Look at my post above, but here's an example of how he's not prepared. He speaks in front a large group of donors/VIP's/industry execs and doesn't once bring up how they can help support Michigan/NIL. He's allergic to interacting with people who would BLEED for the University. I have friends in the industry that help support their collectives because they are organized and well-run. They get to that point by clear support from a leader in charge at the AD that helps clear the path for them to operate. Warde doesn't have to do anything else but clear the path, and he acts like it's inconveneint to him.
It worked out that Warde was on the CFP Committee. You can blame him for some things, but he got enough clout from that example a few others to get the respect of other AD's and others. He doesn't get that role if he didn't have some level of pull.
Yes that is likely. And some of the reports I see are... he's working with Jim and Jesse to find a replacement, more likely meaning he either never had a list, or the names weren't possible. Just a big red flag for me. His only hires have been guys he's directly worked with at Michigan.
Here's a point that someone that works with coach hiring told me, given this was NFL, but still think it applies to College. When a HC gets interviewed he brings a list of all potential assistants to discuss. Part of the interview (again depending on level of interest from both sides) will be going over total pool of money and targets. The coaches have to be thoughtful and diligent here, because sometimes this will trap certain coaches--they'll have on the list a guy they know they can get for DC, but he's on another guy's list or the staffers know that he doesn't have the ability to make it happen. This is a really important part of the process, mainly because you're laying out your plans and it's one of the most important parts of the first 30-day plan.
To me all this signals to me is that Warde either did not do this with Sherrone or there was some wild disconnect from Sherrone's plan to the execution. You can believe one or the other, but it also may be some combo of both. This is what has been making me nervous after talking to people-- both scenarios are not impossible to come back from, but one is a first time HC and the other is a long tenured AD who should know better.
Very nicely done OP. And as someone who works in the industry, but not the admin/AD side I understand the level of effort it takes to succeed. Long time ago I worked in an AD and I see how much different it was then compared to today. All of your points are well articulated, and I've been hearing a lot of the same about Warde from people in positions that work with him very closely.
This is from a post I wrote a few weeks ago and is even more relevant given your hypothesis is exactly the same as mine:
Warde isn't particularly outstanding in one area-- he's not an expert politician, he isn't an amazing fundraiser, he hasn't hired any big name coaches. To me he's fine, but Michigan needs and deserves someone more than fine.
I've been in the room with him several times and even really recently where he could have flexed his fundraising muscles in regards to NIL. The amount of powerful people in that room that if Warde had just asked, they would have moved hell or high water to make it happen. But he just doesn't do that and won't build bridges to people who could make Michigan the #1 NIL school in America. Look at how many people in positions of power in Fortune 500 companies or companies that would KILL to help Michigan football out, but they are just never asked. I had a friend tell me if Michigan asked for him to help out he'd be able to secure a large deal through his channels. But he's not going to do it when he feels like the AD and Warde won't appreciate the action.
To me I'd send Warde on his way and hire someone like Heather Lyke. She's a monster fundraiser and a Michigan alum. Or if we wanted more of a statesmen/politician go get Jamie Pollard at Iowa St. The point being, I don't know why Michigan wouldn't go get the best AD it could find vs. sticking with a guy who treats his role as a tenured position.
1. It's hard for a young coach to hire a staff, so I had heard that Moore was going to keep everyone together with pretty good raises. This is not happening and even worse is that he hasn't hired one person outside his orbit of coaching at Michigan. This makes me nervous from what I had heard from some people around... if money is no issue you gotta go out there and get some killers on the trail or dudes.
2. If we fill the rest of our staff with internal hires from analysts/GA's I demand a full forensic accounting of Warde and the books. I don't care if these guys are the next savants... it starts to look like the varsity staff left and you promoted the JV staff.
Bingo, he loves to tell the room how tough of a job he has-- every single time he gives a talk to a group of people it sounds like he loathes it. Not a fan of Ross Bjork but OSU hired a guy that could schmooze his way into any crowd and fundraise.
I think two things can be true at the same time that Harbaugh is insanely hard to work for and Warde is a pretty milquetoast AD.
A little nugget here, I heard a story once that someone on the staff was leaving for a better opportunity and wanted to talk to Harbaugh face to face and do it the right way. He refused and just kept walking past the person when they were trying to talk to him. He's weird and aloof and it's hard to work with the guy, so it's no surprise him and Warde didn't get along. But at the end of the day that's your job when it's the best coach that has ever walked through our doors.
Warde isn't particularly outstanding in one area-- he's not an expert politician, he isn't an amazing fundraiser, he hasn't hired any big name coaches. To me he's fine, but Michigan needs and deserves someone more than fine.
I've been in the room with him several times and even really recently where he could have flexed his fundraising muscles in regards to NIL. The amount of powerful people in that room that if Warde had just asked, they would have moved hell or high water to make it happen. But he just doesn't do that and won't build bridges to people who could make Michigan the #1 NIL school in America. Look at how many people in positions of power in Fortune 500 companies or companies that would KILL to help Michigan football out, but they are just never asked. I had a friend tell me if Michigan asked for him to help out he'd be able to secure a large deal through his channels. But he's not going to do it when he feels like the AD and Warde won't appreciate the action.
To me I'd send Warde on his way and hire someone like Heather Lyke. She's a monster fundraiser and a Michigan alum. Or if we wanted more of a statesmen/politician go get Jamie Pollard at Iowa St. The point being, I don't know why Michigan wouldn't go get the best AD it could find vs. sticking with a guy who treats his role as a tenured position.
Just to reiterate my point again. Don't waste your time on journalists like these. 95% of the CFP media is filled with guys who don't know ball. Who cares what they think? But where I think we've seen it get annoying is this year around the Stallions BS. So many people just saw it as an opportunity to tag themselves onto a story, without any real idea of how pointless it was in the grand scheme of things.
Feldman, while sometimes people here may be annoyed with him, I know to be one of the best sourced CFB journalists out there. I've had some experiences with him to know who he knows and it's directly into coaching staffs and execs. I get the annoyance when his articles come out and it's anti-Michigan from sources. But it's coming directly from Head Coaches and he's going to report it. I wouldn't take it to mean anything other than other Big 10 coaches are petrified of Harbaugh and Michigan. They hate us because they ain't us.
