play anyone. If he had done that job in the Big 10 or SEC i would     say "Yes he is the real deal" and I would go after him. I don't see anyone else out there worth taking a chance on and would wait until next season to see who shakes out.  

Joined: 06/22/2015

MGoPoints: 2743

He Hate Me

January 20th, 2022 at 9:17 AM ^

If this happens, I think there needs to be serious consideration for Jay Harbaugh as the replacement.  I know this will be a hot take and maybe on the surface not make sense, but:

  • He has been a good position coach for multiple positions, maybe even great in some regards
  • Has experience as a coordinator (Special Teams) - his unit has been elite
  • He is a highly regarded recruiter
  • He is young - could be a big draw for recruits 
  • It creates a sense of stability 
  • He will likely not feel the need to bring in a different system or environment to the program, Jim's way is the only way he knows basically
  • He's never been an offensive or defensive coordinator and likely won't meddle in those areas much, allowing him to focus more on game and player management 

Joined: 12/29/2010

MGoPoints: 1905

Gree4

January 20th, 2022 at 9:40 AM ^

Yes its a huge jump to be a HC at Michigan, but its clear he is HC material. Hes excelled with pretty much every group he's coached, and he can recruit. Jay should be considered a HC somewhere, and if it's Michigan I wouldnt be too upset. People are saying Hart and Gattis are options....why not Jay? 

Joined: 09/04/2020

MGoPoints: 13939

King Tot

January 20th, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^

Nothing, but the idea that hiring a guy with no experience is good enough for OSU and ND but not Michigan is silly. As I said, half of coaches to make the playoffs had no HC experience prior to that hire. I picked those two because OSU and ND are rivals and "comparable" programs. I could also add Riley, Smart, Fisher, et cetera. 

My larger point is the same people who said anyone but Harbaugh with absolute certainty are the same ones saying coaches without HC experience will fail/is idiotic despite many data point suggesting fans know next to nothing. 

Joined: 11/29/2016

MGoPoints: 19264