Jeff Brohm (Head Coach, Louisville): Brohm is 94-56 overall as a head coach, which feels like a high number of wins for a guy who's 54. He has been head coach at Western Kentucky, Purdue, and now his alma mater, Louisville. Brohm is known for gutsy calls and fun play designs, but regardless of where he's been, he seems to find a way to lose four games per year. In fact, in twelve seasons as a head coach, five of them have ended with four losses. Brohm played quarterback at Louisville, so he may not be willing to abandon his alma mater. I don't think the culture shock would be as high as it was for Rich Rodriguez when he came to Michigan, but the backlash from Louisville could be similar to when Rodriguez left WVU to head to Ann Arbor.
Kyle Whittingham (Unemployed): Whittingham has been rumored to be an option for Michigan the last couple times the job has opened, but nothing ever materialized. Whittingham attended BYU and played some linebacker in the NFL before spending his entire coaching career in Idaho and Utah. He had been the head coach for the Utes ever since Urban Meyer left Utah for Florida, and he was defensive coordinator for Utah for ten years prior to that. Meyer (who's a good football coach but a questionable human) said Whittingham is a top-five coach in college football. My contention is that if Whittingham had the juice to be a head coach, he should be doing it at Utah - where he was 10-2 this season - instead of somewhere else. How much gas is left in the tank for a guy who's 66 years old and has never worked anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains?
Jesse Minter (Defensive Coordinator, Los Angeles Chargers): Minter is a former Michigan defensive coordinator (2022-2023) who helped Michigan earn a national championship in 2023 before heading to the Chargers with Jim Harbaugh. There's really no doubt that he could put together an elite defense, but he has no head coaching experience. One thing I like about Minter is that he's a football lifer, someone who grew up as the son of former Cincinnati head coach Rick Minter. It's kind of like my affinity for players who used to play quarterback; there's a certain baseline of competence and intelligence. Minter might be able to be an NFL head coach next year, so perhaps coming back to college and dealing with all the recruiting and such year-round isn't his ideal.
Biff Poggi (Interim Head Coach, Michigan): Poggi was a key component of Jim Harbaugh's staff, coming in as somewhat of a consultant. He then left to become head coach at Charlotte, where he was doomed to fail and did. This year he came back to try to help Sherrone Moore, which . . . well, you know. Poggi reportedly has been telling people that he wants the head job at Michigan, but wanting it and getting it are two different things. I don't think a serious program can give Poggi a head coaching job at this point. He seems like a great dude and went 2-0 as Moore's replacement to start the 2025 season, but it would be the gamble of all gambles.
Hive mind the past couple of weeks at MgoBlog with all prospective coaches being compared with Moore. For smart guys, why didn't they compare prospects to Campbell, Fitz, and Day? Fitz was a top prospect when we got Harbaugh. Honest question-why aren't fans being disappointed that Fitz wasn't available still? Now it's KW per the news. Last question, would you rather have Fitz, Campbell, or KW?
Can't have fitz at Michigan right now given his controversies. Mediocre Matt has less of a resume than Brohm. Wittingham is squeaky clean, proven, and safe. Big question is what he can do outside of Utah. But he brings stability where it's needed. Hopefully personnel loses on O are limited but defense will need to be rebuilt.
Does anyone want Fitzgerald over any of the names you listed? Fitzgerald would be an absolutely horrible hire; he isn't highly thought of. I think you are on your own here.
It is not the x an o's as much as the jimmie and joes. TCU ran the 3-3-5 and beat Wisconsin (when they were Wisconsin) in the rose bowl. Let's just never remember that 3 year stretch. We'll never know what was really going on, I never figured out why Carr was so pissed off and why he and his minions did everything to undermine the team. Remember, Carr sat in the IOWA suite in 2009 when UM played Iowa in Iowa. Carr is dead to me. F that guy.
Yes, I understand the hazing thing about Fitz, but he was cleared. I appreciate you answering though because I am very curious on why Fitz is going unnoticed. It's so odd that MGoBl9g has almost 100% focus on KW vs Moore, and 0% on KW vs Fitz.
So, amend my question, Fitz, Campbell, or KW, with Fitz's issues eliminated?
I think KW in weak Pac-10 to Fitz in weak west division were similar 10 years ago. Now? KW's age is much of a wild card as is if we hired a coordinator without HC experience.
Put it this way, if Moore had been fired a month earlier, would we be talking Fitz, with the hypothetical that the regents would stick up for him, or the false charges were never filed? In this thought experiment, I think most fans would be much more excited about getting Fitz. Yes, in the hypothetical, KW announces his departure in November, so it's Fitz vs KW.
Looks like Kyle is the guy. Let's get him here, improve this garbage coaching staff, get a QB coach, and roll. We just vastly improved our coaching staff vs going into 2026 hoping Moore would flip the switch and figure it out, even against all odds ( I had 80/20 against). This worked out about as good as can be hoped. My first pick would have been a more high risk/lower floor, infinite ceiling move, like getting a super genius coordinator with a Harvard coaching education (ie, Smart/Cignetti tree) but Kyle is fine. The key is getting a good staff. (notice no one was trying to poach wink?) We just went from having one of the worst HC in the B10 to a top 5 and a guy that can be as good as anyone. Lets rock!
I love the OC rumor, and am perfectly fine with the DC talk too
I would like to keep Alford & reassign Newsom. On D, I'm open. For continuity I wouldn't be upset at either of Esposito or Morgan, even both of they got help
I hated this coaching search, and would have hated being a part of it
my first thought was: the ASU coach. I love how they play, and see a ton of promise. But I had never heard him talk until recently, and he was one of the few people I've listened to who sound as weird as Harbaugh. But at least JH was our prodigal son ... disaster was almost as likely as success
I didn't like big parts of every other suggestion, and seems to have leaned on Whittingham as the safest & best fit
Damned it! I was just getting hyped up over Todd Monken. One day later, it was KW. My fear with KW is that he will pull a Bill Belichick. Otherwise, he is a great fit for the program. Recruiting might be a concern given his Utah background. Let’s see how many current players hit the portal after the hiring is announced,
First of all, to Anon who said the following, "It is not the x an o's as much as the jimmie and joes. TCU ran the 3-3-5 and beat Wisconsin (when they were Wisconsin) in the rose bowl. Let's just never remember that 3 year stretch. We'll never know what was really going on, I never figured out why Carr was so pissed off and why he and his minions did everything to undermine the team. Remember, Carr sat in the IOWA suite in 2009 when UM played Iowa in Iowa. Carr is dead to me. F that guy."