But my point on Ari is this... he's too much of a fanboy to be seen as a true journalist. He takes a viewpoint of Stars only matter, because it matches his OSU world view. It's not sourced, it's a made up trope that he holds onto, because he isn't a very good journalist. Him writing a whole article about himself and his viewpoints is hilarious. No one cares about his trash opinion.
Guys like him need to be excoriated; called out on social media; comments in articles need to call out his hypocrisy. He reads every bit of it, he responds to it, he internalizes it. I would love to ask Ari a question... do you post on OSU message boards still? Do you spend your time reading daily thoughts from the Boarding House (aka made up stuff)? Do you have any sources that are outside the OSU world, or have you just piggybacked off Urban Meyer's success like Brian Windhorst did off of Lebron?
It's also why you never see him interact with any other journalist who knows ball. Nick B would eat this guy for lunch. And Nick is a true journalist. He's certainly not a Michigan fan, but can leave that at the door at the end of the day and give you a mostly fair viewpoint.
Yes, this times 10000!!! Been beating this drum for years, and actively avoid media types like that who don't know ball. As my friends in the NFL like to say, there's a reason why NFL teams the best teams aren't all filled with 1st round picks. Look at the failed Browns strategy a few years ago. Talent doesn't always equate to success. It's about building a team.
You're close to getting what I'm getting at... would Michigan love to get Justin Scott this year, OFC. I don't think from what I've heard that he's some all-world talent, his corollary is probably someone like Chris Hinton. Michigan can load up on guys like that at 5-star level, or they can take 3-4 guys with freaky measureables that if they hit are going to be first rounders. Think guys like David Ojabo. Now, you can't just take guys like that every year. You need to mix in guys like Mason Graham, Derrick Moore, etc.
If Michigan could get LJ Mccray, they would take him. He's a freak and going to be a really good player, but we're never getting a guy like that. Jerod Smith is a really good player, but I don't think he's a top 80 player in this class. So who cares if he's ranked that high?
My point is Michigan will load up on talent that they want. They will get 1-2 "5-stars on 247" in a class and then they will get a handful of guys that they have ranked as a 5-star. Fans need to understand that there's a big difference between the two, and that's ok!
How many 5-star guys on the composite do you think Michigan has on their board? How many guys do you think they have committed that they think are the top 3 in their position? I know from people in the industry and at Michigan, and the answer is what matters.
We need to stop caring about a ranking next to a player. I can tell you Michigan thought Colston was the top TE in that class, so he was a 5-star to them. There were higher ranked guys at ND and OSU that they wouldn't have taken.
I can tell you Michigan does not care if Prieskorn, or Sprague, or Marshall has a 5-star next to their name... they think those guys are at the tippy top of their position ranks.
Must have missed that Texas A&M and Miami CFB matchup...? Because A&M was #1 last year.
The stars matter crew is the most annoying group in all of sports. They are thieves of joy and try to distill the game down into the most banal form. Games are played on the field and contrary to popular belief you don't just get handled a trophy for signing 5-stars.
Have you ever seen a recruiting board at Bama or UGA? Do you know that they'll only recruit certain players if they meet the minimum thresholds for certain measurements?
Yep, they are pretty spot on here. I would say that at skill positions speed is super duper important. DB's, WR's, and RB's I honestly don't care what your ranking is... can you run? Will is big and can run. If Walker can pick up the nuances at DB, he's going to be a superstar. You got to take guys that can run. OL, DE, LB, TE I think stars are completely useless. These are positions where development is the MOST important trait. Take the measurables and coach them up.
QB is the one position where I think stars are pretty damn important. The position has so much attention and eyeballs on it, that I think recruiting sites are at least decent at evaluating top talent. You either have the talent to play QB or you don't. It's really hard to take a guy with a good arm and teach him to be a good QB.
I think fans of college football and ergo Michigan fans just need to realize that recruiting rankings are useless-- they are merely a projection.
We could pool all of our mothers together and get them to agree on the top 20 players after five minutes of coaching what to look for. Outside of those top 20 guys (and to be honest there's so many factors that could go wrong for those top 20), it's a crapshoot.
I've seen recruiting boards for multiple teams and compared to Rivals/247 it's usually not close. Here's an example... back in 2019 Alfano was #1 recruit. 98% of schools didn't agree and knew there were some big issues there. I say that to say schools would still take that risk on talent, but Stingley and Nolan Smith were by far the best talents teams were after.
No chance this is true. They may offer some money, but there's no chance it's 1st round money. If MHJ is a top 3 pick his signing bonus is $25-$30 million. This is a classic heard it from somebody who knows somebody.
This guy has no idea what he's talking about, or this guy is being cute and saying that it's just the 1st round base salary in year 1, which is always $1MM or less because they're paying out a monster signing bonus.
Again, I'm trying to not knock the info you have, because I'm sure there's some legitimacy to some of this. But I've heard this exact same kind of rumor since the early 2000's/2010's and those two pieces of info make me skeptical. PED's has been something that we've been aware of since the Tony Mandarich era at MSU, I doubt that is the "smoking gun" that we all think it is.
I do know some of what Michigan is tracking and let's just say it involves certain programs who are given a different set of rulebooks to follow by the Big 10 as it relates to TV, scheduling, etc.
So I'm not discounting your info, but two things make me skeptical, and I'll just call it out here. There's 1 maybe 2 people in the AD that would even have the jurisdiction to keep something like this. 1 is Warde and the second is his right-hand man. So it's possible it's this one person I'm thinking, but you said former, so it's unlikely. Unless he's a buddy with him.
2nd thing is no way UM would ever publish receipts about certain recruits and what they got paid. You'd have to get the kids on record to admitting to an NCAA violation. Look at what happened with Ole Miss vs. Miss St.
I know there's some truth to some of this, because I've heard some of it, but those pieces make me a bit skeptical.
