Courtesy of the Detroit News.

The News reports that the coaching search committee is believed to have seven members, including Desmond Howard (former Heisman winner and current ESPN analyst), Ted Spencer (director of undergrad admissions), Percy Bates (athletic faculty representative), and 4 mystery members.

Thus far, however, Martin has conducted the interviews without the search committee.

Although it still is relatively early in the search process, Martin already has conducted two interviews for the vacancy.

He interviewed Ron English, Michigan’s defensive coordinator, on Monday, and Mike DeBord, the offensive coordinator, on Tuesday.

Martin conducted both interviews.

Posted under Coaching

I wonder who Jim Carty does(n’t) prefer for the Michigan job?

The Ferentz-to-Michigan thing has gained quite a bit of steam, mostly via MGoBlog (though off-the-record, I have spoken to insider-ish people who certainly believe he’s the #1 choice, if nothing further than that).

Jim Carty tries to show that Kirk Ferentz is not the man of integrity that those in the Michigan world would like to think. In fact, he’s a scummy cheater whose son steals from poor people and gives to the rich (himself), like some sort of twisted reverse-Robin Hood. Carty certainly seems to be stretching here, trying to go out of his way (and the realm of relevance) to dish some dirt on Ferentz.

As for the assertion that 10% of Iowa’s team is in some sort of legal trouble? Glass houses, buddy. That does raise a point, however, that even Lloyd Carr, bastion of all that is right in this world-gone-wrong, can’t control all of his players perfectly.

As for the search? It is quite clear that Ferentz is probably the #1 choice right now (with support from Mary Sue Coleman and Carr), with Miles somewhere behind him, and everyone else playing catchup.

Posted under Coaching

Michigan currently has 16 recruits committed to the 2008 class for football.
Boubacar Cissoko CB Detroit
Mike Cox RB Connecticut
Kenny Demens LB Detroit
J.B. Fitzgerald LB New Jersey
Rocko Khoury OL Traverse City
Kevin Koger TE Toledo
Mike Martin DT Novi
Sam McGuffie RB Texas
Elliott Mealer OL Wauseon, OH
Brandon Moore TE Trotwood, OH
Dan O’Neill OT Grand Haven
Daryl Stonum WR Texas
Kurt Wermers OL Crown Point, IN
John Weinke QB Tuscola, IL
Christian Wilson RB McKees Rock, PA
Marcus Witherspoon LB New Jersey

With Carr’s retirement now official, the new coach will likely have to re-recruit all of the current commitments, as well as the final 6 or seven members to the 2008 recruiting class. Some currently committed members of the Wolverines’ class have reaffirmed their commitments, whomever the next coach may be. Boubacar Cissoko, Kenny Demens, and Dann O’Neill have all told the Detroit News that they will remain firm in their commitments. Christian Wilson, on the other hand, will reopen his recruiting. The remaining members of the class have not spoken about their intentions, but it is likely that some of the more highly-coveted guys will be recruited heavily by other top schools, and Michigan State will likely go hard after every commit from the mitten state. Will Illinois push after John Weinke, who lives only half an hour from Urbana-Champaign? For now, it’s a wait-and-see game. More news will likely come out as the recruits themselves hear from Carr, and report to their local newspapers. Every recruit will obviously have different factors working for and against Michigan (Stonum’s former teammates at Michigan, Dantonio working hard for in-state dominance, etc.).

On an interesting note, many recruits have named Ron English as a key factor to their return to the Wolverines. Kenny Demens said he is a Michigan Man no matter what, but he would like to see English on the next staff. Both of the New Jersey linebackers had Steve Szabo as their primary recruiter. Szabo is a top-notch coach as well, though it is possible he retires.

Posted under Coaching, Recruiting

Probably a lot of posting, in light of what a big day it is today.

From the Ann Arbor News.

The criteria seem to point away from Mike Trgovac, in terms of people who have already been mentioned as potential candidates. Miles seems to fit the criteria the best (Jim Carty definitely thinks so). The Best Sports Writer in America questions whether Les Miles should be considered a lock to coach the Wolverines next season. Tedford doesn’t likely have the “Michigan Tradition” knowledge that Martin talks about. Brian Kelly seems to meet the criteria well. In terms of coaching longevity, I doubt people will have to worry about DeBord (and not just for that reason).

Posted under Coaching

Lloyd Carr has informed his coaching staff and players, as well as the media, that he will retire at a 10AM press conference tomorrow.