You Sir are OK by me ... whoever you are.
Then, Thunder would be the deal of the year ... possibly decade ... at 3 mil. But everybody here knows for sure that I agree that any D can work if coached properly, and will drive far to see a good Wing T.
Kyle Whittingham is an excellent fit here. We will defend like Michigan, as Whittingham teams all run to the football and hit people. Plus, the guy has great hair.
I think Warde, given a really shit hand, just blasted it out of the park. If you like your metaphors mixed.
Whittingham is the perfect antidote to the indigestion caused by the Moore turmoil. I'm looking forward to sound, fundamental football again.
I am, however, disappointed we won't see a empty backfield four-vert offense. There's nothing I hate worse than moving the chains with a 20 yard reception by a TE. I just hate it. /s
"I am, however, disappointed we won't see an empty backfield four-vert offense. There's nothing I hate worse than moving the chains with a 20 yard reception by a TE. I just hate it. /s"
Not sure you've totally thought this through. Many things are significantly more hatable during the course of a football game. For example, the inability to convert third and short, control the clock. How about getting sacked time and time again by gifted DE's that you can't pass block with no respect for your ability to run who consequently are coming on every down. Running the football is good clean fun and is Michigan.
I thoroughly enjoy running over Penn State, Sparty and the Buckeyes until they cry and lose their minds in the tunnel. I don't ever want that to not be a part of our style of play.
It's running the football the wins championships far more often than vertical routes. I loved Mike Leach dearly, think he was a genius. He had some spectacular wins, but while he was a two time coach of the year, he won not one championship in the entirety of his career.
Pound it, pound them until they quit or get stupid. Looking at you there Ryan Day. Then go deep.
If it's possible, I'd like to keep Poggi around if only for his drill.
My post is a reaction to some I read elsewhere that are expressing disappointment in Whittingham because he's not a more wide-open offense. Some of the people saying that want passes 60% or more of the time, until that doesn't work, and then they'll complain about passing too much.
I've read Whittingham is more a TE guy than a WR guy (don't know how true that is), and that that's a bad thing, as if a team can't be really, really good unless they're slinging 50 yard go routes on every down. The game is more balanced, as you suggest, and you take what the defense is giving. Rare is the defense that can stop *both* a great run game, and a functional passing game. And the passing game can be whatever works, even (ugh!) tight ends getting 20 yards at a chunk.
I'd love to have a Roman Wilson type that can threaten over the top. But I would hate to have a team that tried that to the exclusion of anything else.
Mostly I'm just grousing about internet comments I see elsewhere from people that seem to complain about *everything* ... all the time. ;-)
I don't think of you as petty and small. I rather enjoy your comments.
Wink Martindale is an interesting case. I think he's a good illustration of why NFL guys do not always work coming down to the college level ... there's an expectation based on NFL players, and rare is the college team that's staffed across a defense with those kinds of guys.
But further, I'd love to know the real story behind the hire of Martindale. Was it Moore's decision? Or was Moore backed into a corner, and took Martindale because he had to? What was the behind-the-scenes chemistry between Moore and Martindale?
I think our problems on D had more to do with the HC than Wink
Why? It's a pattern: inconsistent, lacking fundamentals, poor discipline (especially Hillman early and Barham v ohio). Then look at Offense: it's even worse. And then there's the SpTms disaster
This isn't to say Wink was amazing, but it's not like he forgot how to defend screens against SC. The team as whole simply wasn't well prepared week in, and week out
Wink was no McDonald or Minter but few college DCs are ascending on a path towards being NFL head coaches. Finding those type of guys is probably not a sustainable option. I think Wink was a solid B+ DC at the college level. Maybe a little overpaid but not terrible as he was made out to be. I think Jay Hill will be an upgrade but I worry a little bit about relying too much on man-to-man coverage against OSU.
Regarding Poggi and all the chatter about his "negative press tour" ... it's not clear to me that what he said was all that bad, especially if it's essentially true, and the results worked out. Part of it could be Poggi just talking before thinking, and part of it could be Poggi being directed to hint at things. Whittingham gets to ride in as a knight in shining armor, and the program unites around him. There's currently a pitchfork mob formed up against Poggi, and if I were to guess, it's mostly based on emotion rather than fact.
What he said was unacceptable and he should absolutely not be a part of the program moving forward.
I have no idea if he had any ulterior motives, but I also do not care. You don't talk to the enemy before the game, and then offer up (unprompted!) intimate details of the disorder of the program.
I'm glad he was here to help take care of the mess, but he needs to go now.
Analysis based on emotion rather than fact is all too common. When things go wrong people want a simple answer and a straightforward fix -- fire the head coach, put in the backup QB, etc. Seeing that now IMO with Warde Manuel who seems to be doing a flat out excellent job to me all things considered. He's weathered this storm of controversy tracing back through the harbaugh era incredibly well.
I think Poggi is a bit too vain for my liking but I'm not really mad about how he's handling this awkward transition. I don't actually think it would be a terrible idea for Wittingham to keep him on as an advisor and help continuity -- at least into next season.
I don't get the outrage over Biff. Where's the lie regarding negative perception from the outside? As for players missing from the Bowl, we still don't know who's NOT playing, and whether that was a bit of misleading gamesmanship
As for Warde, this hire may work out (so much is riding on Staff, player retention , and lucking out in the Portal) ... but the mess in football, basketball and even hockey still happened under his watch. I don't think he survives the Investigation, nor do I think he should
Well I think it's eye-of-the-beholder if you blame Warde for the controversies or credit him for navigating through them.
