Who would you reach out to first IF Jim leaves for NFL?
With speculation of Jim going back to the NFL yesterday afternoon and this morning...who would be your first call if Jim did leave for a job in the NFL? I think you would have to send a feeler to Sean Payton, Matt Rhule, Lane Kiffin, & Dave Aranda. Also internally have to look at Gattis as well.
Who else would be on your short list of candidates?
January 31st, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
Do you remember the game that Minnesota forgot to block Hudson for the entire game? Fleck was the head coach of that team.
January 31st, 2022 at 1:45 PM ^
Do you remember the game we lost to the worst MSU team of the last decade? There’s no shortage of embarrassing issues during Harbaughs tenure either. The difference is Fleck is at Minnesota. Again, I know nothing about him but his success at lackluster programs thus far can’t be denied. I’m not saying he would make the top 5 candidates, but he’s done more than Gattis. This is all moot anyway, JH ain’t going anywhere.
January 31st, 2022 at 2:11 PM ^
I used to think Fickell would take our job in a blink... but hes better off at Cinci, with a cupcake schedule, and has better shot at making playoffs each year now.
January 31st, 2022 at 4:12 PM ^
There are rumors he’s going to be back at OSU sooner rather than later.
January 31st, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
Go back and look at the history of the program. Bo coached at OSU under Woody Hayes. Gary Moeller played at OSU under Woody Hayes. It’s been done before, just not in your lifetime.
February 1st, 2022 at 8:42 AM ^
Bo played for Woody, his only connection to OSU was 5 years of his assistant coaching career.
Gary played for Bo at OSU and was hired on Bo’s first staff then stuck around 25 years. Pretty clear he was loyal to Bo not his U.
Fickell played 4 years and coached 16 for them. If he came to Ann Arbor he’d be burning his bridge. He turned down Notre Dame which was his only other dream job. No one at OSU would have held that against him.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
This is a good list. The problem is that we have to beat OSU. Everything else falls into place when you beat OSU.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:06 AM ^
I wouldn't even bother calling Fickell
I'd go Rhule #1
January 31st, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
Jay Harbaugh. He will keep the team together and just like his uncle will be an excellent manager, coming from special team.
January 31st, 2022 at 8:00 PM ^
Glad I didn't have to scroll super far to see Fickell on a list, makes me think there is hope for the fanbase lol.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:25 AM ^
Aranda
January 31st, 2022 at 10:26 AM ^
Despite what a vocal share of this board thinks about him, Matt Campbell is still a good option that I would like Warde to explore. Of course, we would like to keep this staff together, but it is more likely than not he takes a fair chunk of this staff to the NFL.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
Don Brown
January 31st, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
I hear Charlie Weiss is waiting by the phone...
January 31st, 2022 at 11:28 AM ^
Charlie is waiting on the phone, his cell while in line at Chick fil A!
January 31st, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
Fickell
He'll have motivation after getting passed for the ND and OSU jobs.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
I heard ND was after Fickell (their 1st choice) but he told them they would have to wait until after the Playoffs which would have killed their recruiting
January 31st, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^
There was also so much momentum from the players that they couldn't drag their feet on Freeman without risking a revolt. Not sure how much was in their control, really.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:12 AM ^
I think given ND's situation, having a very well liked coach who will likely be given a HC job if you don't promote him, I think they made the right decision.
Sometimes it's more about keeping the things that are working well rather than rolling the dice and hoping for an upgrade.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
youre right here. Everything Ive read said the players wanted Freeman, and in order to keep the team intact, ND hired him. They also rushed to get him to make sure they didnt lose any recruiting steps.
To be fair I think Freeman will be a good HC.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
We all keep saying Fickell will say no, but who knows. Bo was at OSU for a few years and it turned out pretty well for us. Did Moeller play for OSU too? He ended up beating OSU 3 times.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:39 AM ^
Fickell is not coming here. Period.
January 31st, 2022 at 2:54 PM ^
I think 2 things went against anyone trying to hire away Fickell: 1. he just made the playoffs as a G5 team, if undefeated Cincy was shut out, he'd be looking to jump to P5 and 2. Cincy is joining the B12, giving him an easier path to the playoffs at Cincy than at Michigan.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
Who would I reach out to first? Probably my Dad. Not to coach of course, but he’s a little behind on the tech side of things so I’m sure he’d appreciate the news.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
Ditka?
