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I would say "again," but I wasn't blogging about recruiting back in 2004 when Mike Hart committed to Michigan as a player.
Hart is joining Michigan's coaching staff as running backs coach after spending the past several years coaching at Eastern Michigan (2011-2013), Western Michigan (2014-2015), Syracuse (2016), and Indiana (2017-2020). That followed a college career with the Wolverines, when he finished as Michigan's leading career rusher, and a short career with the Indianapolis Colts. Hart happens to be the last Michigan running back to get drafted, an agonizingly long gap since 2008.
Hit the jump for more.
The hope is that Hart, a New York native, can be a recruiting boon for Michigan. He was very passionate about Michigan back in the day, even going as far as calling out then Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh for Harbaugh's comments about Michigan's academics. (The two have since reportedly made amends.)
Hart helped land a couple 4-stars at Indiana (RB Sampson James, WR Ra'shawn Williams) as well as a few other solid contributors, such as RB Stevie Scott III, WR David Ellis, and former Michigan RB commit Tim Baldwin, Jr.
I am perhaps less enthused about Hart's hiring than many, for multiple reasons. First and foremost is the relatively pedestrian numbers Indiana running backs have posted during his time with the Hoosiers. The following numbers are for Indiana's top back during his time in Bloomington:
- Morgan Ellison (2017): 704 yards, 4.92 YPC, 6 TD
- Stevie Scott III (2018): 1137 yards, 4.99 YPC, 10 TD
- Stevie Scott III (2019): 845 yards, 4.75 YPC, 10 TD
- Stevie Scott III (2020): 561 yards, 3.60 YPC, 10 TD
The backups have not been much better, if any.
I also have a hunch - perhaps a fear - that Hart prefers backs like himself: tough, reliable, and not very explosive. While he inherits elite recruits at Michigan (Zach Charbonnet, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards) that he didn't have access to at Indiana, I hope he does not lean toward recruiting stockier, slower players we have seen over the years like De'Veon Smith, Derrick Green, etc.
There has been much discussion over the years here about running backs, but the reality is that elite teams have explosive running backs. Just check out the four CFP teams: Alabama (Najee Harris), Clemson (Travis Etienne), Notre Dame (Kyren Williams), and Ohio State (Trey Sermon). Michigan cannot compete with elite programs if it doesn't start uncovering - and playing - backs who can create big plays, preferably both in the running and passing game.
On the plus side, Hart has shown a propensity for advocating for one primary back. During most of his coaching years, one player has received the bulk of the carries, with the exceptions of 2015 at Western Michigan (Jamauri Bogan and Jarvion Frankling had 162 and 153 carries, respectively) and 2017 at Indiana (Morgan Ellison and Cole Gest had 143 and 93 carries, respectively).
Hart also has a history of winning. His high school team was 46-1 and won three state championships. He won a Super Bowl with the Colts. He helped turn a perennially mediocre/bad Indiana program into a tough out, and this past year, the Hoosiers beat Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State.
This move for Michigan probably solidifies the rumored move of Jay Harbaugh from running backs coach to special teams coach. Harbaugh actually got pretty good production from his backs, but special teams took a step back in 2020. Overall, I think he has done a good job of scheming up blocked punts, kickoff returns, etc. over the past few years since John Baxter left following the 2015 season, but the extra point/field goal units have struggled. Perhaps this move will free up Harbaugh to learn and focus on the place kickers, who combined to make just 3/9 field goals in 2020.
It appears the offensive staff is probably solidified with OC/WR coach Josh Gattis, HC/QB coach Jim Harbaugh, OL coach Ed Warinner, TE coach Sherrone Moore, and Hart.
The defensive staff still has some filling out to occur, even with the (expected) hiring of Baltimore Ravens coach Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator. At the very least, Michigan will need a new safeties coach to replace Bob Shoop and a new cornerbacks coach, with Mike Zordich reportedly being a free agent now.
I like the ring of "has a history of winning".
ReplyDeletejoseph dreamed dreams
Interesting the history of winning kind of avoided his time at Michigan. Harbaugh has us back to that 9-3 area that Hart experienced as a player.
Delete-Lank
I thought Joe Moorehead was being hired as OC. Im not up on things.
ReplyDeleteWas Moorehead ever going to come work under Gattis? Was Gattis going to take a demotion? Never made much sense to me. Leverage play.
Delete-Lank
I love this hire. Not just because I was a big fan of #20, but I think his recruiting will be felt right away ... I wouldn't worry about the type of Back he tends to lean toward, since our OC has a system he hopes to one day run
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of ... What are the odds Gattis gets it together? Can he? Our Defense will absolutely need the O to carry them for the foreseeable future
The thing between Zordich and Crowell was real, and extended farther than was reported. There were some Cass Tech people that were disappointed at the least in the comments Zordich made about Lavert Hill, and while that did get smoothed over some at Cass, that group is pretty active throughout the PSL.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't help when Damon Payne Jr signed with Alabama. There are three stories there, the Payne's had their hand out, Crowell poisoned the recruitment, Michigan stopped recruiting the kid. A wise old divorce attorney once told me that there are three sides to every story, his side, her side and the truth. In this case, I'm thinking there are four.
I am beyond sure that Mike Hart's first stop will be Bellville High School, on his way to Cass Tech. He is a thick, small, slow and beloved figure in Detroit. People very definitely remember him taking Harbaugh on in whatever year it was ... 2007 ... probably, I think mostly because he won that one, at least around here.
This is a great pickup for us recruiting.
Not as sure about coaching, only because, like speed, the stuff Hart had, I'm not sure can be coached, but maybe. Maybe watching film he can tell a kid, "Right here, take your foot off the gas, take a look around, give your blocking a chance to force somebody into making a decision, then make them wrong."
I really hope things get patched up in Detroit. People have been talking around this for a while but it's clear there are some relationship issues with Harbaugh being who he is and hiring who he has.
DeletePeople talk about pipelines all the damn time but Cass Tech is the only that I can identify to Michigan in my lifetime. It seems to have sprung a leak.
I don't know that Hart is going to change anything with Belville. We'll see. Seldon probably more important on that front.
-Lank
I'm skeptical of any alumni hire as having an element of publicity to it but Hart seems bona fide.
ReplyDeleteI like the short stocky backs myself - I have no issue with more Harts and Smiths as long as there are some 3rd down options too. With Gattis recruiting a lot of hybrid RB/WRs this shouldn't be a problem. Anyway, Hart isn't dumb, he's not going to thumb his nose at a high end speedster who is interested in Michigan.
We'll see if this helps for recruiting, I think a RB coach needs to do a lot more of that beyond his own position.
-Lank
Michigan HAS explosive backs. Right now. On the roster. It clearly hasn't helped them make the playoff -- which they almost did with Deveon Smith.
ReplyDelete-Lank
There has to be another offensive coach coming right? It would be unusual to have no dedicated QB coach AND no dedicated WR coach. That would be too few guys wearing too many hats.
ReplyDelete-Lank
I would not call a propensity for using a primary back a positive. Most of the football world is moving in another direction.
ReplyDeleteAs previously discussed, it's about who is in your RB room. If you have one guy who is great then by all means ride him, but hopefully you have multiple good options. Wheatley & Biakabatuka rotating is the ideal, or something like '97. Not having to rely on one guy - like Michigan did when Hart played.
-Lank
Typical Lank. Five consecutive posts, the first & last questioning the coaches
ReplyDeleteLank always knows better 🙄
Typical JE wanting to talk about Lank.
DeleteHi Lank 👋🏽😬
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