Most of the controversies have been football (Harbaugh-related) and I'll take ALL OF THEM gladly in exchange for the 2023 natty and the entire Harbaugh era that put Michigan BACK to a top 10 program. Sherrone was obviously a massive mistake and Warde has to own that but also it was a tough spot and a decision that was universally supported (including by Harbaugh). Can argue Warde should have seen that Sherrone was too dumb for the job, but it was a tough spot to be in where continuity was so highly valued and Sherrone LOOKED like a stabilizing agent who could be trusted to extend the Harbaugh legacy. Obviously it didn't work but Wittingham seems like landing the program back on it's feet.
As for basketball and hockey they are the #1 programs in the country right? Imagine Warde flexing his bicep. I'm not sure how much of a "mess" things are all things considered. Warde has weathered tremendous change in the NCAA over the last decade and has Michigan athletics looking stronger than at any point in the last 50 years.
The big negs against him are the controversies (again mostly harbaugh-related so WORTH IT) and the bad hires of Howard and Moore. Both, IMO were very reasonable decisions and widely celebrated. Howard was a program icon and up-and-comer. Even if you see that as an obvious mistake, Warde made up for it with Dusty May. And, counter to many assertions, I think the Moore drama was not really foreseeable (ask his wife what she thinks about that) as he seemed in public to be highly upstanding and an elite SIT-IN-PARENTS-LIVING-ROOM recruiter.
Warde hasn't been perfect but other than the Mel Pearson thing, I find it hard to see any of his decisions as obviously bad without the benefit of hindsight. Stuff happens but the athletic department as a whole seems in excellent shape. IMO we should be celebrating Warde for the great job he has done. He is being blamed for everything that has gone wrong over a decade of time rather than being seen as the guy who cleaned up those messes pretty damn well.
Brian Cook hates him, and thinks he should be hired. Guess what -- Brian Cook has hated EVERY AD and wanted EVERY AD to be fired*. The only ones not coming in for criticism are the guys that came before the 90s -- AKA the guys in charge during the worst thing to happen at UofM AD -- the Robert Anderson scandal.
Warde is the best AD in our lifetimes.*
*Possible exception is Jim Hackett but he was brought in to right the ship temporarily and honestly got extremely lucky to land Harbaugh at the brief moment in time when Harbaugh was available between NFL jobs due to the 49ers incompetence. Hackett was good too.
"stuff happens" and "the big negs against him are the controversies"
YES. Do we win a NC without Warde? I bet we could, but it's easier to consider would a more engaged leader gotten involved sooner with Howard? Reacted quicker with Pearson? Discussed vetting hires with Harbaugh? I think it's safe to assume so, or at least expect as much
*agree on the Hate though. But I'm separating hate from accountability
Maybe we win a natty without Warde and maybe we win a natty without Harbaugh and maybe we win a natty without Minter and maybe without JJ and maybe.... those all hypotheticals. What isn't is that we won our first football national championship in over half a century with Warde Manual in charge of the Athletic Department.
If you get blame for the things that happen under your leadership you also get credit for things that happen under your leadership. You can't just say all the good stuff is lucky and all the bad stuff is his fault. That's BS. So when we talk about accountability we have to account for all the things. Including the national title and where the hockey and basketball programs stand now.
As for vetting....
Harbaugh brought in a bunch of coaches who, like him, put football ahead of other things, pushed the boundaries, and were not otherwise well adjusted "normal" people. There are consequences to that probably. It paid off on the field. With apologies to any victims of Weiss' crimes, as a fan I have no regrets.*
As for Howard -- he was fired for results not controversies. The team stunk. The two controversies he had were blips that he would have plowed right on through if the program wasn't in rapid decline on the court. No one cared about arguing with the S&C coach or even THE SLAP. if Juwan was still winning big ten titles and making sweet 16s. And none of this was vettable anyway -- we know Juwan as a public figure since he was 18 and he was/is widely loved and currently employed in the NBA. Everyone vouched for the guy and John Beilein supported him too. It didn't work, but it wasn't a bad idea.
The Pearson thing was handled poorly but we are where we are -- #1 in hockey.
*This is all assuming the things that happened were vettable. I think this comes from a perspective of people who don't do any hiring or understand what the vetting process looks like at a major organization. The only thing that more obviously should have been vetted was Shemmy's social media posts which were public and not just in bad taste but openly against university (and federal) policies around discrimination. Sherrone comparatively is just guilty of being dumb and in terms of social media lacking in taste and professionalism. Nothing illegal or against policy on his socials. Nothing vettable to find and if they did it would be an informal suggestion to maybe clean things up in such a high profile role. Personally I am kinda glad Warde isn't wasting a bunch of money chasing around to find dirt on his own staff members. Let's save that job for Ryan Day's brother.
Finally:
If you blame Warde for not vetting do you can also blame Sherrone's wife?
Let's also give Warde the credit he deserves for retaining Harbaugh when a big faction of the fanbase was calling for him to be fired after 2020.
The open pining for Mediocre Matt Campbell at that time was prevalent to the point that people still want this guy here in (almost) 2026. Campbell did less at Iowa State than Brohm did at Purdue. And the last 5 years he barely went 500 in the Big 12.
The simple fact is that Warde is better at this job than fans give him credit for. It's not as easy of a job as fans think it is. It's actually incredibly difficult to balance all the competing interests across multiple sports while staying on top of academics, public relations, need to win on the balance sheets, and the changing landscape of the NCAA.
I would also give tremendous praise to Warde for being in a position to push back against outsider investment (aka "payday loan") and taking the minority position against the other schools in the conference and being comfortable enough not to take the short-term win in exchange for long-term stability of the program.
But ask Brian Cook and he'll tell you "people are just in charge of things"...
Hahaha, an essay ... and then a follow up. Classic
Warde did not play or coach in the national championship season, so your hypotheticals are ... false equivalencies. Reeeaching?
Warde deserves a great deal of credit. He kept Harbaugh. I'm saying he gets credit AND is accountable.