Posted under Coaching

Assuming Lloyd Carr retires at the end of this year, which becomes less and less of an “if” each day, it seems, Michigan will be looking to hire a new head coach. One such option is former Michigan assistant Les Miles, who is now the head coach of the LSU Tigers. If Miles were named coach, what might his staff look like? Varsity Blue offers our (not necessarily informed on all points) opinions:

Current Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Lloyd Carr (Retires)
Defensive Secondary: Vance Bedford (Likely to leave)
Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers: Erik Campbell (Carr guy, but good coach. Status unknown)
Offensive Coordinator / Tight Ends: Mike DeBord (Will likely be replaced, rumors of personal incompatibility with Miles)
Defensive Coordinator: Ron English (Will likely move on)
Associate Head Coach / Running Backs: Fred Jackson (Will likely stay, coached with Miles under Moeller)
Quarterbacks: Scot Loeffler (Will likely stay, possibly promoted to OC, was a player when Miles was a coach)
Offensive Line: Andy Moeller (Will be replaced or moved to LBs)
Defensive Line: Steve Stripling (Will likely stay)
Linebackers: Steve Szabo (will likely retire)
Director of Weight Training and Conditioning: Mike Gittleson (Will be replaced)
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Kevin Tolbert (Likely to stay)

Les Miles’s Current Staff
Offensive Coordinator: Gary Crowton (Not likely to stay with Miles – first year together, he’s been on a downward slide (BYU HC to Oregon OC to LSU OC)
Defensive Coordinator: Bo Pelini(Not likely to join Miles – HC gig elsewhere)
Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator: Josh Henson (May join Miles – been with him since OkSt, and DeBord will be replaced)
Defensive Line Coach: Earl Lane (Not likely to join – only second year with Miles, though he did go to college in Michigan)
Defensive Backs Coach: Doug Mallory (Likely to go with Miles – played for Bo at Michigan, been with Les since OkSt, has good players)
Wide Receivers Coach: D.J. McCarthy (Not likely to join – 1st year with Miles, no real connections)
Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers Coach: Bradley Dale Peveto (May join Miles, 3rd year with him, and LSU’s special teams have been decent, pulls double duty)
Asst. Head Coach/Running Backs/Special Teams: Larry Porter (May come – coaches a white guy right now, has multiple responsibilities, but Jackson is already around)
Offensive Line Coach: Greg Studrawa (May come – Ohio guy, though it is his first year with Miles)
Strength & Conditioning Coordinator: Tommy Moffitt (May not come – longtime LSU guy, and could want to stay, though LSU always has strong, conditioned athletes)

Hybrid Staff:
Head Coach: Les Miles
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks: Scot Loeffler
Co-Offensive Co-coordinator/Offensive Line: Greg Studrawa
Tight Ends: Josh Henson
Defensive Coordinator:
Associate Head Coach / Running Backs: Fred Jackson
Defensive Line: Steve Stripling
Linebackers/Special Teams: Bradley Dale Peveto or Andy Moeller
Director of Weight Training and Conditioning: Tommy Moffitt
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Kevin Tolbert

The only space left empty here is the Defensive Coordinator. Would English be willing to stay on, and would Michigan be willing to take him? Otherwise, Michigan would have to go outside both programs to find a new name (which, in all reality, they are likely to do for one or more of the other positions as well).

Posted under Coaching

Wondering what Paul and I were talking about Saturday night? Here is your chance to find out. Moderately edited version of our conversation follows.

LSU v. Kentucky

Paul: that [LSU/Kentucky] was a crazy game
Tim: yeah
Tim: i can’t decide if i’m happy about the result or not
Paul: i now have no clue what my ballot will look like
Tim: no joke
Tim: i probably have osu #1
Tim: cal #2 [pre-Cal loss]
Paul: les miles threw rock
Tim: yeah
Tim: which is what lloyd haters hate
Tim: but…
Tim: i guess he is a true michigan man
Paul: kentucky wasn’t exactly paper against rock all game
Tim: truf