January 31st, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
John Harbaugh
January 31st, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
Unsubscribe
January 31st, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
Luke Fickell although I'm not so sure he'd come to Ann Arbor with OSU in his blood. Money talks though but I keep hearing he's really happy at Cincinnati and he was ND's first choice but he told them they had to wait until the playoffs were over. Hence, ND hired Freeman
January 31st, 2022 at 10:29 AM ^
Tom Brady with Charles Woodson as the Defensive Coordinator
January 31st, 2022 at 10:30 AM ^
Nick Saban or Bill Belichick.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:34 AM ^
Luke Fickel. That ND/OSU job not opening up any time soon.
Tom Herman. He can win if given a fair shot.
Gattis. Because I'd like him to keep program cohesion.
There is no shortage of potential coaches. What can we do to keep players here. And what about NIL, etc...
January 31st, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
I haven't made up my mind on Gattis yet as our possible HC. It's always risky to promote an assistant straight to HC at a major CF power. Yeah, I know Dabo, Lincoln Riley, Day but there are far more that don't succeed. But, on the other hand, it's critical to keep the pieces in place so......
January 31st, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
OSU job not opening up any time soon.
This is terrible speculation. With the coaching turnover in the NFL, Day could leave anytime. In fact, with the success of Matt Lefleur, Sean Mcvay, and Kliff Kingsbury, Day is going to be on many short lists for HC jobs.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
Sometimes, I stay up late while everyone is asleep and I scroll back on this board to the night we won the B10 championship
January 31st, 2022 at 10:41 AM ^
How much do you want to have Gattis around?
He's gone if not offered.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:43 AM ^
...he proclaimed with all of the confidence of a message board poster. :)
January 31st, 2022 at 10:58 AM ^
I think it's Hart if it's internal. I have seen that from enough writers to feel like it's real. I feel like the first couple years of Gattis were pretty disorganized from an offensive standpoint which is a red flag to me about running an entire team. I have no reason to think that Hart is / would be any better, but I feel like his name comes up enough when it doesn't make sense on the surface to think that is the way it will go.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:04 AM ^
Who has said Hart? Other than posters here.
If its internal is Gattis, with Moore and Hart promoted to Co-OCs, whatever that means. Gattis is already getting HC interest from other programs, he would be the choice.
I'm someone who has Gattis pretty high on the list, I prefer him over Campbell. Staff cohesion from a playoff run is important, and next year the offense is going to have to carry the team. I'm for continuity.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:46 AM ^
I would love to see Hart get OC/Co-OC if Gattis becomes HC or leaves. I think Hart could be a great HC in a few years with OC experience and having to fully study how to attack defenses with both the run and the pass…
January 31st, 2022 at 10:23 PM ^
Braylon Edwards believes Hart is the top internal candidate-in every way. He states that Mike has been preparing himself for this position for a long time. And it seems as though Braylon is in Hart's camp. Personally, I prefer staying within the program because there are several excellent young options-and that is the direction the coaching world is heading.
I, too, believe Hart is an excellent candidate. I know this is not all about the interview but he is clearly a bright, articulate man and would be an outstanding face of the program. That said, Ron Bellamy and Steve Clinkscale are in a similar mold as Hart. I believe these three are higher level candidates than Gattis.
There plenty of excellent candidates from outside the program-both experienced and inexperienced. You just have to look harder for those with less experience-but they are out there.
January 31st, 2022 at 1:41 PM ^
what writers?
January 31st, 2022 at 11:14 AM ^
Prior to 2021, Gattis did what?
January 31st, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Answer: a lot of subpar results that can’t be erased by 2021.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:54 AM ^
Honestly, I'm completely fine with that. I'm not at all sold on him after two terrible years and then one solid year that looked like Harbaugh and Weiss took more control of the game planning. I think with another coach there's a strong possibility of an upgrade at OC.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:43 AM ^
Schiano
January 31st, 2022 at 11:46 AM ^
Plus 1. He can develop and he can recruit. Not saying he should be the first choice but certainly ahead of anyone currently on staff.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:43 AM ^
My mom, so she can talk me off the ledge about not wanting to support the University that let our coach walk after the BEST season in 25 years.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^
I'm a huge Dave Aranda fan, but seriously doubt he'd come. I don't believe any of the big outside names that would make this fan base happy are coming either. I thinkit would be Gattis, which I would not be upset about.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^
If Harbaugh leaves, I think you see Gattis get the nod. I know it wouldn't be a popular pick on this board but that seems to be the safe and somewhat obvious choice as it checks off many boxes. And if Hart gets along with Gattis, you see Hart get elevated to the OC position.