So unless you're projecting (again), you agree: Warde owns the success and the scandals. None of this is about hate, but the tarnished image of the institution under his leadership
*who the NBA employs is irrelevant to the Athletic Department at MICHIGAN. Another reeeach
Bringing in Moore's wife is a desperate reeeach. Maybe focus on the matter at hand ... or basic math, lol:
it was NOT over a half century since our previous national championship ... lies, hyperbole & exaggeration. Don't change!
There are 3 big question that come with Wittingham.
1. age 2. too Utah 3. can he recruit
On age -- I'm not too worried. I know everyone wants someone who can be the coach for 10-15 years or more. The young guy who sees Michigan as a "terminal" job. I think that's pretty idealistic. There's maybe a dozen guys nationally who have held their positions for that long -- they are rare. And then you look at the major conferences like Big 10 and SEC and they are even more rare. As the college game becomes more and more like the pros I just don't think you'll see this very much unless guys have big time roots to where they are (e.g., dillingham at ASU). Otherwise most guys, if they are successful, will jump to NFL or a bigger contract. I think Wilttngham's timeline (3-5 years) is probably all you can ask for from most people in this job. That's just the world we live in. My only concern here is Wittingham next off-season faces questions about his retirement -- hopefully he gives a forceful and clear response to eliminate any questions.
On Utah -- this one worries me most. Now obviously Wittingham has been recruiting kids all of the country so he isn't coming in totally naive but things in Utah are pretty unique and his coaching staffs have leaned HEAVILY on guys with connections in the state. It's going to be a different world in Ann Arbor in terms of managing culture and setting expectations. People are people but Wittingham and his staff may face some new challenges that previously might have been baked into the LDS-influenced culture in SLC.
Recruiting -- this one worries me least. I think the portal and NIL have really reduced the impact and relevance of high school recruiting dramatically. Look no further than Indiana. Sherrone Moores big priority when he became head coach was high school recruiting and I immediately shook my head at what I saw as a very outdated mindset. That was a choice to sit on Orji/Warren/Tuttle and focus on high school recruits instead. A bad choice. Wittingham is old so he's probably pretty old school too and like many of us frustrated by the new ways in CFB. But, I feel optimistic that he can avoid overspending on blue chip high school recruits and use the NIL budget more effectively. He seems like a smart dude who understands the importance of winning in the trenches. My point is that as long as you don't do dumb stuff, recruiting (inclusive of high school and the portal) shouldn't be a problem for Michigan. Having a top 10 budget for personnel can solve a lot of problems as long as you understand positional value and don't do stupid stuff like overspending on risky high school options.
He'll adapt to Ann Arbor just fine, and the fanbase and donors will as well. He's a man of character, and that means a lot. As for tampering, all that means is he won't be trying to influence players before the portal opens. That's not only the rule, it's the right thing. But as he said in the press conference, "If they're in the portal, they're available. After all, they're going to go somewhere." He establishes great relationships with players. If they are interested in coming to Michigan, they'll reach out to him, and if the interest is there in return, they'll portal over to Michigan.
Now, if you *want* a coach that does under-handed, devious things to get a slight advantage ... then you should think about what you're asking for.
I hope so. Winning will determine how the two reconcile
Tampering rules are like paying the players prior to NIL. As a guy who grew up with Webber, I can assure MICHIGAN crosses lines that the NCAA has no control of
@anon. What I want in a coach is early Jim Harbaugh, someone who find loopholes in the rule book and use it to our advantage. Remember the satellite camp that enrages SEC coaches, the European tours. Not the “Connor Stallion”, “burger-gate” rule breaking Jim Harbaugh. I want our new coach to tamper legally. We have “friends” of the program who know “friends” of desired players. If you are not doing that, you will be at a major disadvantage in the portal.
I get what you are saying but it's just how things are done. Michigan got commitments from guys who spent less than 24 hours in the portal so we've done it before.
I appreciate standing on principle and ultimately, I'm not too concerned about a statement at a press conference. As long as he lets his staff/assistants/analysts do the tampering for him.
If Wittingham is being stubborn about this, it's a competitive disadvantage. I'll put it bluntly.
Even when Harbaugh was here I advocated for Analysts who had connections across the country & conferences. Find our next Josiah Stewart, Mike Danna, etc. Sure, look for the Oluwatumis too, but learn about & zero in on gems ahead of their portal announcement. Reality is, by the time they announce, a destination is in mind
This is why "who were you going to get who was in the portal?!?" is a silly argument. I'll die on the hill of Moore and Campbell CHOOSING to play the 2024 season with the QB poo poo platter instead of going out and getting a capable starter that offseason. Maybe because of Cade McNamara they felt they could get away with a garbage QB and still win but that was just one of many stupid decisions during the Moore-regime
Thankfully we are past it. Honestly we are lucky Moore banged that secretary because it put a merciful end to his tenure. Good riddance to the only coach I've ever wanted to see fired midway through his first season. He said stupid things off the field and made stupid decisions on and off it. He made terrible coaching hires. He couldn't manage a clock to save his life. Etc.
Now we have a top 5 head coach back at the top. Thank you Warde!
It should be noted that Moore chose to "focus on high school recruits" at QB with transfer Jack Tuttle, transfer Mikey Keene, and transfer Jake Garcia.
I think Jadyn Davis was a bad evaluation, and Moore and Co. should be dinged for making a poor choice there. I think they believed Tuttle, Orji, and/or Warren could play better than they did. I also think the OL and WR stunk in 2024, so whoever played QB that year was going to struggle.
"I'll die on the hill of Moore and Campbell CHOOSING to play the 2024 season with the QB poo poo platter"
When I predicted 4 losses, you argued relentlessly in defense of that QB room ... specifically over a gimmick who has yet to earn trust as a passer (even after four OCs, three HCs and two programs)
I was talking about 2024. Jack Tuttle was a transfer it's true but he was also a returning player after being the top backup in 2023. They didn't bring anyone in to upgrade the room relative to Orji/Warren/Tuttle. They could have.