Play-by play Announcers

Tim: cbs announcers are terrrrrrrrible
Paul: i don’t hate verne
Paul: that would be like hating your grandpa
Tim: they are frontrunners to promote the SEC. Whoever is winning is doing so because they are just that much more awesome than the almost equally-awesome team they are beating
Tim: i’m going to be honest
Tim: the SEC, Pac 10, and big 10 are about the same on a multi-year basis
Paul: yeah
Tim: =-o
Paul: and also… there’s no way to compare conferences
Tim: the SEC thing comes from an exclusive-ish contract
Tim: because CBS promotes the SEC like its their job
Tim: whereas ABC/ESPN is split amongst all conferences
Tim: pac-10 gets bonus cred from the fox thing, but not much
Tim: when BTN is national, B10 will get more respect [I believe this to be inevitable ay this point]
Paul: i watched a bit of the nd game
Tim: yeah
Tim: ND sucks
Tim: BC was unimpressive
Paul: nbc seemed to be thinking “fuck. first hockey, now this”
Tim: yeah
Tim: they were still pathetic ND homers though
Tim: per usual
Paul: i only get so mad at the homerish
Paul: i mean…
Paul: it’s basically like the announcers on fsn for the tigers
Tim: yeah
Paul: if they only cover one team… i guess it’s allowed
Tim: but vastly different
Paul: it’s that it’s a national network rather than an rsn
Tim: because FSN uses tigers-specific people
Tim: nbc is a national network
Tim: and should theoretically be bias-less
Paul: i bet a vast majority of their audience (esp. this year) appreciates the bias
Paul: and if they were non-biased, they would be accused of hating
Tim: haha espn throws hart a bone in heisman race
Tim: in case you aren’t watching ak/auburn
Tim: ak being my hilariously erroneous “arkansas” abbreviation, rather than its accurate “alaska” abbreviation

Michigan Injuries

Paul: any word on mhart’s condition?
Tim: he’s fine
Tim: was going to come out soon anyway
Tim: could have come back otherwise [prior to the high-ankle sprain news]
Paul: i kind of felt like it was a 30pt lead injury
Tim: and, apparently mouton isn’t so much injured as he gets beaten out by chris graham
Tim: ouch
Tim: that’s like getting beaten out by jason gingell
Paul: i know
Tim: sorry, bryan wright
Tim: but you suck
Paul: apparently wright has a groin injury
Paul: at least that’s the excuse
Tim: really?
Paul: except he’s doing kos
Tim: i had no idea
Tim: he’s not having distance issues
Tim: which i would think would be the probem with an injury
Paul: i know
Tim: especially since an injury like that wouldn’t last 8 weeks, without getting either better or worse
Paul: what happened with englemon?
Tim: ?
Paul: was it just “blow out- get him out?”
Tim: dunno
Paul: stevie was in with the rest of the 1st team
Tim: i didn’t notice he went out
Tim: i think it’s “try to prepare for the future” time
Paul: which could make sense for learning
Tim: in that particular case
Tim: i didn’t feel like staying for the press conferences
Tim: so i don’t know for sure
Paul: gotcha
Tim: but englemon was walking fine after the game
Tim: so i’d assume it’s getting brown starting minutes
Paul: i bet it was learning
Tim: esp. considering he was really the starter at the beginning of the year
Paul: yeah
Paul: good choice…

Michigan Special Teams

Paul: what’d you think of our ko strategy?
Tim: especially since an injury wouldn’t last 8 weeks
Paul: some kids behind me were bitching
Paul: yeah
Tim: i wasn’t upset
Tim: when they are #2 in the country in yds/ko
Tim: plus the first one
Paul: by the way… zoltan has mind lasers
Tim: you do what you have to
Tim: it’s an example that lloyd doesn’t just throw rock while ignoring the results
Tim: zoltan has all sorts of lasers
Paul: this team has made so many adjustments throughout the season
Tim: including fuck lion lasers

The game itself

Paul: so do you ascribe to the “we’re actually a pretty good team at this point” reasoning or the “purdue == straw man” argument?
Tim: a bit of both
Tim: though i definitely believe in each
Tim: so more like a lot of both
Paul: the thing is… michigan didn’t just win
Tim: we could have put up 80 if we wanted
Paul: they were like, “I’ll see your shellacking, and raise you a walloping, OSU…”
Paul: so… can we say that the D didn’t give up one legit TD?
Tim: whether you give them a 6 yard drive or not, you still gave up a td
Tim: especially since you allowed them to tie the game
Paul: it was 4…
Tim: but the only legit td was definitely on the offense
Paul: yeah
Tim: sorry i was on the field where i couldn’t see exactly how many yards

