Michigan to hire Ravens' Matt Weiss to be QB Coach
February 21st, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
That’s a goodie. I like the move.
From 247 Sports: "Weiss has led the NFL's No. 1 rushing attack under John Harbaugh, now will coach QBs under Jim Harbaugh. The two were together at Stanford."
February 21st, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
Unless I totally miss my guess here, this probably means he and Gattis are the brains of the Offense? I do hope they get along better than Gattis and Warriner.
And Harbaugh still is the real QB coach?
February 21st, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
He shouldn't be. They promoted Sherrone Moore to Co-OC for a reason. He should be designing run game schemes along with Gattis
February 21st, 2021 at 11:48 AM ^
That could be. But I'd think having the whole O-line under his care for the first time might be enough on his plate for now.
I grant you by title it makes sense. This hire makes me think the titles don't mean anything except what was open when he was hired.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
Do we think Moore will have more to do with designing run schemes than Mike Hart?
Lots of schools use co-DC and co-OC titles with a bump in pay in order to attract or retain their best recruiters. I'll be happy if Harbaugh is now doing the same thing. He may have learned a lesson in losing Partridge.
February 21st, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
I don't believe you.
February 21st, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
Maybe?
February 21st, 2021 at 10:54 AM ^
What happened to the other thread?
February 21st, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
Sorry, I did it.
I just posted a Meta OP apology to the writer of the first Matt Weiss OP.
February 21st, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
But where does the meat go?
February 21st, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
So we lose a LB coach and hire a QB coach?
February 21st, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Makes sense as defense doesn't really exist in modern college football
February 21st, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
I assume this means Macdonald will coach LBs
February 21st, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
And further assume Jean-Mary has been "gone" since December, but allowed to find a job while employed.
Which means the buyout wasn't a thing and he probably wasn't involved in anything anymore.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
Take this for what it's worth, but Sam Webb said just yesterday that Michigan tried to get Jean-Mary to stay after the Tennessee offer. So your conjecture sounds plausible but it's not being corroborated by whatever "insider" information we have. I'm not sure what to think myself.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Yes and I would not be at all surprised to see Jay moving over to help Macdonald coach LBs. It's a good opportunity for him to expand his resume. Someone else should be able to handle the TEs
February 21st, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
So we’re hiring a RB coach to be a first time QB coach? To go along with two DCs who’ve never been DCs, and a first time OL coach who’s also being co-OC for the first time. This is all really outside the box. I hope it works.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:08 PM ^
He was a QB coach 2016-2017 for Baltimore. He might not have been very good at it (Flacco and Mallet) but at least it’s on his resumè.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
Not a first time QB coach. Was previously the Ravens QB coach
February 21st, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I’ll say it again. Weird hire. And I really wanted JH to coach qbs for sink or swim moment. I haven’t been his biggest fan recently.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:19 PM ^
^^^ this! If harbaugh is going to go down let's see what he has!
February 21st, 2021 at 11:25 AM ^
Hire the RB coach from a team with a terrible passing (albeit great rushing) attack? Out of the box...
February 21st, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
Wasn't Jim supposed to be the QB coach? Well, not so fast. All of this is crazy and confusing. Apparently, the dust hasn't settled in the assistant coaching staff shuffle. What's next?
I'd like to know if Jim will have any hand in QB development, maybe he's not up to the task; then he can blame yet another QB coach for failures.
February 21st, 2021 at 11:37 AM ^
Well hopefully there won’t be a another failure. And if there is, Jim won’t be explaining the QB coach failure as much as his own failure, since he’ll be unemployed.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
This really feels like a coach rearranging deck chairs.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:13 PM ^
Uhh...no. The coaching shuffle might work out or it might not but bringing in new coaches isn't "rearranging the deck chairs". That's literally the opposite of the meaning of that phrase.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
"Re-arranging the deck chairs" refers to doing something inconsequential in the face of impending disaster.
It doesn't refer at all to whether what is done replaces or re-uses elements.
February 21st, 2021 at 11:45 AM ^
Guys, none of this is gonna matter by 2022.
February 21st, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
We will all be dead by Easter. Eat at Arby’s.
February 21st, 2021 at 10:39 PM ^
I once got a nude (close up) from a girl's downstairs. Didn't realize it. Told her if she's still at arby's to get me a big Montana, but with not as much sauce as the picture had.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:03 PM ^
Because....????????
February 21st, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Posted this on the main page article, but will post it here for posterity.
I came here to say this is THE most interesting hire that Harbaugh has made during his time here. May write more about it if I have time. But I was told Weiss is the most influential guy in John's ear. He started as focused only on analytics/in-game decision making but was so valued they moved him to coach. He's going to bring a whole new level to our game prep, which has been severely lacking the last two years.