In 2025 Moore chose to focus on a very expensive high school player over more proven portal options. He may have chosen right in 2025 but I am sure he did not in 2024.
'24 OL being mediocre I would blame on the coaching. Crippen and El Hadi weren't bad players and they proved that in '25. Milton and Griebe were flat out good players. Meanwhile several of the guys sitting on the bench at various points went on to start elsewhere (Missouri, BYU, Pitt) so they probably weren't too bad either. Persi played a notable role on the '23 team and started before that. Giudice was an SEC starter and is expected to be again in '26. Gentry was solid for BYU. Maybe none of them are NFL caliber players but they were functional at worst.
All in all you had solid talent, age, and experience on that OL unit but the chemistry was off -- I put that on the coaches. They shuffled the lineup and let Evan Link get exposed before he was really ready.
The WRs weren't good but Colston Loveland was an elite downfield target and Donovan Edwards was underutilized in the pass game. We've talked about Tyler Morris before - not a star but not bad. He'll get his chance to produce at Indiana next year. There was a viable passing offense feasible there between those 3, far beyond what the coaching and the QB allowed. Moreover, nobody said they had to use 4 WRs as often as they did. That was another one of the decisions they made when they had more talent at RB, FB, and TE.
The culprits for the inept 2024 offense were: 1. Lack of talent at QB 2. Poor coaching and inability/inconsistency to adapt scheme to mitigate the above (i.e., run the damn ball!) ....big gap... 3. Mismanagement of OL personnel 4. Poor WR play and talent
The #1 issue in 2024 could have been addressed via the portal, yes even in Feb, March, April or May. They chose to go with who they had and they were dead dead wrong. They could have addressed it by adapting scheme and personnel but they vacillated between being stubborn and being stupid. The only smart thing they did all year was stop passing almost entirely (against OSU, USC, Alabama, and Minnesota).
Of the four on your list, I would go with Whittingham.
ReplyDeleteAny talk of Minter is just wish-casting. It's not going to happen.
Poggi isn't going to happen either.
Brohm will do no better with the Michigan resources than he did with Purdue.
Agree
DeleteMinter was always in the same boat as Freeman & Cignetti
Hive mind the past couple of weeks at MgoBlog with all prospective coaches being compared with Moore. For smart guys, why didn't they compare prospects to Campbell, Fitz, and Day? Fitz was a top prospect when we got Harbaugh. Honest question-why aren't fans being disappointed that Fitz wasn't available still?
ReplyDeleteNow it's KW per the news.
Last question, would you rather have Fitz, Campbell, or KW?
Can't have fitz at Michigan right now given his controversies. Mediocre Matt has less of a resume than Brohm. Wittingham is squeaky clean, proven, and safe. Big question is what he can do outside of Utah. But he brings stability where it's needed. Hopefully personnel loses on O are limited but defense will need to be rebuilt.
DeleteWhittingham, easy. I wanted Fitz even less than I wanted Brohm, which was not at all
DeleteDoes anyone want Fitzgerald over any of the names you listed? Fitzgerald would be an absolutely horrible hire; he isn't highly thought of. I think you are on your own here.
DeleteThunder for head coach! Thunder for head coach! :-)
ReplyDeleteI accept. You can pay me like $3 million per year and then fire me after one season. I'll bring back Rich Rodriguez's 3-3-5 and run the Wing T.
DeleteIt is not the x an o's as much as the jimmie and joes.
DeleteTCU ran the 3-3-5 and beat Wisconsin (when they were Wisconsin) in the rose bowl. Let's just never remember that 3 year stretch. We'll never know what was really going on, I never figured out why Carr was so pissed off and why he and his minions did everything to undermine the team. Remember, Carr sat in the IOWA suite in 2009 when UM played Iowa in Iowa.
Carr is dead to me. F that guy.
Yes, I understand the hazing thing about Fitz, but he was cleared. I appreciate you answering though because I am very curious on why Fitz is going unnoticed. It's so odd that MGoBl9g has almost 100% focus on KW vs Moore, and 0% on KW vs Fitz.
ReplyDeleteSo, amend my question, Fitz, Campbell, or KW, with Fitz's issues eliminated?
I think KW in weak Pac-10 to Fitz in weak west division were similar 10 years ago. Now? KW's age is much of a wild card as is if we hired a coordinator without HC experience.
Whittingham easy. Fitz wasn't as good as folks make him out to be, unless they're stuck in the early to mid 2o1os
DeletePut it this way, if Moore had been fired a month earlier, would we be talking Fitz, with the hypothetical that the regents would stick up for him, or the false charges were never filed? In this thought experiment, I think most fans would be much more excited about getting Fitz. Yes, in the hypothetical, KW announces his departure in November, so it's Fitz vs KW.
ReplyDeleteThese are strange posts. No one talks about Fitz on any Michigan sites because no one wanted to hire Fitz. This isn't difficult.
DeleteLooks like Kyle is the guy. Let's get him here, improve this garbage coaching staff, get a QB coach, and roll. We just vastly improved our coaching staff vs going into 2026 hoping Moore would flip the switch and figure it out, even against all odds ( I had 80/20 against).
ReplyDeleteThis worked out about as good as can be hoped.
My first pick would have been a more high risk/lower floor, infinite ceiling move, like getting a super genius coordinator with a Harvard coaching education (ie, Smart/Cignetti tree) but Kyle is fine.
The key is getting a good staff. (notice no one was trying to poach wink?)
We just went from having one of the worst HC in the B10 to a top 5 and a guy that can be as good as anyone.
Lets rock!
I love the OC rumor, and am perfectly fine with the DC talk too
DeleteI would like to keep Alford & reassign Newsom. On D, I'm open. For continuity I wouldn't be upset at either of Esposito or Morgan, even both of they got help
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DeleteI hated this coaching search, and would have hated being a part of it
ReplyDeletemy first thought was: the ASU coach. I love how they play, and see a ton of promise. But I had never heard him talk until recently, and he was one of the few people I've listened to who sound as weird as Harbaugh. But at least JH was our prodigal son ... disaster was almost as likely as success
I didn't like big parts of every other suggestion, and seems to have leaned on Whittingham as the safest & best fit
All kinds of feelings. Glad it's (almost) over
Agree ... it's good to have this over with. I can't wait to read the (hopefully) accurate after-account reports of what actually happened.
