Recruiting Director Candidates?
Now that the early signing period has came and gone, I think Michigan needs to focus its attention on Conerly and the portal (come on down Mr. Oluwatimi). They also need to focus on hiring a recruiting director.
The Athletic posted an article on the top ten recruiting directors in the country and our old friend Courtney Morgan came in at #10. While OSU had #1, PSU and MSU were tied for #7. A&M had two in the top ten and it showed given their strong class this season. Michigan really needs to hit this hire out of the park, Morgan was a very strong presence on the west coast and I think we need to continue that given the prospects we grabbed from the west coast this year (Clemons, Berry, Graham, etc.) I saw some rumblings of someone from CMU, and some in house options, but are there any other potential candidates out there that would be a hit with future recruits?
December 16th, 2021 at 9:26 AM ^
Chuck Woodson
December 16th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
agree. Chazzy Woods Son.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:16 AM ^
I think Woodson is a better representative for us exactly where he is. Doing good work.
December 16th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ^
Brady Hoke
yes. I know it won’t ever happen. Still…
December 16th, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^
Say what you want about his on-field results, player accountability, and lack of in-game safety "awareness", that man could recruit.
December 16th, 2021 at 1:51 PM ^
Marchall Malchow
Associate Director of recruiting at Texas A&M
Hired in 2020 from Georgia and in one year has just delivered the top class at a school that hasn’t won anything recently.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:30 PM ^
Oregon had the same thoughts, just poached him
December 16th, 2021 at 9:27 AM ^
Denard Robinson. I’m surprised Urban wasn’t so petty as not to hire him, but he’s now looking for work. We’re having pretty good luck with ex players serving on Harbaughs staff.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
I absolutely want Denard back in Ann Arbor. But for the top recruiting position I want a guy who has been there and done that with excellence.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:44 AM ^
I agree but screw it. He had a pretty important self motivated job with Jacksonville and was obviously better at his than urban was as head coach. All this young blood is paying dividends and let’s Harbaugh do his thing. It’s not like he’d be thrown to the wolves in a “figure it out capacity”. Now if we could get Woodson back and Tom Brady to work for us in his off-season until he eventually retires in 10 years we’d be the patriots of college football.
December 16th, 2021 at 1:15 PM ^
How is making Denard the head of the recruiting department NOT “a figure it out capacity”? He’s never worked in a recruiting department. Now we’re going to put him in charge of one?
Your other desire to hire former Michigan players just because… just stop. Get qualified candidates. Not guys who have never coached in their lives just because they played here. Playing at Michigan doesn’t qualify you for a job. I’d take Clinkscale to coach my secondary every day of the week before Woodson. And that’s nothing against Woodson, but you have a proven candidate and a guy who has never coached or recruited in his life. It’s just silly.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:30 AM ^
You mean like super college football successful and experienced defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald??? Or Broyles award winning experienced and successful (before he can here) as an Offensive Coordinator Joshua Gattis?
Maybe, just maybe, the Harbaugh family coaching tree and connections can find someone that’ll fit the bill who might not have that “experience”? ????
December 16th, 2021 at 10:38 AM ^
How it started (2020)
me: let’s get highly qualified people with experience at the job and winning and blah blah blah
How it’s going:
me: yeah if Harbaugh wants someone it’s probably the right move.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:43 AM ^
I mean Macdonald had 10+ years of coaching experience, including 3 years as a safeties coach at Georgia and 4 years as an NFL position coach
It's not like he was brand new and had no coaching experience lol
December 16th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
That’s pretty dishonest. While MacDonald hasn’t coordinated his own defense before, he’s been a position coach. He’s coached in a defense. It’s not an incredible reach to give him the keys to his own defense. While not calling the plays, he’s familiar with how to develop a scheme and how each position group fits within that scheme and the duties each position coach needs to undertake to make it a cohesive unit.
We’re now talking about someone (Denard) who has never worked within a recruiting department being put in charge of the entire department.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
I love Denard, he's a great person and a great football player. But do we have any indication that he knows how to run a program's recruiting operations?
No offense but this isn't voting for homecoming king... you need to be really good at your job, not just popular and likeable. He's got a little experience but not very much. Pretty big jump to go from half a season of quality control coach and half a season of college scouting to running an entire big-time college scouting dept
December 16th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
No offense but you know you’re not ACTUALLY picking who Harbaugh will hire right?
December 16th, 2021 at 2:06 PM ^
No offense but the exercise is to name candidates who would be good for the job. Sorry some people choose to name qualified people while others just want to name their favorite player of the last 20 years.
December 16th, 2021 at 1:04 PM ^
Being likable and popular is 75% of the recruiting process. I’d take Denard showing up if my son were in such a position over some overqualified ass hat who isn’t. I couldn’t have named our director of recruiting until he stepped down. If that person was a big name I guarantee I could have.
December 16th, 2021 at 1:08 PM ^
You realize he played for us, right? And has done a fine job.