Also, how about this one... would be a real shame if former staffers have some documented text evidence that would show up in discovery should we get to that point. This industry talks and talks, ain't no telling what they could find.
There are a lot of these at Michigan unfortunately. I don't think they mean any ill will, but it's hard to not look at it that way when you see how they think they should be consulted on matters that quite frankly they have no place to be in on.
Bingo! It's not even just Bacon, this man has a list of people longer than Steve Buschemi's character in Billy Madison. He's got a trail of people from every organization he's worked at in sports (Michigan, EMU, the Tigers, the Vikings).
Please, pretty please will you let Stapleton be dumb enough to sue JUB for defamation. Not only is he fighting an uphill battle with JUB being a journalist, I would love to see the discovery that would go on during this case.
What on earth could make a man have so much hate and vengeance towards his alma mater? Let's put it all out on the table Jim. People that I know that have worked with him have described him as an "odd duck" and someone who's out of touch with his own importance.
Can we all talk about the hilarity of a guy coming to volunteer to join the NCAA Board of Infractions? Like is that not the biggest of red flags? Was Leslie Wexner next on the list... How they allowed him to even join is lunacy from the NCAA and shows you how "fair" they are as an organization.
It's easy for you to say. I know a lot of these people in this world. Can you imagine how hard it's going to be in the future to get a job when the first thing people see when they google your name is that you were accused of running a vast spy web of sign stealers?
I'm pretty shocked that his name would leak this early on and then have a major outlet pin all of this on him. Completely not fair and even in the era of TikTok is a shocker from a major journalist.
To impugn this young man's character, wow that's something. I have heard nothing but amazing things about Conner and for Pete Thamel to write such an article, where it's clear his sourcing has an axe to grind about Michigan. Again let's break this down:
Says Conner is the mastermind of this operation and says he breaks down TV tape, which is LEGAL.
Uses a source that says it's worse than the Pats or Astros... with absolutely no proof or discussion on how they've done it
Breaks down his background through basic research and a "source familiar with Michigan's operations"
I'm shocked that ESPN would allow something so thinly sourced to run. If I'm Conner I am gathering a legal team to sue Mr. Thamel. Brought his name into this discourse with literally zero proof and defamed his character.
I don't think MSU and by the same factor (NW) fans realize how hard it is going to be to hire a coach while you are under litigation from a former coach. Agents will push their client away from those gigs...
This idea that they're going to pay anywhere near what they paid for Mel is way off base. More likely than not, I think MSU will be looking for a stabilizing force. An alum or a coaching retread think Pat Shurmur.
No way Elko leaves Duke for anything other than a really solid spot. Fans need to lower their expectations.
General rule of thumb with reporting / sources / leaks is to look at how the context of the story is presented and determine who stands to benefit most from that specific presentation of facts.
An NFL player signs a massive contract --> An agent who wants the maximum value of contract out there and an NFL insider who will give them the credit in order to get a future scoop
A coach who is going to be suspended internally, but the group doing the suspension claims that they "rejected the deal" --> a jaded person on the committee who wants to make it look like they are in control of the process who has a lackey at sports media company who loves to do their bidding
A bombshell story about a coach doing very uncouth things to a vulnerable contractor --> someone who saw the report and has a very specific reason to put this out there (firing with cause)
Doesn't take a lot to extrapolate where this came from. This isn't from someone at MSU that is part of the investigation or from either side of this case. In fact, because it was sent to the USA Today to a reporter who specializes in these stories, and not ESPN or another sports specific site, that it likely was from someone on the MSU BOT. Can't leak it ESPN because of the notes in the case around Paula Levigne and that would compromise the investigation.
This is what I've been saying from Day 1 with all of these NIL boosters who are out in the open. It attracts attention to them and their companies. Not a lot of people want a CEO who's dropping millions on college kids. It was a lot easier when they can donate in the shadows. These NIL collectives are finding it a bit harder to collect money when it's out in the open...
Leaked by the NCAA to a pro-OSU reporter in Pete Thamel right before B10 media days... folks this was a declaration of war by the NCAA to Harbaugh and by proxy, Michigan. Mars could keep the NCAA case going just long enough in court to be a nuisance, but will Michigan let him? This is a fascinating scene playing out behind closed doors.
Nothing better than watching the old man grovel. It's like he's stumping in Iowa to win a primary. Folks this is what happens when you lose your systemic advantage over everybody. Quick, let's check in to see how Alabama and Clemson have done since NIL came into play...
I could tell you some stories about Ole Saban, but him practically begging to the media is fun to watch.
Here's the question I pose to you all Mgofaithful... We have 3 TV networks who are all desperate to show Ohio State and Michigan games for the ratings, how are they going to divvy these games up amongst networks? And if I am Michigan and OSU why the hell am I going to let the commish dictate my playing schedule to fulfill a contract that is split evenly? I'm already hearing rumblings that there are some real concerns about "equity". Why would Michigan and OSU get the same $$$ as Northwestern if they have to play all the marquee games on all the networks? Michigan DOES NOT want to play November night games against lower level Big10 teams-- it affects gate revenue, etc
As I understand it, the TV pecking order goes something like this:
Good question. For example, Georgia teaches their DL to be more block destroyers vs. penetrators. It's usually why you see their players have lower sack totals. But the NFL usually loves that they are taught that because you can teach some of the pass rush moves, but if you can kick ass and get off blocks that puts you at a whole big advantage over other players.
Michigan edges are known for their bend. Uche, Paye, Hutch, Ojabo, etc all were drafted early because they are long, tough, and have excellent technique. Teams love that profile.
Also, for our DB's, they are taught NFL schemes in the secondary, so you tend to get players who can fit into NFL systems easier. Lastly, Michigan values ST so it adds a ton of value for guys who are later draft picks. Khaleke, Jordan Glasgow, etc got drafted because of how good they are on ST.
Listen, who am I to flame a team and their picks, when I'm not in the room during their due diligence, but it does scream, we think we are smarter than other teams. Don't love taking a RB and off-ball LB, because analytics scream NO! But hey maybe they are just enamored with the character of Campbell. Gibbs is a baller, but don't love the value of it.
