John Baxter to return to USC as Special Teams Coordinator
#Michigan's John Baxter is returning to #USC as Trojans special teams coordinator.
Buzzkill...
UPDATE***
John Baxter to USC = opening for @CoachCPartridge
January 7th, 2016 at 8:06 PM ^
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January 7th, 2016 at 8:06 PM ^
Uhhh what
January 7th, 2016 at 8:07 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:07 PM ^
Shit.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:07 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:12 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 10:53 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
WTF
I don't understand why anyone would want to leave this staff, other than head coaching offers. I can certainly see why DJ left.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:11 PM ^
that this was not mutually agreed? As mentioned below, this might be a way to get Partridge on the coaching staff.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:13 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:20 PM ^
Partridge can now go on the road and recruit. Not many teams have a dedicated special team coach.
Bush senior to take over Partridge's position? That will be a huge positive.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:44 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:23 PM ^
So can we deduce this mean Harbaugh was disappointed in Baxter? I love owning New Jersey as much as the next guy but I was excited for his punt blocking expertise to catch one of these days.
There aren't too many gamechangers as Special Teams coaches...
January 7th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
He might be trying to make the team better. Perhaps he has someone in mind to take over the special team and he thinks this person will do as well. The net effect of Partridge being on the road recruiting and perhaps Bush senior taking over his position will be a net positive deal.
January 7th, 2016 at 11:11 PM ^
Most teams don't have the luxury of a dedicated ST coach. It's not too surprising with Durkin leaving that there's a shuffling of position coaches.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 10:12 PM ^
January 8th, 2016 at 1:45 AM ^
I don't believe he liked living in Michigan, and his family stayed in California for most of the year.
Honestly, his special teams weren't so special.
January 8th, 2016 at 7:03 AM ^
January 8th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
compared to other teams' special teams, ours were very good initially and settled in at above average. Compared to Brady Hoke's special teams, Baxter's were awe-inspiring, the greatest thing since sliced bread.
January 8th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^
Hoke's AND Rich Rod's. Rich Rod's might have been worse honestly.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
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January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
That was fun while it lasted.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
Lol...what the fuck..
January 7th, 2016 at 8:08 PM ^
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January 7th, 2016 at 8:11 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:12 PM ^
was a mutually agreed upon change.
January 7th, 2016 at 9:16 PM ^
Why can't a guy just want to go coach in Cali where's he's comfortable?
Maybe he did a year in Ann Arbor, didn't like it as much as he thought...and dipped.
It's freezing right now up there. Maybe he just wanted some So Cal weather.
He's an older guy and he's a special teams coordinator...at that point it's a life decision. It's not like he's needs Harbaugh because he's an aspiring HC an he wants to learn from the best.
The arrogance of people speculating that someone wouldn't DARE leave Harbaugh or Michigan is just silly.
This isn't that far fetched. If this was Drevno or Wheatley or Jackson or anyone else (including Mattison) leaving for a lateral job --- then yes, it doesn't make sense and I'd think maaaybe something is up.
You're talking about an older guy, a guy who's ALWAYS going to coach special teams until he retires...he's basically doing EXACTLY what Greg Mattison is doing in coming and staying at Michigan as a DLine coach.
Do you think Mattison couldn't go be a DC tomorrow if he wanted? Of course he could. But his quality of life is in Ann Arbor. It's with his grandchildren and the place he knows as home.
Why can't it be the same for Baxter?
January 7th, 2016 at 9:58 PM ^
I feel similiarly. People are acting like this is the only good place to be. Let Baxter live y'all.
January 8th, 2016 at 1:36 AM ^
For the same reason people shit on recruits for choosing to go to schools their parents push them toward while simultaneously hanging on every word Gary's mom says in praise of Michigan, because solipsism
January 7th, 2016 at 8:13 PM ^
That's my thought exactly. Opens up a spot for an up & comer like Partridge..
Baxter was a west coast guy. Good luck to him. We'll be fine.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
on the coaching staff? I mean this could be through mutual agreement.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
That's weird
January 7th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:16 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:35 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:17 PM ^
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January 7th, 2016 at 8:18 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 8:18 PM ^
His squad had a blocked punt as well, also had the dreaded 10 man formation at least once and the roughing the kicker penalty. Not really sure what value he added to the staff, maybe Blake O'Neill chose Michigan because of John Baxter.
January 7th, 2016 at 8:36 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 9:14 PM ^
I don't think it reasonable to say ST was any better in 2015 than in 2014. Both punt units gave up a TD and while ST did finally return a punt for a TD, it also had a punt blocked which hasn't happened to Michigan for some years. On the whole I'd say ST were servicable, certainly not a liablity, but on balance not really game changing.
Here's the thing, can you really say that ST production was worth the cost of a dedicated coach? Measure that against those teams who have assigned ST as an additional duty for one of the coaches or HC.
January 7th, 2016 at 9:21 PM ^
January 8th, 2016 at 5:30 AM ^
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January 8th, 2016 at 5:37 AM ^
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January 8th, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
What? UM flipped the field with punts all year long, returned a kick for a TD, and despite the big question mark at kicker managed to nail all extra points and go 18/22 with a converted punter.
Just having opponents likely start inside their 10 or 20 was a huge difference over last year.