Crowd

Tim: the crowd was actually pretty fucking good
Tim: especially for a blowout
Paul: it was pretty quiet after hart went out
Tim: hart went out when the game was long over
Paul: and when we couldn’t find him after half
Paul: it’s true
Paul: it was nice to have a full on wave in kind of garbagy time
Tim: yeah
Tim: and it was early 3rd too
Paul: it was nice to have garbage time

Comcast

Tim: i hate comcast fyi
Tim: i fully intend to call and bitch at them wasted tonight
Tim: though BTN has them by the balls if they get the UM/MSU game
Paul: yeah
Tim: as both talent and the exec producer and producers think will happen
Paul: the comcast OD lady gave me the company line when i was talking to her
Tim: oh yeah?
Paul: yeha
Paul: i bit my tounge

Posted under Analysis, Coaching, Personnel

First Half Defense
The defense didn’t have a great first half, but if you take out the two big plays (the pass where just about everyone thought Rasheed Ward was down except Ward himself, and the 49-yard Conteh touchdown run), the defense was stout, though not excellent.

64 of NU’s 212 first half passing yards came on that play, about 55 of them after the “tackle.” Take those yards away, and Michigan held NU to 157 first-half passing yards. This is respectable but not great. It’s got to be expected given Michigan’s shitty secondary.

The rushing touchdown, if removed from the first-half stats, takes NU’s yardage down from 15 rushes for 97 yards to 14 rushes for 48 yards. This would be much better.

However, it must be remembered that these big plays did indeed happen (the rushing touchdown with backup linebackers in, I believe). Improved execution in the following weeks should fix these problems.

Second Half Defense
The defense was much better in the second half, mostly bending without break, but also forcing 4 C.J. Bacher turnovers in a row. The main difference appeared to be increased intensity. The two fumbles were forced by pressure, as was the Ezeh interception (with the caveat that it was tipped). The Trent pick was either a bad read, bad throw, or combination of the two.

Michigan has discovered that to win games, the defense must pressure the quarterback. In future weeks (notably against the spread offense of Purdue), this will hopefully happen from opening gun to final whistle, rather than coming and going over the course of the game.

First Half Offense
The first drive with Henne was good. It certainly showed that this is indeed his offense. Mallett was 5 for 11, missing a couple open guys, and not responding to pressure as consistently well as he did in the first couple games. He will improve in the future.

Troubling in the first half was Michigan’s insistence on running into stacked fronts on first and second downs. Michigan has 15 carries for 37 yards in half 1. Michigan ran on 8 out of their 12 first-and-tens for 28 yards. This counts only conventional runs, not backwards screens or reverses.

Second Half Offense
The play selection improved in the second half. Michigan ran (conventional runs) on 8 of 16 first and tens, though they went for only 16 yards. Half as opposed to two-thirds of running plays on first and ten, though the production decreased.

Henne was more accurate than was Mallett, and Michigan was able to move the ball through the air, and Mike Hart did break a big run on a second down to boost the Wolverines. Before compiling these stats (which may not be accurate, check the facts if you’d like), I expected that the rushing was more successful in the second half because Northwestern tired down. However, it seems that this is not the case, and it may be more creative playcalling that benefited Michigan.

Special Teams
The return units were unspectacular, but also didn’t hurt Michigan. Coverage teams were still not great. Lots of Northwestern drives started with good field position. However, the biggest Achilles Heel of special teams is the terrible play of Jason Gingell. He was 0/2 on the day, missing 26 and 39 yarders. This puts his season total at 3/9 (two were blocked in the App. State game, only one was his fault). This week’s depth chart lists K.C. Lopata and Bryan Wright as “OR”s along with Gingell, meaning that a starter will be established in practice over the course of the week. Lopata was mentioned in Carr’s Monday press conference, Wright was not. Expect Lopata to be given a try in the Eastern Michigan game.

Posted under Analysis, Coaching

O.M.F.G.

This actually happened. At least for the rest of this year, the scourge of having lost to a 1-AA team will be hanging over the ehads of Michigan Wolverine players and fans. For players, it may provide the extra motivation they so clearly lacked yesterday. For fans, there is no recourse but to take the abuse from others, and hope to run the table the rest of the way.