DeleteDamned it! I was just getting hyped up over Todd Monken. One day later, it was KW. My fear with KW is that he will pull a Bill Belichick. Otherwise, he is a great fit for the program. Recruiting might be a concern given his Utah background. Let’s see how many current players hit the portal after the hiring is announced,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, to Anon who said the following, "It is not the x an o's as much as the jimmie and joes. TCU ran the 3-3-5 and beat Wisconsin (when they were Wisconsin) in the rose bowl. Let's just never remember that 3 year stretch. We'll never know what was really going on, I never figured out why Carr was so pissed off and why he and his minions did everything to undermine the team. Remember, Carr sat in the IOWA suite in 2009 when UM played Iowa in Iowa. Carr is dead to me. F that guy."
ReplyDeleteYou Sir are OK by me ... whoever you are.
Then, Thunder would be the deal of the year ... possibly decade ... at 3 mil. But everybody here knows for sure that I agree that any D can work if coached properly, and will drive far to see a good Wing T.
Kyle Whittingham is an excellent fit here. We will defend like Michigan, as Whittingham teams all run to the football and hit people. Plus, the guy has great hair.
I think Warde, given a really shit hand, just blasted it out of the park. If you like your metaphors mixed.
Whittingham is the perfect antidote to the indigestion caused by the Moore turmoil. I'm looking forward to sound, fundamental football again.
DeleteI am, however, disappointed we won't see a empty backfield four-vert offense. There's nothing I hate worse than moving the chains with a 20 yard reception by a TE. I just hate it. /s
"I am, however, disappointed we won't see an empty backfield four-vert offense. There's nothing I hate worse than moving the chains with a 20 yard reception by a TE. I just hate it. /s"
DeleteNot sure you've totally thought this through. Many things are significantly more hatable during the course of a football game. For example, the inability to convert third and short, control the clock. How about getting sacked time and time again by gifted DE's that you can't pass block with no respect for your ability to run who consequently are coming on every down. Running the football is good clean fun and is Michigan.
I thoroughly enjoy running over Penn State, Sparty and the Buckeyes until they cry and lose their minds in the tunnel. I don't ever want that to not be a part of our style of play.
It's running the football the wins championships far more often than vertical routes. I loved Mike Leach dearly, think he was a genius. He had some spectacular wins, but while he was a two time coach of the year, he won not one championship in the entirety of his career.
Pound it, pound them until they quit or get stupid. Looking at you there Ryan Day. Then go deep.
If it's possible, I'd like to keep Poggi around if only for his drill.
I wonder if you saw my "sarcasm off" indicator?
DeleteMy post is a reaction to some I read elsewhere that are expressing disappointment in Whittingham because he's not a more wide-open offense. Some of the people saying that want passes 60% or more of the time, until that doesn't work, and then they'll complain about passing too much.
I've read Whittingham is more a TE guy than a WR guy (don't know how true that is), and that that's a bad thing, as if a team can't be really, really good unless they're slinging 50 yard go routes on every down. The game is more balanced, as you suggest, and you take what the defense is giving. Rare is the defense that can stop *both* a great run game, and a functional passing game. And the passing game can be whatever works, even (ugh!) tight ends getting 20 yards at a chunk.
I'd love to have a Roman Wilson type that can threaten over the top. But I would hate to have a team that tried that to the exclusion of anything else.
Mostly I'm just grousing about internet comments I see elsewhere from people that seem to complain about *everything* ... all the time. ;-)
Feel free to think of me as petty and small here.
DeleteSo long Wink. Imagine me with just the happiest smile imaginable. Maybe even happier than at the absence of Al Borges.
Reflecting on the last sentence ... ok, so not quite that happy, but still pretty damn.
"great run game, and a functional passing game"
DeleteAh, true bliss
Incremental improvement on D. Complete overhaul on SpTms. Get Bryce settled in. Even with the '26 schedule, we're a playoff team
I don't think of you as petty and small. I rather enjoy your comments.
DeleteWink Martindale is an interesting case. I think he's a good illustration of why NFL guys do not always work coming down to the college level ... there's an expectation based on NFL players, and rare is the college team that's staffed across a defense with those kinds of guys.
But further, I'd love to know the real story behind the hire of Martindale. Was it Moore's decision? Or was Moore backed into a corner, and took Martindale because he had to? What was the behind-the-scenes chemistry between Moore and Martindale?
I am SO glad we didn't take Brohm, or Drinkwitz.
I think our problems on D had more to do with the HC than Wink
DeleteWhy? It's a pattern: inconsistent, lacking fundamentals, poor discipline (especially Hillman early and Barham v ohio). Then look at Offense: it's even worse. And then there's the SpTms disaster
This isn't to say Wink was amazing, but it's not like he forgot how to defend screens against SC. The team as whole simply wasn't well prepared week in, and week out
My bad, and sincere apologies. I missed it.
DeleteWink was no McDonald or Minter but few college DCs are ascending on a path towards being NFL head coaches. Finding those type of guys is probably not a sustainable option. I think Wink was a solid B+ DC at the college level. Maybe a little overpaid but not terrible as he was made out to be. I think Jay Hill will be an upgrade but I worry a little bit about relying too much on man-to-man coverage against OSU.
DeleteRegarding Poggi and all the chatter about his "negative press tour" ... it's not clear to me that what he said was all that bad, especially if it's essentially true, and the results worked out. Part of it could be Poggi just talking before thinking, and part of it could be Poggi being directed to hint at things. Whittingham gets to ride in as a knight in shining armor, and the program unites around him. There's currently a pitchfork mob formed up against Poggi, and if I were to guess, it's mostly based on emotion rather than fact.
ReplyDeleteWhat he said was unacceptable and he should absolutely not be a part of the program moving forward.