That would be my fear if you were a Lions fan... Campbell and Holmes tend to overvalue guys who are like Dan Campbell. It's a bit much, and they had success last year and you can tell maybe they start to believe that they know more than other teams. Jury is still out on a few guys, but their 2nd round picks have been very poor. Don't love how they think that if you put a team out there on Defense of Dan Campbell/Aaron Glenn guys that you are going to be successful. They were booty on defense last year and seem to be doubling down on that system.
Someone on Twitter had a comment that all you have to do if you want to be drafted early by the Lions is to cry in your interview about how much you love football and how you would die for it.
The Eagles and Ravens are some of the best drafting teams, because they are consistent in their approach and they always let the draft come to them. They are patient and it's no surprise they are both almost always in the playoffs.
Probably could be a whole diary post. But a lot of props goes to Ben Herbert. The guys are all prepared for the combine. They test all the time, so in general it helps when teams can see guys times over a long period of time.
Michigan is also super honest when it comes to scouts and GMs. I know there are a few former players who thought that maybe they were too honest and had some gripes with Harbaugh. But teams feel much better when they get the full story, hence why Michigan gets a good rep. Unless it's Trent Baalke lol.
So you mix in the types of guys Michigan recruits, the fact that they usually test very well, they are taught a pro system, and are high character guys it lends teams to value the program and it's approach to player development.
I LOVE Bijan, I just look at the analytics that tell you don't take RBs early. He very well could be the best back to come out in a decade, it's just tough for him to sustain that over more than 5 years. Zeke, Gurley, Fournette are all guys who went early in the 1st that won't play past 28 years old.
RBs are very much devalued, so it's hard to say. But I don't think DE is a Bijan type player, not yet at least. I would say both RBs are probably Round 2/3 guys next year. I'm dying to see DE be used more consistently out of the backfield. Let the man cook out there, I think that will help him out a ton for draft stock as well. Corum when healthy is a true pro. He'll play in the league for a long time.
Listen if JJ has the year we think he can have I think there's no doubt that he will leave. But with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye there could be some conversations about draft positioning. Does it make sense to come back and be the #1 QB or do you care and just want to play in the NFL?
QBs are tough because sometimes the more tape you have out there the more people can pick apart your game. My biggest thing with JJ right now is that he's almost caught in between-- he wants to play school yard ball a bit, but you can tell that's being coached a little bit out of him. He's got to be better about picking his spots; knowing when he can tuck and run and when it's time to just flush the ball. There's some throws on tape where NFL people are worried that you may not be able to coach out of him and that can be worrisome. They didn't result in INTs in college but in the pros they will be.
Zinter is on the precipice of being the top guard. He's super close to putting it all together, and it made sense for him to come back.
Junior Colson is my vote for a guy that blows up this year. He's a modern day LB. Movement skills are excellent, but coverage is an area he needs to clean up. Him and Josiah Stewart are two guys I'd watch out for next year coming out.
There's a whole backstory there... would make for a good podcast appearance one day. Let's just say that Shoop had some documented "family problems". Without getting into details, he did not follow the 'happy wife, happy life' manta.
There's a few stories I heard from his previous stops that make me question how he got hired at UM, but it's water under the bridge.
This is what I've been waiting for... Big fan of the fact they're spreading the love for all four versus just picking one collective. There's a whole post that I need to write about collectives, but for the group, the main takeaway here is that Harbaugh may have won the battle to keep boosters from "special access" in exchange for dollars. That was a big deal for a while that was worrying me from this getting off the ground. That and the AD dragging their feet on this-- so kudos to them for finally coming forward with this.
Happy to answer any questions. Have some free time... Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays!!
Guys— will just say no need to comment on the medical efficacy of Michigan’s staff off an interview with one (or even two) player(s). If you gathered the feedback on their team’s medical group from 25 NFL players you may get 25 different opinions— you’re just going to have to understand that each player and situation is unique.
If Michigan docs told him to shoot him up with Torodol and suck it up that’s one thing… it’s a brutal game, but often hear more from the guys who had bad injuries that the “doc messed up / he missed it”
Culture of football is to play hurt and not mention things that can take them off the field… super sad sometimes, but that’s the reality of the sport. It’s just dangerous to make assumptions about these kinds of things with one side of the story.
I will add this if I wasn't clear. Mel is a fraud. He is 100% responsible for the actions of his players. Just look at how tightly wound up he is. Kids take the personality of their coach, and he saw what his guys did in the tunnel and pretended like he didn't.
He's a punk and MSU deserves him chopping wood of a 6-6 team for 9 more years. More focused on branding himself than running his team properly. People in the industry know how terrible he is to work for, and let's see how recruiting goes now that every parent in America saw what your values are.
I'll give Warde credit here-- that man is not playing around with MSU anymore. All the relevant parties were in town for this game, and the proverbial gloves are off here.
Give Harbaugh credit. He completely turned around the staff in one year. I could not have heard better things than I have about Sherone Moore. Just an absolute stud and it's not a surprise he's leading the best unit on the team.
I would say it's 90% the right mix of staff (young, diverse coaches) who can relate to the players, are great teachers, and demand the right mix of respect. And the other 10% is the focus on recruiting the right players. I'll give you an example. Xavier Worthy-- everyone here lost their mind when he decommited. As talented as the kid is, I don't know if the staff today really misses a kid like that. They want guys focused on football, and as corny as that sounds, it's how you get a team full of Mike Morris, Mikey S, and Ronnie Bell. Three dudes that are going to play on Sundays.
Recent Comments
No chance as long as Warde is around. That’s from people on both sides.
Look at my post above, but here's an example of how he's not prepared. He speaks in front a large group of donors/VIP's/industry execs and doesn't once bring up how they can help support Michigan/NIL. He's allergic to interacting with people who would BLEED for the University. I have friends in the industry that help support their collectives because they are organized and well-run. They get to that point by clear support from a leader in charge at the AD that helps clear the path for them to operate. Warde doesn't have to do anything else but clear the path, and he acts like it's inconveneint to him.
