Inquiring opinions on Matt Campbell
This is not about debating if Michigan needs a new coach or not. I tend to lean towards a change, I am though aware of the rumors circulating about the potential contract. I am interested in getting a clearer picture of why so many people are completely sold on Matt Campbell. I am taking a devil’s advocate approach with this.
His records at Toledo was 9-4, 7-5, 9-4 & 9-2. He won his division twice but never won the conference. He went 1-1 in bowl games where he coached the whole season.
At Iowa State, he has gone 3-9, 8-5, 8-5, 7-6, 9-3. This season was his best finish with having the best record in the conference but losing the title game. His bowl record is 2-2.
He clearly has improved the programs that he has coached. At Iowa State taking over after 6 consecutive losing seasons. However, could the argument be made that he has not won the big game? Losing 3 conference championship games. He did win the Fiesta Bowl, but to an Oregon team that was not even supposed to be in the Pac-12 title game. Maybe his success is a product of Texas being so down that there is only one elite team in the conference. Maybe he beat Oklahoma this year because of their greenhorn QB at the time. In addition, if any Michigan coach’s best record were a nine win season he would be run out of town (unless he was beating Ohio State.) This would not be a Brady Hoke level higher, but would this possibly be a big gamble? Multiple Power 5 schools have had openings and they have not taken the gamble. So change my mind.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
It doesn't matter now because all the rumors are pointing to JH's return for five more years. So now we can spend the next five years wondering what could've been as Matt Campbell gets hired by a big name program and takes that team to the playoff.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
MY MATT CAMPBELL TAKE IS SO IMPORTANT I NEED TO MAKE A NEW THREAD!
edit: sorry, OP. I'm just frustrated with the same conversations being recycled in dozens of threads.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:32 AM ^
There can be no discussion on a football board of anything I don't want to hear or read about.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
Happy 1st cake day yesterday doughbag. Your bitchiness has been a great addition to the board.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
Why don't people understand how big of a gamble it is to extend Harbaugh? Has a coach ever been extended after regressing and suffering his worst HC year ever? People here assume Harbaugh will have us to 9-10 wins a year like it is guaranteed, it's not. In 6 years we have learned we will get massacred annually by osu, beat msu half the time no matter how bad they are, and can't field consistent good QB play.
Harbaugh is obviously flirting with the NFL right now. Why extend a coach who is already looking for a way out?
January 8th, 2021 at 10:43 AM ^
Even with the extension, he won't stay more than three years. Rather, I think he leaves in a year and back to NFL.
January 8th, 2021 at 1:20 PM ^
It's clear the nfl has no interest in him anymore
January 8th, 2021 at 10:38 AM ^
So change my mind.
Neither Ryan Day nor Lincoln Riley had a single win to their HC tenures prior to becoming the HC at OSU and Oklahoma, two blue bloods. Day has gone 13-1 and 7-0 with two playoff appearances and one NC appearance. Riley has gone 12-2, 12-2, 12-2, and 9-2 with 3 playoff appearances.
I'm not sure those are reasons why Campbell would be successful, but it illuminates that being at a good program with resources helps. It's hard to win at Iowa State when you're going up against Oklahoma and Texas. That'd be like winning 7-9 games every year at Purdue or Indiana. Brohm and Allen aren't doing half that and are already well respected.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:48 AM ^
Those are some really good points. The only counterpoint I would make to the first part is that Day and Riley were handed programs that were already performing at an extremely high level.
January 8th, 2021 at 1:19 PM ^
The only counterpoint I would make to the first part is that Day and Riley were handed programs that were already performing at an extremely high level.
I'd agree on Day for sure and to some degree Oklahoma as well. Riley took over an 11-win team and in this hypothetical scenario Campbell would be taking over a shit storm of 2-4. But, the talent is there to turn it around quickly. Riley didn't have any more talent than UM. When Riley took over at OU in 2017 they were #16 in team talent according to 247. It depends on how our roster shakes out. UM was #17 this year, partially because of opt outs and early draft entrees, but typically they have been in the 8-12 range under JH. I'd guess they move up next year unless we get a lot of departures in the transfer portal. But from a talent standpoint although he did take over a program in better shape, they weren't inherently more talented
January 8th, 2021 at 10:38 AM ^
I miss the Revenge Tour...Whoever our coach is in 2021, please get that going again.
January 8th, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
Matt Campbell is clearly a good coach but for those who think he's some savior, a quick reminder that he's 0-4 against ISU's rival Iowa.
That is all.
Also pretty surprised how that rarely gets brought up when discussing Campbell given our obsession with, and current failure at getting it done against rivals.
January 8th, 2021 at 11:07 AM ^
People are catastrophizing about Harbaugh, because obviously we're disappointed with where the program is at.
They're emotionally invested in Matt Campbell being an obviously great, proven coach, because then he becomes clearly a better option than Harbaugh who they're understandably mad at.
January 8th, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
Oh...and just to further illustrate the mind blowing disregard (from this fan base) of his 0-4 record against Iowa. His predecessor won the last 3 out of the last 4 games against Iowa. Yet....everyone ignores that fact. ?♂️
January 8th, 2021 at 1:13 PM ^
Your post changes everything. With your magnifying the obvious everything will change, I promise! Nobody has ever said this, ever!
January 8th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Regardless whether Matt Campbell is a good or bad or fantastic head coach, he will not be the coach at Michigan in the foreseeable future. Harbaugh will or has already signed the extension and that's what we will live with for at least the next 2-3 years.
January 8th, 2021 at 12:21 PM ^
It's been discussed ad nauseam multiple times across the blog.
January 8th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
Man the gall to post something that goes against the grain of the majority on this board. +1. Also, this is what I have been saying for a while now. Not that I would be mad if he was hired or anything, just that hiring him wasn't the answer to our problems, though that doesn't mean it would be a bad hire or it wouldn't work out.
January 8th, 2021 at 1:11 PM ^
Again?