DeleteI have no idea if he had any ulterior motives, but I also do not care. You don't talk to the enemy before the game, and then offer up (unprompted!) intimate details of the disorder of the program.
I'm glad he was here to help take care of the mess, but he needs to go now.
I have to agree with Anonymous here.
DeleteAnalysis based on emotion rather than fact is all too common. When things go wrong people want a simple answer and a straightforward fix -- fire the head coach, put in the backup QB, etc. Seeing that now IMO with Warde Manuel who seems to be doing a flat out excellent job to me all things considered. He's weathered this storm of controversy tracing back through the harbaugh era incredibly well.
DeleteI think Poggi is a bit too vain for my liking but I'm not really mad about how he's handling this awkward transition. I don't actually think it would be a terrible idea for Wittingham to keep him on as an advisor and help continuity -- at least into next season.
I don't get the outrage over Biff. Where's the lie regarding negative perception from the outside? As for players missing from the Bowl, we still don't know who's NOT playing, and whether that was a bit of misleading gamesmanship
DeleteAs for Warde, this hire may work out (so much is riding on Staff, player retention , and lucking out in the Portal) ... but the mess in football, basketball and even hockey still happened under his watch. I don't think he survives the Investigation, nor do I think he should
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DeleteWell I think it's eye-of-the-beholder if you blame Warde for the controversies or credit him for navigating through them.
DeleteMost of the controversies have been football (Harbaugh-related) and I'll take ALL OF THEM gladly in exchange for the 2023 natty and the entire Harbaugh era that put Michigan BACK to a top 10 program. Sherrone was obviously a massive mistake and Warde has to own that but also it was a tough spot and a decision that was universally supported (including by Harbaugh). Can argue Warde should have seen that Sherrone was too dumb for the job, but it was a tough spot to be in where continuity was so highly valued and Sherrone LOOKED like a stabilizing agent who could be trusted to extend the Harbaugh legacy. Obviously it didn't work but Wittingham seems like landing the program back on it's feet.
As for basketball and hockey they are the #1 programs in the country right? Imagine Warde flexing his bicep. I'm not sure how much of a "mess" things are all things considered. Warde has weathered tremendous change in the NCAA over the last decade and has Michigan athletics looking stronger than at any point in the last 50 years.
The big negs against him are the controversies (again mostly harbaugh-related so WORTH IT) and the bad hires of Howard and Moore. Both, IMO were very reasonable decisions and widely celebrated. Howard was a program icon and up-and-comer. Even if you see that as an obvious mistake, Warde made up for it with Dusty May. And, counter to many assertions, I think the Moore drama was not really foreseeable (ask his wife what she thinks about that) as he seemed in public to be highly upstanding and an elite SIT-IN-PARENTS-LIVING-ROOM recruiter.
Warde hasn't been perfect but other than the Mel Pearson thing, I find it hard to see any of his decisions as obviously bad without the benefit of hindsight. Stuff happens but the athletic department as a whole seems in excellent shape. IMO we should be celebrating Warde for the great job he has done. He is being blamed for everything that has gone wrong over a decade of time rather than being seen as the guy who cleaned up those messes pretty damn well.
Brian Cook hates him, and thinks he should be hired. Guess what -- Brian Cook has hated EVERY AD and wanted EVERY AD to be fired*. The only ones not coming in for criticism are the guys that came before the 90s -- AKA the guys in charge during the worst thing to happen at UofM AD -- the Robert Anderson scandal.
Warde is the best AD in our lifetimes.*
*Possible exception is Jim Hackett but he was brought in to right the ship temporarily and honestly got extremely lucky to land Harbaugh at the brief moment in time when Harbaugh was available between NFL jobs due to the 49ers incompetence. Hackett was good too.
"stuff happens" and "the big negs against him are the controversies"
DeleteYES. Do we win a NC without Warde? I bet we could, but it's easier to consider would a more engaged leader gotten involved sooner with Howard? Reacted quicker with Pearson? Discussed vetting hires with Harbaugh? I think it's safe to assume so, or at least expect as much
*agree on the Hate though. But I'm separating hate from accountability
Maybe we win a natty without Warde and maybe we win a natty without Harbaugh and maybe we win a natty without Minter and maybe without JJ and maybe.... those all hypotheticals. What isn't is that we won our first football national championship in over half a century with Warde Manual in charge of the Athletic Department.
DeleteIf you get blame for the things that happen under your leadership you also get credit for things that happen under your leadership. You can't just say all the good stuff is lucky and all the bad stuff is his fault. That's BS. So when we talk about accountability we have to account for all the things. Including the national title and where the hockey and basketball programs stand now.
As for vetting....
Harbaugh brought in a bunch of coaches who, like him, put football ahead of other things, pushed the boundaries, and were not otherwise well adjusted "normal" people. There are consequences to that probably. It paid off on the field. With apologies to any victims of Weiss' crimes, as a fan I have no regrets.*
As for Howard -- he was fired for results not controversies. The team stunk. The two controversies he had were blips that he would have plowed right on through if the program wasn't in rapid decline on the court. No one cared about arguing with the S&C coach or even THE SLAP. if Juwan was still winning big ten titles and making sweet 16s. And none of this was vettable anyway -- we know Juwan as a public figure since he was 18 and he was/is widely loved and currently employed in the NBA. Everyone vouched for the guy and John Beilein supported him too. It didn't work, but it wasn't a bad idea.
The Pearson thing was handled poorly but we are where we are -- #1 in hockey.
*This is all assuming the things that happened were vettable. I think this comes from a perspective of people who don't do any hiring or understand what the vetting process looks like at a major organization. The only thing that more obviously should have been vetted was Shemmy's social media posts which were public and not just in bad taste but openly against university (and federal) policies around discrimination. Sherrone comparatively is just guilty of being dumb and in terms of social media lacking in taste and professionalism. Nothing illegal or against policy on his socials. Nothing vettable to find and if they did it would be an informal suggestion to maybe clean things up in such a high profile role. Personally I am kinda glad Warde isn't wasting a bunch of money chasing around to find dirt on his own staff members. Let's save that job for Ryan Day's brother.