Observations on the game:

• Chad Henne had his worst day (by far) that I’ve observed. He was missing deep balls, making bad reads, throwing across his body, etc.
• Mike Hart carried the team, despite being out for most of the game. Brandon Minor has yet to learn how to find a hole.
• The defensive line was bad. The inside zone handoff was a guaranteed three yards for App St. the entire first half, and was still moderately effective in the second. Brandon Graham was in the doghouse and played limited snaps.
• As expected, the secondary sucked. Stevie Brown and Johnny Sears were major liabilities. Morgan Trent was much improved over last year.
• The coaching was bad. Sure, Brandon Minor isn’t cut out for the zone game unless there is a gaping hole, but you have one of the biggest offensive lines in the country, and you’re playing a bunch of guys who don’t breach 300 pounds. Just pound the ball all game.
• We are back to not being able to stop a mobile quarterback. Scary, considering we’re playing Dennis Dixon next week.
• The fans were pathetic except during the late 3rd and early 4th quarters.
• I was interning for the Big Ten network. It is a poorly run organization at every level. Don’t expect it to last longer than a year.

Halfway through, I switch to the royal “we.” I’m too depressed to go back and fix it. I hope to god that this year isn’t 2005 redux.

Posted under Analysis, Coaching

On ESPN.com:

“Big East. The conference everybody loved to dismiss before 2006 is must-see TV this fall with three Top 25 teams (Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia) and a potential sleeper (South Florida). The league is littered with Heisman candidates (WVU’s Slaton and Pat White, Louisville’s Brohm and Rutgers’ Rice) and great young coaches (WVU’s Rich Rodriguez, Louisville’s Steve Kragthorpe and Rutgers’ Greg Schiano).

Big Ten. Outside of Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and reloading Ohio State, few Big Ten teams have a legitimate chance of making the postseason. Michigan State and Minnesota have new coaches, and Illinois, Indiana and Northwestern continue to struggle. No wonder people are jumping off the Big Ten bandwagon.”

-Mark Schlabach

The Big East has 3 top-twenty five teams. Very neat. The Big Ten has 4. The Big East has a sleeper in South Florida (in the “others receiving votes” in the USA Today Top 25). The Big Ten has an “other receiving votes” as well, in Iowa, as well as a legitimate sleeper in Illinois, who has been stockpiling talent under Ron Zook, and returns 19 starters, including 9 from a defense that was, if not spectacular, certainly a bright spot for the team. (36.4% teams top 25 B10, 37.5% teams top 25 BL, with no top 5, and 1 top ten to the Big Ten’s 3)

The Big East has four preseason Heisman contenders. Michigan has 3. Wisonsin has one in P.J. Hill, one of Penn State’s skill position players on offense (Morelli or the electric but as-yet disappointing Derrick Williams) could be considered a candidate. Ohio State’s Beanie Wells will receive consideration. Juice Williams from Illinois is a human highlight reel – though he’ll have to stop allowing half of those highlights be for the other team if he wants to be considered. Indiana’s Kellen Lewis is a less electric, but also less mistake-prone version of Juice, and James Hardy is likely to catch touchdown passes over many a defensive back who can’t handle his 6-8-ness. The Big Ten returns 4 first and second team all Americans (would be five if Mario Manningham wasn’t hurt for a significant portion of last year – remember, until the injury, he was a legitimate Heisman contender, not just an all-american candidate). The Big East returns two first and second teamers, along with a third teamer, Rutgers tackle Eric Foster, their only defensive name on the list.

Great coaches? Who cares if they’re young. Give me Tressel over everyone in the Big East any day. In terms of recruiting, there is no better coach in America than Ron Zook (ok, except Pete Carroll, but he has a lot more to work with). Bret Bielema, despite being an asshole, took his team to a one-loss season in his first as a head coach. Oh, did I say don’t worry about age? He’s actually the second-youngest coach in America, only to conference foe Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern.

Bowl eligibility might be little harder to come by if you face a schedule featuring four preseason top-25 teams, as well as another receiving votes, as Illinois and Michigan State must do (Minnesota and Northwestern miss only Penn State). Despite this, Illinois will probably be bowling. At least 5/11 Big Ten teams are mortal locks to go to bowls, and 2 or 3 more likely will. 4 Big East teams will be bowling, and it is unlikely that 6 make it, despite the fact that all but 2 Big East teams (Syracuse and West Virginia) play a 1-AA opponent.

Is it fair to say that the Big East is hot while the Big Ten is not? Certainly not. The real reason peopel are “jumping off the Big Ten bandwagon” is your moronic “journalism.”

Posted under Coaching