It worked out that Warde was on the CFP Committee. You can blame him for some things, but he got enough clout from that example a few others to get the respect of other AD's and others. He doesn't get that role if he didn't have some level of pull.
Yes that is likely. And some of the reports I see are... he's working with Jim and Jesse to find a replacement, more likely meaning he either never had a list, or the names weren't possible. Just a big red flag for me. His only hires have been guys he's directly worked with at Michigan.
Here's a point that someone that works with coach hiring told me, given this was NFL, but still think it applies to College. When a HC gets interviewed he brings a list of all potential assistants to discuss. Part of the interview (again depending on level of interest from both sides) will be going over total pool of money and targets. The coaches have to be thoughtful and diligent here, because sometimes this will trap certain coaches--they'll have on the list a guy they know they can get for DC, but he's on another guy's list or the staffers know that he doesn't have the ability to make it happen. This is a really important part of the process, mainly because you're laying out your plans and it's one of the most important parts of the first 30-day plan.
To me all this signals to me is that Warde either did not do this with Sherrone or there was some wild disconnect from Sherrone's plan to the execution. You can believe one or the other, but it also may be some combo of both. This is what has been making me nervous after talking to people-- both scenarios are not impossible to come back from, but one is a first time HC and the other is a long tenured AD who should know better.
Very nicely done OP. And as someone who works in the industry, but not the admin/AD side I understand the level of effort it takes to succeed. Long time ago I worked in an AD and I see how much different it was then compared to today. All of your points are well articulated, and I've been hearing a lot of the same about Warde from people in positions that work with him very closely.
This is from a post I wrote a few weeks ago and is even more relevant given your hypothesis is exactly the same as mine:
Warde isn't particularly outstanding in one area-- he's not an expert politician, he isn't an amazing fundraiser, he hasn't hired any big name coaches. To me he's fine, but Michigan needs and deserves someone more than fine.
I've been in the room with him several times and even really recently where he could have flexed his fundraising muscles in regards to NIL. The amount of powerful people in that room that if Warde had just asked, they would have moved hell or high water to make it happen. But he just doesn't do that and won't build bridges to people who could make Michigan the #1 NIL school in America. Look at how many people in positions of power in Fortune 500 companies or companies that would KILL to help Michigan football out, but they are just never asked. I had a friend tell me if Michigan asked for him to help out he'd be able to secure a large deal through his channels. But he's not going to do it when he feels like the AD and Warde won't appreciate the action.
To me I'd send Warde on his way and hire someone like Heather Lyke. She's a monster fundraiser and a Michigan alum. Or if we wanted more of a statesmen/politician go get Jamie Pollard at Iowa St. The point being, I don't know why Michigan wouldn't go get the best AD it could find vs. sticking with a guy who treats his role as a tenured position.
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I will just add two things:
1. It's hard for a young coach to hire a staff, so I had heard that Moore was going to keep everyone together with pretty good raises. This is not happening and even worse is that he hasn't hired one person outside his orbit of coaching at Michigan. This makes me nervous from what I had heard from some people around... if money is no issue you gotta go out there and get some killers on the trail or dudes.
2. If we fill the rest of our staff with internal hires from analysts/GA's I demand a full forensic accounting of Warde and the books. I don't care if these guys are the next savants... it starts to look like the varsity staff left and you promoted the JV staff.
Was not Morgan, but someone in that department. Not just a random staffer, but someone who had a role with Harbaugh.
Bingo, he loves to tell the room how tough of a job he has-- every single time he gives a talk to a group of people it sounds like he loathes it. Not a fan of Ross Bjork but OSU hired a guy that could schmooze his way into any crowd and fundraise.
I think two things can be true at the same time that Harbaugh is insanely hard to work for and Warde is a pretty milquetoast AD.
A little nugget here, I heard a story once that someone on the staff was leaving for a better opportunity and wanted to talk to Harbaugh face to face and do it the right way. He refused and just kept walking past the person when they were trying to talk to him. He's weird and aloof and it's hard to work with the guy, so it's no surprise him and Warde didn't get along. But at the end of the day that's your job when it's the best coach that has ever walked through our doors.
Warde isn't particularly outstanding in one area-- he's not an expert politician, he isn't an amazing fundraiser, he hasn't hired any big name coaches. To me he's fine, but Michigan needs and deserves someone more than fine.
I've been in the room with him several times and even really recently where he could have flexed his fundraising muscles in regards to NIL. The amount of powerful people in that room that if Warde had just asked, they would have moved hell or high water to make it happen. But he just doesn't do that and won't build bridges to people who could make Michigan the #1 NIL school in America. Look at how many people in positions of power in Fortune 500 companies or companies that would KILL to help Michigan football out, but they are just never asked. I had a friend tell me if Michigan asked for him to help out he'd be able to secure a large deal through his channels. But he's not going to do it when he feels like the AD and Warde won't appreciate the action.
To me I'd send Warde on his way and hire someone like Heather Lyke. She's a monster fundraiser and a Michigan alum. Or if we wanted more of a statesmen/politician go get Jamie Pollard at Iowa St. The point being, I don't know why Michigan wouldn't go get the best AD it could find vs. sticking with a guy who treats his role as a tenured position.
Just to reiterate my point again. Don't waste your time on journalists like these. 95% of the CFP media is filled with guys who don't know ball. Who cares what they think? But where I think we've seen it get annoying is this year around the Stallions BS. So many people just saw it as an opportunity to tag themselves onto a story, without any real idea of how pointless it was in the grand scheme of things.
Feldman, while sometimes people here may be annoyed with him, I know to be one of the best sourced CFB journalists out there. I've had some experiences with him to know who he knows and it's directly into coaching staffs and execs. I get the annoyance when his articles come out and it's anti-Michigan from sources. But it's coming directly from Head Coaches and he's going to report it. I wouldn't take it to mean anything other than other Big 10 coaches are petrified of Harbaugh and Michigan. They hate us because they ain't us.