The only reason he's leaving is that he'll have a shorter path to an on field coaching role. And the more Michigan alums in the coaching fraternity, the better.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:29 PM ^
Is the position for Director of Recruiting or Director of Player Personnel? there seems to be confusion as to what the position is. I think with a strong support staff he has the aptitude to do either job and may prove to great at it. We know he loves Michigan.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:58 PM ^
It’s Director of Player Personnel but there’s a heavy recruiting factor involved here and some overlap into the recruiting department.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
I'll do it, what the hell.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
I second that emotion!
December 16th, 2021 at 3:16 PM ^
Smokey Robinson confused the english language for so many people with just one song.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:36 AM ^
Denard would be good. Add a little dilithium to our recruiting.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:38 AM ^
Court had some experience as an professional agent which I believe was part of his appeal. I’d really like to see us add someone to the staff with that kind of resume, even if it’s not in this particular role
He also did some impressive work prior to his stint at San Jose State. In 2017, Morgan helped co-found Pure Influence Group, where he represented 10 NFL players in an effort to expand their profiles and become more known.
Prior to his work with Pure Influence Group, Morgan served as the Director of Client Development for Vanguard Sports Group in Los Angeles. He spearheaded the Client Development division, specializing in contract negotiations, marketing, public relations, endorsements, social media consulting, brand strategy, philanthropy and management.
He worked with several well-known NFL players during this time (a notch on his belt that is sure to resonate with recruits considering Michigan), including Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller, Los Angeles Chargers wideout Keenan Allen, Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson, New York Giants linebacker Reggie Ragland, free agent cornerback Josh Norman and Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
Before working with Vanguard Sports Group, Morgan acted as UCLA's Director of Player Development and High School Relations from 2012-13. He helped Bruin youngsters immensely during his time there, creating the program's first post-football transition course, called "College to Career."
December 16th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
Thanks for sharing and agreed with having someone on staff with a similar resume.
Also, "Pure Influence Group" - sounds like the sports agent arm of Prestige Worldwide lol
December 16th, 2021 at 9:57 AM ^
Now you got me thinking. Maybe Juwan can give World Wide Wes a call and see if he’s sick of the Knicks and wants to join the football staff. I know he has been to games at the Big House
(This is just fanfic but it’s fun fanfic)
December 16th, 2021 at 1:06 PM ^
Lol I was thinking the same thing. Not only will they represent the client they’ll also provide the security.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:34 AM ^
And he left after a year to further his career….and increase his salary. Maybe our most important recruiting guy is a re-fired up and rejuvenated JH? You know, the head guy that hired this current staff?
December 16th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
So, you mentioned A&M has a spare?
December 16th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
That was my first thought as well. We should be able to entice one of them away by giving them the position by themselves.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:51 AM ^
Look Warde, can we just forget about all that 'fire Harbaugh' nonsense? Trust us, we the MGoBloggery know just what you should do!
December 16th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
Sam Webb
December 16th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
That’s actually a great idea
December 16th, 2021 at 10:33 AM ^
ND believes he's doing it now.
December 16th, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
This is a great idea, although he actually might have more value in his current media role where he can act as both a recruiter and help promote the program through the media.
December 16th, 2021 at 12:27 PM ^
I doubt he would want to do all the travel at this point in his life, but you have to think it would appeal to him to actually be on the team for a few years then go back to broadcasting. I would think the pay would be comparable but I really have no idea.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
Jay Harbaugh, and give him some Assistant HC title.
Kidding, sort of. But, the Swiss Army knife could certainly do it. Though, everyone would complain nepotism and he’s 2nd rate (as the recruiting class excelled into the Top5).
December 16th, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
Mad Hatter.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:13 AM ^
I was watching a bit of 247/CBS signing day yesterday and recognized Chris Singletary. I feel like he used to be at Michigan in a recruiting type role but I also feel like he may have been one of the acronyms Ghost said doesn't get along with Harbaugh.
December 16th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
I recall GoJ throwing Karschnia's name out previously
https://cmuchippewas.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/albert-karschnia/631
December 16th, 2021 at 1:24 PM ^
Pretty sure CMU just signed their best class ever
December 16th, 2021 at 4:08 PM ^
He held the exact same job under Brady Hoke, back when we had some terrific recruiting classes aside from the last two OL classes.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:14 AM ^
The qualities which make for a good Recruiting Director are most certainly different than those of a well-known former athlete. They have to be inside operators, trust builders, counsellors, good listeners, and above all, skilled at relationship building with diverse groups of people, e.g. Athletic department administrators, academic administrators, coaches at their institution and from all levels of the sport, and of course, the recruits and their families. These guys don't grow on trees, so we'll need to cast a wide net. If this last season taught us anything, it was that hiring decisions may be the single most important aspect of a head coaches job.
December 16th, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
Also important: no kicking of players
December 16th, 2021 at 2:14 PM ^
"They have to be inside operators, trust builders, counsellors, good listeners, and above all, skilled at relationship building with diverse groups of people, e.g. Athletic department administrators, academic administrators, coaches at their institution and from all levels of the sport, and of course, the recruits and their families."
There's a morning show host on a local sports radio station that has all these attributes in abundance.
December 16th, 2021 at 10:21 AM ^
This job is a lot more attractive than it was a year ago so not worried they will find someone as good as Morgan or better.