This to me signals Harbaugh is about to go full into analytics, which I think is an awesome move.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
I am fine with these moves. The conventional approaches were not working well. Shake it up and let data drive some decisions.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:40 PM ^
It took 6 years to come to these conclusions?
February 21st, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
I like the positive aspect of this but how about in game adjustments? Michigan has been severely lacking on this. If they can make these types in in game adjustments then great, and we'll win more games (Back up plan and a back up plan to that)
February 21st, 2021 at 1:51 PM ^
But are they going to play faster?!?
February 21st, 2021 at 3:04 PM ^
Makes complete sense that John Harbaugh would want to get rid of his best coaches
February 21st, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
John’s likely calculus is that these coaches will get more experience with more responsibility at UM and that will help their careers. They are likely blocked by more experienced coaches with Ravens. Better to send them to his brother rather than other NFL teams poaching them. Let’s see if any return to Ravens in a few years.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
Per Ravens Bio:
2005-08: (with Stanford) Earned a master's in liberal arts from Stanford while also serving as a G.A. under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh...Worked with the defense and special teams.
COLLEGE: Played football at Vanderbilt (2001-04), where he earned a degree in economics...Weiss also earned a master's degree in liberal arts from Stanford (2008).
PERSONAL: *While an assistant coach at Smyrna (TN) HS from 2003-04, established a tutoring program to help student-athletes achieve NCAA eligibility…Played baseball and football at Hopkins School (New Haven, CT), and as QB, led the football team to its first-ever 12-0 record and New England Prep School Class C Championship his senior year
*emphasis mine
This sounds like as much a recruiting hire as anything, maybe he'll be the coach recruiter and spearhead that as well.
February 21st, 2021 at 5:20 PM ^
If so, I’m fine with it. I’d rather have a great recruiter that’s also a pretty good coach over a pretty good recruiter that’s a great coach.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:02 PM ^
What probably got lost in this is the article says Joe Cullen is now a DC.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:53 PM ^
This really seems like an odd hire. I feel like at this point Harbaugh is just announcing he needs help with developing a QB. Which I don't really disagree with.
But this just seems more like an analyst hire. I almost feel like the OL coach we hired to be an analyst could have switched roles with Weiss and he working more with the OL while Moore operated as more of a... co-OC.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:44 PM ^
Yes to all of the above. Baffling is another word to apply here and in Schembechler Hall these days.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:49 PM ^
So they have 7 offensive coaches if you include Harbaugh and only 4 defensive. I could understand that if you still had some experience like Don Brown around, but that inexperience on D seems like a very hard thing to overcome on the field and in recruiting.
February 21st, 2021 at 1:49 PM ^
Coach Harbaugh is in a win or lose your job situation in Ann Arbor. The problem the entire time has been in his bathroom mirror. For the sake of Michigan's football program, I hope he really succeeds this year. There are some of this blog who make excuses and whine about bagmen BUT bagmen or not-The University of Michigan has the history, town, and massive resources to be the BEST in college football period!! No excuses. Notre Dame (who we crushed last time) has been in the playoffs 3 TIMES and played for a NATTY during that time. No excuses for Michigan at all. Let's go Coach Harbaugh!!!
February 21st, 2021 at 3:39 PM ^
While I agree we should be more competitive it's just not true that we have the ability to be the BEST in college football. The two-team, now four-team playoff systems have created two tiers: the ones who get there regularly and everybody else. Since 2009 the following teams have won an NC:
Alabama (6 times)
Clemson (2 times)
OSU, LSU, FSU (once each)
If you look at recent history, Bama and Clemson have won 5 of the last 6 NCs, with the only exception being LSU winning with OSU transfer Burrow at QB. If your only legit chance to win a ring is to go to one of two schools that tilts the playing field dramatically. Add in a general disregard for academics and, yes, the bagmen and it's just not realistic to think we're somehow going to usurp Bama.
Hopefully, someday they will expand the playoffs but I think the die is set already. Not an excuse for Harbaugh. We should be better, should have made the playoffs once or twice. But the idea that we can compete year in, year out with Bama or Clemson is just not gonna happen. And considering what it would likely take get there, I'm ok with that. Beating OSU on the other hand....
February 21st, 2021 at 3:31 PM ^
wow... so does it mean Jimmy will be teaching the linebackers? lol... sweet man... nice of John to help out his brother and his coach situations...
February 21st, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
I actually like this move on second thought. I think you've got a guy who has experience as a quarterback coach and is also basically coordinating the top rushing attack led by the top running quarterback/ dual-threat quarterback in the NFL and it's a great recruiting tool. Make no mistake all of these staff moves are designed as a recruiting strategy. What kid doesn't want to play for a quarterback coach who has coached the position professionally and also worked with Lamar Jackson directly possibly even having some direct correlation to his NFL success? When they explain this to recruits and their parents it will get them into some homes for sure!