But my point on Ari is this... he's too much of a fanboy to be seen as a true journalist. He takes a viewpoint of Stars only matter, because it matches his OSU world view. It's not sourced, it's a made up trope that he holds onto, because he isn't a very good journalist. Him writing a whole article about himself and his viewpoints is hilarious. No one cares about his trash opinion.
Guys like him need to be excoriated; called out on social media; comments in articles need to call out his hypocrisy. He reads every bit of it, he responds to it, he internalizes it. I would love to ask Ari a question... do you post on OSU message boards still? Do you spend your time reading daily thoughts from the Boarding House (aka made up stuff)? Do you have any sources that are outside the OSU world, or have you just piggybacked off Urban Meyer's success like Brian Windhorst did off of Lebron?
It's also why you never see him interact with any other journalist who knows ball. Nick B would eat this guy for lunch. And Nick is a true journalist. He's certainly not a Michigan fan, but can leave that at the door at the end of the day and give you a mostly fair viewpoint.
Yes, this times 10000!!! Been beating this drum for years, and actively avoid media types like that who don't know ball. As my friends in the NFL like to say, there's a reason why NFL teams the best teams aren't all filled with 1st round picks. Look at the failed Browns strategy a few years ago. Talent doesn't always equate to success. It's about building a team.
You're close to getting what I'm getting at... would Michigan love to get Justin Scott this year, OFC. I don't think from what I've heard that he's some all-world talent, his corollary is probably someone like Chris Hinton. Michigan can load up on guys like that at 5-star level, or they can take 3-4 guys with freaky measureables that if they hit are going to be first rounders. Think guys like David Ojabo. Now, you can't just take guys like that every year. You need to mix in guys like Mason Graham, Derrick Moore, etc.
If Michigan could get LJ Mccray, they would take him. He's a freak and going to be a really good player, but we're never getting a guy like that. Jerod Smith is a really good player, but I don't think he's a top 80 player in this class. So who cares if he's ranked that high?
My point is Michigan will load up on talent that they want. They will get 1-2 "5-stars on 247" in a class and then they will get a handful of guys that they have ranked as a 5-star. Fans need to understand that there's a big difference between the two, and that's ok!
How many 5-star guys on the composite do you think Michigan has on their board? How many guys do you think they have committed that they think are the top 3 in their position? I know from people in the industry and at Michigan, and the answer is what matters.
We need to stop caring about a ranking next to a player. I can tell you Michigan thought Colston was the top TE in that class, so he was a 5-star to them. There were higher ranked guys at ND and OSU that they wouldn't have taken.
I can tell you Michigan does not care if Prieskorn, or Sprague, or Marshall has a 5-star next to their name... they think those guys are at the tippy top of their position ranks.
Must have missed that Texas A&M and Miami CFB matchup...? Because A&M was #1 last year.
The stars matter crew is the most annoying group in all of sports. They are thieves of joy and try to distill the game down into the most banal form. Games are played on the field and contrary to popular belief you don't just get handled a trophy for signing 5-stars.
Have you ever seen a recruiting board at Bama or UGA? Do you know that they'll only recruit certain players if they meet the minimum thresholds for certain measurements?
Yep, they are pretty spot on here. I would say that at skill positions speed is super duper important. DB's, WR's, and RB's I honestly don't care what your ranking is... can you run? Will is big and can run. If Walker can pick up the nuances at DB, he's going to be a superstar. You got to take guys that can run. OL, DE, LB, TE I think stars are completely useless. These are positions where development is the MOST important trait. Take the measurables and coach them up.
QB is the one position where I think stars are pretty damn important. The position has so much attention and eyeballs on it, that I think recruiting sites are at least decent at evaluating top talent. You either have the talent to play QB or you don't. It's really hard to take a guy with a good arm and teach him to be a good QB.
I think fans of college football and ergo Michigan fans just need to realize that recruiting rankings are useless-- they are merely a projection.
We could pool all of our mothers together and get them to agree on the top 20 players after five minutes of coaching what to look for. Outside of those top 20 guys (and to be honest there's so many factors that could go wrong for those top 20), it's a crapshoot.
I've seen recruiting boards for multiple teams and compared to Rivals/247 it's usually not close. Here's an example... back in 2019 Alfano was #1 recruit. 98% of schools didn't agree and knew there were some big issues there. I say that to say schools would still take that risk on talent, but Stingley and Nolan Smith were by far the best talents teams were after.
No chance this is true. They may offer some money, but there's no chance it's 1st round money. If MHJ is a top 3 pick his signing bonus is $25-$30 million. This is a classic heard it from somebody who knows somebody.
This guy has no idea what he's talking about, or this guy is being cute and saying that it's just the 1st round base salary in year 1, which is always $1MM or less because they're paying out a monster signing bonus.
1. Big 10 didn…
Two things:
1. Big 10 didn't even mention Harbaugh by name
2. Be ready Big 10: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6wjtjMPyEZc
Billable hours for the win. This is Phase 1 of lawyers, lawyering, if Phase 2 happens, the NCAA may be getting hotter than a two-peckered billy goat.
Again, I'm trying to not knock the info you have, because I'm sure there's some legitimacy to some of this. But I've heard this exact same kind of rumor since the early 2000's/2010's and those two pieces of info make me skeptical. PED's has been something that we've been aware of since the Tony Mandarich era at MSU, I doubt that is the "smoking gun" that we all think it is.
I do know some of what Michigan is tracking and let's just say it involves certain programs who are given a different set of rulebooks to follow by the Big 10 as it relates to TV, scheduling, etc.
So I'm not discounting your info, but two things make me skeptical, and I'll just call it out here. There's 1 maybe 2 people in the AD that would even have the jurisdiction to keep something like this. 1 is Warde and the second is his right-hand man. So it's possible it's this one person I'm thinking, but you said former, so it's unlikely. Unless he's a buddy with him.
2nd thing is no way UM would ever publish receipts about certain recruits and what they got paid. You'd have to get the kids on record to admitting to an NCAA violation. Look at what happened with Ole Miss vs. Miss St.
I know there's some truth to some of this, because I've heard some of it, but those pieces make me a bit skeptical.
