The Official New ][V][ichigan Head Coach Search Thread

[bphillips4gg]

My humor and sarcasm doesn't translate at all in my posts. My actual demeanor is much different than my posts would reflect. I have never expected us to land Harbaugh and I never believe coaches who say they're not going anywhere.

The only thing that worries me is that what we're all taking as patience on the part of Michigan is actually another poorly executed search that's just being covered up well. At least with the search firm they can deny that they ever contacted anyone who doesn't have interest.

I can live with Miles.

 

[dubbsco]

I'd be very happy with Miles. The guy has a ridiculous record at LSU, and he's seen the mountain top.

 

[thewolverines24]

If Michigan hires Miles, my excitement level will be equal to what my excitement level would be with seeing Kathy Bates naked.

 

[bphillips4gg]

I'd be very happy with Miles. The guy has a ridiculous record at LSU, and he's seen the mountain top.

I'd also like to know why everyone wants to knock him for "not developing quarterbacks". As best I can tell, he's had the first or second best teams in the SEC for the past decade. When's the last time Nick Saban put out a first round QB with the amount of talent he's had to work with?

system works, and while he wouldn't bring the dame hype and excitement that Jim would, he'd still be a good get and better than another up and comer with "potential". I'm tired of potential. I want to fucking win. I want to beat OSU, MSU and win the B10 championship game and play in the playoffs. If Brady Hoke wad ever right about anything, it's this. This is Michigan. This is fucking unacceptable to go a decade without a conference title, nevermind competing consistently for a national title.

I'm confident that Jim, John or Les could turn this thing around. I hope we get a chance to find out.

 

[Gulo Blue]

"Clicks! We need to drive more clicks!"

I'm just highlighting the cold water parts of the posts. He admits he knows little to nothing, some of what little he's heard is negative, and people still read all that and get their hopes up.

 

[thewolverines24]

nevermind competing consistently for a national title.

Honestly, Michigan hasn't been much of a national title competitor for a really long time. We went from 1948 to 1997 without a title. Obviously we haven't played in a championship game since '97. That's one title in 66 years. Pretty sad.

 

[bphillips4gg]

Honestly, Michigan hasn't been much of a national title competitor for a really long time. We went from 1948 to 1997 without a title. Obviously we haven't played in a championship game since '97. That's one title in 66 years. Pretty sad.

I understand that they only won one of them, but they were part of the conversation more often than not during Carr's tenure. They were a few plays away from the BCS title game in '06(?). I'm just saying that the expectations for that program should always be national title, not piddling around and setting the ultimate goal of winning the Big Ten or just being happy that you made a bowl game.

 

[thewolverines24]

I understand that they only won one of them, but they were part of the conversation more often than not during Carr's tenure. They were a few plays away from the BCS title game in '06(?). I'm just saying that the expectations for that program should always be national title, not piddling around and setting the ultimate goal of winning the Big Ten or just being happy that you made a bowl game.

97 and 2006 were the only years in Carr's tenure that we were in the conversation. Carr only had three years with less than three losses.

 

[Michchamp]

97 and 2006 were the only years in Carr's tenure that we were in the conversation. Carr only had three years with less than three losses.

2003, 2004 were very good seasons, only Rose Bowl losses to good teams sullied the record, really.

who knows what would've happened in 2001 if Drew Henson had stuck around... all three of our regular season losses were close. likely we don't lose to ohio st. if we had Henson instead of Navarre, and then we play in a different bowl.

 

[bphillips4gg]

97 and 2006 were the only years in Carr's tenure that we were in the conversation. Carr only had three years with less than three losses.

Those were the only years that they were in the conversation at the end of the year, you're right. But there were other years where the expectations, whether unwarranted or not, were for Michigan to compete for national championships. 2007 they were ranked 4th to start the season, right? We won't discuss what happened to ruin that season, but the point is that recruits don't remember and never knew the storied program that we did growing up.

So are you suggesting that you're okay with being the Big Ten version of Auburn, where you get your ass whooped by your biggest rival most years, watch them play for titles, both conference and national, while once every 60+ years you get a taste of that?

I get what you're saying, I think the disconnect here is that what I'm describing is the fact that Michigan teams under Lloyd were good enough to play with anybody in the country most years. They rarely lived up to their potential, but fandom is much more fun when it's agonizing to lose and exciting to win. This apathy thing is not fun.

 

[dubbsco]

I'll be the first to admit that I did not appreciate the consistency that Lloyd Carr brought during his time at Michigan. I was hopeful for a guy that could come in and finally push this program to the stratosphere.

But it's pretty bad that Michigan, one of the established brands in football, has not won a big ten title in forever, and has only been in the conversation for a national title once in a blue moon. This fan base deserves better.

 

[thewolverines24]

Those were the only years that they were in the conversation at the end of the year, you're right. But there were other years where the expectations, whether unwarranted or not, were for Michigan to compete for national championships. 2007 they were ranked 4th to start the season, right? We won't discuss what happened to ruin that season, but the point is that recruits don't remember and never knew the storied program that we did growing up.

So are you suggesting that you're okay with being the Big Ten version of Auburn, where you get your ass whooped by your biggest rival most years, watch them play for titles, both conference and national, while once every 60+ years you get a taste of that?