Not even just Michigan alums, former staffers that have no Michigan educational ties. And some of these folks don't even work in the industry anymore.
Also, how about this one... would be a real shame if former staffers have some documented text evidence that would show up in discovery should we get to that point. This industry talks and talks, ain't no telling what they could find.
It ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun
There are a lot of these at Michigan unfortunately. I don't think they mean any ill will, but it's hard to not look at it that way when you see how they think they should be consulted on matters that quite frankly they have no place to be in on.
The rat took the cheese
Bingo! It's not even just Bacon, this man has a list of people longer than Steve Buschemi's character in Billy Madison. He's got a trail of people from every organization he's worked at in sports (Michigan, EMU, the Tigers, the Vikings).
Please, pretty please will you let Stapleton be dumb enough to sue JUB for defamation. Not only is he fighting an uphill battle with JUB being a journalist, I would love to see the discovery that would go on during this case.
What on earth could make a man have so much hate and vengeance towards his alma mater? Let's put it all out on the table Jim. People that I know that have worked with him have described him as an "odd duck" and someone who's out of touch with his own importance.
Can we all talk about the hilarity of a guy coming to volunteer to join the NCAA Board of Infractions? Like is that not the biggest of red flags? Was Leslie Wexner next on the list... How they allowed him to even join is lunacy from the NCAA and shows you how "fair" they are as an organization.
It's easy for you to say. I know a lot of these people in this world. Can you imagine how hard it's going to be in the future to get a job when the first thing people see when they google your name is that you were accused of running a vast spy web of sign stealers?
I'm pretty shocked that his name would leak this early on and then have a major outlet pin all of this on him. Completely not fair and even in the era of TikTok is a shocker from a major journalist.
To impugn this young man's character, wow that's something. I have heard nothing but amazing things about Conner and for Pete Thamel to write such an article, where it's clear his sourcing has an axe to grind about Michigan. Again let's break this down:
I'm shocked that ESPN would allow something so thinly sourced to run. If I'm Conner I am gathering a legal team to sue Mr. Thamel. Brought his name into this discourse with literally zero proof and defamed his character.
I don't think MSU and by the same factor (NW) fans realize how hard it is going to be to hire a coach while you are under litigation from a former coach. Agents will push their client away from those gigs...
This idea that they're going to pay anywhere near what they paid for Mel is way off base. More likely than not, I think MSU will be looking for a stabilizing force. An alum or a coaching retread think Pat Shurmur.
No way Elko leaves Duke for anything other than a really solid spot. Fans need to lower their expectations.
General rule of thumb with reporting / sources / leaks is to look at how the context of the story is presented and determine who stands to benefit most from that specific presentation of facts.
An NFL player signs a massive contract --> An agent who wants the maximum value of contract out there and an NFL insider who will give them the credit in order to get a future scoop
A coach who is going to be suspended internally, but the group doing the suspension claims that they "rejected the deal" --> a jaded person on the committee who wants to make it look like they are in control of the process who has a lackey at sports media company who loves to do their bidding
A bombshell story about a coach doing very uncouth things to a vulnerable contractor --> someone who saw the report and has a very specific reason to put this out there (firing with cause)
Doesn't take a lot to extrapolate where this came from. This isn't from someone at MSU that is part of the investigation or from either side of this case. In fact, because it was sent to the USA Today to a reporter who specializes in these stories, and not ESPN or another sports specific site, that it likely was from someone on the MSU BOT. Can't leak it ESPN because of the notes in the case around Paula Levigne and that would compromise the investigation.
It’s all about stacking good days together— one step at a time. Don’t get focused on the journey, just focus on each step as small as it may seem.
Wishing you and your family well — and to a speedy recovery for the little one. In some of the best hands you can possibly find at Motts!
This is what I've been saying from Day 1 with all of these NIL boosters who are out in the open. It attracts attention to them and their companies. Not a lot of people want a CEO who's dropping millions on college kids. It was a lot easier when they can donate in the shadows. These NIL collectives are finding it a bit harder to collect money when it's out in the open...
Leaked by the NCAA to a pro-OSU reporter in Pete Thamel right before B10 media days... folks this was a declaration of war by the NCAA to Harbaugh and by proxy, Michigan. Mars could keep the NCAA case going just long enough in court to be a nuisance, but will Michigan let him? This is a fascinating scene playing out behind closed doors.
Nothing better than watching the old man grovel. It's like he's stumping in Iowa to win a primary. Folks this is what happens when you lose your systemic advantage over everybody. Quick, let's check in to see how Alabama and Clemson have done since NIL came into play...
I could tell you some stories about Ole Saban, but him practically begging to the media is fun to watch.
Here's the question I pose to you all Mgofaithful... We have 3 TV networks who are all desperate to show Ohio State and Michigan games for the ratings, how are they going to divvy these games up amongst networks? And if I am Michigan and OSU why the hell am I going to let the commish dictate my playing schedule to fulfill a contract that is split evenly? I'm already hearing rumblings that there are some real concerns about "equity". Why would Michigan and OSU get the same $$$ as Northwestern if they have to play all the marquee games on all the networks? Michigan DOES NOT want to play November night games against lower level Big10 teams-- it affects gate revenue, etc
As I understand it, the TV pecking order goes something like this:
1/1A. OSU/Michigan
.....
2. Penn State
3. USC
......
4 - 7. UCLA, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa
.....
8-11. MSU, Minnesota, Illinois, IU
.....
12-13. Northwestern, Purdue
-----
14. Maryland
----- Grand Canyon Size Gap
16. Rutgers
Good question. For example, Georgia teaches their DL to be more block destroyers vs. penetrators. It's usually why you see their players have lower sack totals. But the NFL usually loves that they are taught that because you can teach some of the pass rush moves, but if you can kick ass and get off blocks that puts you at a whole big advantage over other players.
Michigan edges are known for their bend. Uche, Paye, Hutch, Ojabo, etc all were drafted early because they are long, tough, and have excellent technique. Teams love that profile.
Also, for our DB's, they are taught NFL schemes in the secondary, so you tend to get players who can fit into NFL systems easier. Lastly, Michigan values ST so it adds a ton of value for guys who are later draft picks. Khaleke, Jordan Glasgow, etc got drafted because of how good they are on ST.