I get what you're saying, I think the disconnect here is that what I'm describing is the fact that Michigan teams under Lloyd were good enough to play with anybody in the country most years. They rarely lived up to their potential, but fandom is much more fun when it's agonizing to lose and exciting to win. This apathy thing is not fun.

I am not suggesting I'm ok with being the Big Ten version of Auburn. I'm fed up with Michigan not being a great program who can compete for national titles. I'm sick of losing to rivals consistently.

Things were better and much more fun under Carr because we were good year in and year out. Maybe we weren't competing for national titles (at least he won one!) on a regular basis, but we could compete with almost anyone.

I just want this program to be great again. It's a laughing stock right now.

 

[bphillips4gg]

I am not suggesting I'm ok with being the Big Ten version of Auburn. I'm fed up with Michigan not being a great program who can compete for national titles. I'm sick of losing to rivals consistently.

Things were better and much more fun under Carr because we were good year in and year out. Maybe we weren't competing for national titles (at least he won one!) on a regular basis, but we could compete with almost anyone.

I just want this program to be great again. It's a laughing stock right now.

So we're saying the same thing. There's absolutely no reason this program shouldn't be competing every year for a national title and we're sick and tired of seeing .500ish ball played by the winningest program in CFB history.

The bottom line is this. For the better part of two decades, your main rival has been outperforming you in every aspect of the game, on and off the field. They win. Period. It was clear to all of us, watching our shitty team going toe to toe with them, that they aren't one of the 4 best teams in the country. But because they win, a lot, and have been doing so for a long time, they still managed to beat out several teams that are probably better. Right now, Michigan isn't perceived that way. That's the part that pisses me off more than anything.

 

[lostleader]

so... at some point Harbaugh and Moeller will have to go to a restaurant and say to patrons "How much for dee women?" in order to get a crucial staff member on board?

I was thinking a more serious film analogy would be Kambei recruiting his band of samurai to defend the village in The Seven Samurai:

...and in the end, when the village is saved, but half of them are dead, instead of the line "with their land, the farmers are the victors, not us." Harbaugh would say "with the winningest football program, the fans are the victors, not us." Except they wouldn't be half dead, they'd all be multi-millionaires, heading to a retirement community in Clearwater, FL.

4 fried chicken and a coke, and some dry white toast!

 

[Michchamp]

So we're saying the same thing. There's absolutely no reason this program shouldn't be competing every year for a national title and we're sick and tired of seeing .500ish ball played by the winningest program in CFB history.

The bottom line is this. For the better part of two decades, your main rival has been outperforming you in every aspect of the game, on and off the field. They win. Period. It was clear to all of us, watching our shitty team going toe to toe with them, that they aren't one of the 4 best teams in the country. But because they win, a lot, and have been doing so for a long time, they still managed to beat out several teams that are probably better. Right now, Michigan isn't perceived that way. That's the part that pisses me off more than anything.

the whole "competing for a national title every year" thing is absurd, and that myth that anyone has done it consistently, w/out sanctions blowing up the program, should really be put to rest.

 

[mhughes0021]

the whole "competing for a national title every year" thing is absurd, and that myth that anyone has done it consistently, w/out sanctions blowing up the program, should really be put to rest.

You may want to forward any info you have on Alabama to the NCAA so they can start their investigation.

 

[dubbsco]

Yeah, even if you aren't top 1 or 2 consistently, there are 5-10 teams that are in the conversation.

 

[mhughes0021]

Just keep your expectations down. Assume Michigan won't be hiring Jim Harbaugh. And if he does come here, you can be super excited about it.

But just use Miles as your baseline. I still think he ends up as the coach.

Miles as your baseline is still keeping your expectations high at this point. You get passed those 2 and a majority of the available coaches is somewhat bare. You then have to hope we can poach someone "decent" from another school.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Yeah, even if you aren't top 1 or 2 consistently, there are 5-10 teams that are in the conversation.

It is impossible for there to be more than 1 school the top 1 consistently and impossible for there to be more than 2 schools the top 2 consistently.

If you look at the top 4 BCS finishers over 2004-2013 (ten years), Bama was in it 5 times, Texas 4, Auburn, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State, & LSU 3, Stanford, TCU, Oklahoma, & USC twice, and 8 other schools were in the top 4 once.

If you want just the top 2, Bama was there 3 times, Texas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, USC & OSU twice. 1 team, 3 times a decade. That's as consistent as it was for anyone.

 

[bphillips4gg]

Yeah, even if you aren't top 1 or 2 consistently, there are 5-10 teams that are in the conversation.

Exactly. OSU isn't in the title game every year, but they've finished top ten how many of the past 15 years? I get they had sanctions, but that was due to one individual lying, not a program wide mindset of win at all costs (at least that I know of). Their president may be the biggest douchebag I've ever seen and I fucking hate them, but they've been in the thick of it pretty much the entire BCS era. Bama, LSU, OU, Oregon, Texas & USC (not as much recently), how many BCS bowls were those teams playing in?

I guess Hoke's measure of success is somewhat accurate. It would appear that the Big Ten champ is going to have a shot so long as they're only one loss now. I guess I would consider the program elite again if they would win the Big Ten title 1/3 years or better and finish no lower than 2nd in the division 3/4 years. You can say that's unrealistic expectations, I'll point at the Big Ten standings for the past decade and show you our archrival's name at or very near the top every single year except one.