Yeah that pick screamed go get Dan Campbell's draft crush. He has to be a Pro Bowl LB or it's a complete and utter whiff of a pick
Listen, who am I to flame a team and their picks, when I'm not in the room during their due diligence, but it does scream, we think we are smarter than other teams. Don't love taking a RB and off-ball LB, because analytics scream NO! But hey maybe they are just enamored with the character of Campbell. Gibbs is a baller, but don't love the value of it.
That would be my fear if you were a Lions fan... Campbell and Holmes tend to overvalue guys who are like Dan Campbell. It's a bit much, and they had success last year and you can tell maybe they start to believe that they know more than other teams. Jury is still out on a few guys, but their 2nd round picks have been very poor. Don't love how they think that if you put a team out there on Defense of Dan Campbell/Aaron Glenn guys that you are going to be successful. They were booty on defense last year and seem to be doubling down on that system.
Someone on Twitter had a comment that all you have to do if you want to be drafted early by the Lions is to cry in your interview about how much you love football and how you would die for it.
The Eagles and Ravens are some of the best drafting teams, because they are consistent in their approach and they always let the draft come to them. They are patient and it's no surprise they are both almost always in the playoffs.
Probably could be a whole diary post. But a lot of props goes to Ben Herbert. The guys are all prepared for the combine. They test all the time, so in general it helps when teams can see guys times over a long period of time.
Michigan is also super honest when it comes to scouts and GMs. I know there are a few former players who thought that maybe they were too honest and had some gripes with Harbaugh. But teams feel much better when they get the full story, hence why Michigan gets a good rep. Unless it's Trent Baalke lol.
So you mix in the types of guys Michigan recruits, the fact that they usually test very well, they are taught a pro system, and are high character guys it lends teams to value the program and it's approach to player development.
I LOVE Bijan, I just look at the analytics that tell you don't take RBs early. He very well could be the best back to come out in a decade, it's just tough for him to sustain that over more than 5 years. Zeke, Gurley, Fournette are all guys who went early in the 1st that won't play past 28 years old.
RBs are very much devalued, so it's hard to say. But I don't think DE is a Bijan type player, not yet at least. I would say both RBs are probably Round 2/3 guys next year. I'm dying to see DE be used more consistently out of the backfield. Let the man cook out there, I think that will help him out a ton for draft stock as well. Corum when healthy is a true pro. He'll play in the league for a long time.
Listen if JJ has the year we think he can have I think there's no doubt that he will leave. But with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye there could be some conversations about draft positioning. Does it make sense to come back and be the #1 QB or do you care and just want to play in the NFL?
QBs are tough because sometimes the more tape you have out there the more people can pick apart your game. My biggest thing with JJ right now is that he's almost caught in between-- he wants to play school yard ball a bit, but you can tell that's being coached a little bit out of him. He's got to be better about picking his spots; knowing when he can tuck and run and when it's time to just flush the ball. There's some throws on tape where NFL people are worried that you may not be able to coach out of him and that can be worrisome. They didn't result in INTs in college but in the pros they will be.
Zinter is on the precipice of being the top guard. He's super close to putting it all together, and it made sense for him to come back.
Junior Colson is my vote for a guy that blows up this year. He's a modern day LB. Movement skills are excellent, but coverage is an area he needs to clean up. Him and Josiah Stewart are two guys I'd watch out for next year coming out.
There's a whole backstory there... would make for a good podcast appearance one day. Let's just say that Shoop had some documented "family problems". Without getting into details, he did not follow the 'happy wife, happy life' manta.
There's a few stories I heard from his previous stops that make me question how he got hired at UM, but it's water under the bridge.
This is what I've been waiting for... Big fan of the fact they're spreading the love for all four versus just picking one collective. There's a whole post that I need to write about collectives, but for the group, the main takeaway here is that Harbaugh may have won the battle to keep boosters from "special access" in exchange for dollars. That was a big deal for a while that was worrying me from this getting off the ground. That and the AD dragging their feet on this-- so kudos to them for finally coming forward with this.
Happy to answer any questions. Have some free time... Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays!!
Guys— will just say no need to comment on the medical efficacy of Michigan’s staff off an interview with one (or even two) player(s). If you gathered the feedback on their team’s medical group from 25 NFL players you may get 25 different opinions— you’re just going to have to understand that each player and situation is unique.
If Michigan docs told him to shoot him up with Torodol and suck it up that’s one thing… it’s a brutal game, but often hear more from the guys who had bad injuries that the “doc messed up / he missed it”
Culture of football is to play hurt and not mention things that can take them off the field… super sad sometimes, but that’s the reality of the sport. It’s just dangerous to make assumptions about these kinds of things with one side of the story.
I will add this if I wasn't clear. Mel is a fraud. He is 100% responsible for the actions of his players. Just look at how tightly wound up he is. Kids take the personality of their coach, and he saw what his guys did in the tunnel and pretended like he didn't.
He's a punk and MSU deserves him chopping wood of a 6-6 team for 9 more years. More focused on branding himself than running his team properly. People in the industry know how terrible he is to work for, and let's see how recruiting goes now that every parent in America saw what your values are.
I'll give Warde credit here-- that man is not playing around with MSU anymore. All the relevant parties were in town for this game, and the proverbial gloves are off here.
Give Harbaugh credit. He completely turned around the staff in one year. I could not have heard better things than I have about Sherone Moore. Just an absolute stud and it's not a surprise he's leading the best unit on the team.
I would say it's 90% the right mix of staff (young, diverse coaches) who can relate to the players, are great teachers, and demand the right mix of respect. And the other 10% is the focus on recruiting the right players. I'll give you an example. Xavier Worthy-- everyone here lost their mind when he decommited. As talented as the kid is, I don't know if the staff today really misses a kid like that. They want guys focused on football, and as corny as that sounds, it's how you get a team full of Mike Morris, Mikey S, and Ronnie Bell. Three dudes that are going to play on Sundays.