Finally:
If you blame Warde for not vetting do you can also blame Sherrone's wife?
Let's also give Warde the credit he deserves for retaining Harbaugh when a big faction of the fanbase was calling for him to be fired after 2020.
DeleteThe open pining for Mediocre Matt Campbell at that time was prevalent to the point that people still want this guy here in (almost) 2026. Campbell did less at Iowa State than Brohm did at Purdue. And the last 5 years he barely went 500 in the Big 12.
The simple fact is that Warde is better at this job than fans give him credit for. It's not as easy of a job as fans think it is. It's actually incredibly difficult to balance all the competing interests across multiple sports while staying on top of academics, public relations, need to win on the balance sheets, and the changing landscape of the NCAA.
I would also give tremendous praise to Warde for being in a position to push back against outsider investment (aka "payday loan") and taking the minority position against the other schools in the conference and being comfortable enough not to take the short-term win in exchange for long-term stability of the program.
But ask Brian Cook and he'll tell you "people are just in charge of things"...
Hahaha, an essay ... and then a follow up. Classic
DeleteWarde did not play or coach in the national championship season, so your hypotheticals are ... false equivalencies. Reeeaching?
Warde deserves a great deal of credit. He kept Harbaugh. I'm saying he gets credit AND is accountable.
So unless you're projecting (again), you agree: Warde owns the success and the scandals. None of this is about hate, but the tarnished image of the institution under his leadership
*who the NBA employs is irrelevant to the Athletic Department at MICHIGAN. Another reeeach
Bringing in Moore's wife is a desperate reeeach. Maybe focus on the matter at hand ... or basic math, lol:
it was NOT over a half century since our previous national championship ... lies, hyperbole & exaggeration. Don't change!
There are 3 big question that come with Wittingham.
ReplyDelete1. age
2. too Utah
3. can he recruit
On age -- I'm not too worried. I know everyone wants someone who can be the coach for 10-15 years or more. The young guy who sees Michigan as a "terminal" job. I think that's pretty idealistic. There's maybe a dozen guys nationally who have held their positions for that long -- they are rare. And then you look at the major conferences like Big 10 and SEC and they are even more rare. As the college game becomes more and more like the pros I just don't think you'll see this very much unless guys have big time roots to where they are (e.g., dillingham at ASU). Otherwise most guys, if they are successful, will jump to NFL or a bigger contract. I think Wilttngham's timeline (3-5 years) is probably all you can ask for from most people in this job. That's just the world we live in. My only concern here is Wittingham next off-season faces questions about his retirement -- hopefully he gives a forceful and clear response to eliminate any questions.
On Utah -- this one worries me most. Now obviously Wittingham has been recruiting kids all of the country so he isn't coming in totally naive but things in Utah are pretty unique and his coaching staffs have leaned HEAVILY on guys with connections in the state. It's going to be a different world in Ann Arbor in terms of managing culture and setting expectations. People are people but Wittingham and his staff may face some new challenges that previously might have been baked into the LDS-influenced culture in SLC.
Recruiting -- this one worries me least. I think the portal and NIL have really reduced the impact and relevance of high school recruiting dramatically. Look no further than Indiana. Sherrone Moores big priority when he became head coach was high school recruiting and I immediately shook my head at what I saw as a very outdated mindset. That was a choice to sit on Orji/Warren/Tuttle and focus on high school recruits instead. A bad choice. Wittingham is old so he's probably pretty old school too and like many of us frustrated by the new ways in CFB. But, I feel optimistic that he can avoid overspending on blue chip high school recruits and use the NIL budget more effectively. He seems like a smart dude who understands the importance of winning in the trenches. My point is that as long as you don't do dumb stuff, recruiting (inclusive of high school and the portal) shouldn't be a problem for Michigan. Having a top 10 budget for personnel can solve a lot of problems as long as you understand positional value and don't do stupid stuff like overspending on risky high school options.
#2 is my concern, and it's a big one
DeleteNot just can Whittingham adapt to Ann Arbor, but if the fanbase & donors can adapt to him
Speaking of the Portal, worst part of the intro presser:
Delete"I don't tamper with players; that's not my style"
He'll be fine. He's a genuine person, a man's man.
DeleteHe'll adapt to Ann Arbor just fine, and the fanbase and donors will as well. He's a man of character, and that means a lot. As for tampering, all that means is he won't be trying to influence players before the portal opens. That's not only the rule, it's the right thing. But as he said in the press conference, "If they're in the portal, they're available. After all, they're going to go somewhere." He establishes great relationships with players. If they are interested in coming to Michigan, they'll reach out to him, and if the interest is there in return, they'll portal over to Michigan.
DeleteNow, if you *want* a coach that does under-handed, devious things to get a slight advantage ... then you should think about what you're asking for.
I hope so. Winning will determine how the two reconcile
DeleteTampering rules are like paying the players prior to NIL. As a guy who grew up with Webber, I can assure MICHIGAN crosses lines that the NCAA has no control of
Tampering = Jaywalking
@anon. What I want in a coach is early Jim Harbaugh, someone who find loopholes in the rule book and use it to our advantage. Remember the satellite camp that enrages SEC coaches, the European tours. Not the “Connor Stallion”, “burger-gate” rule breaking Jim Harbaugh. I want our new coach to tamper legally. We have “friends” of the program who know “friends” of desired players. If you are not doing that, you will be at a major disadvantage in the portal.
Delete@anon
DeleteI get what you are saying but it's just how things are done. Michigan got commitments from guys who spent less than 24 hours in the portal so we've done it before.
I appreciate standing on principle and ultimately, I'm not too concerned about a statement at a press conference. As long as he lets his staff/assistants/analysts do the tampering for him.
If Wittingham is being stubborn about this, it's a competitive disadvantage. I'll put it bluntly.
Tampering is a must.
Even when Harbaugh was here I advocated for Analysts who had connections across the country & conferences. Find our next Josiah Stewart, Mike Danna, etc. Sure, look for the Oluwatumis too, but learn about & zero in on gems ahead of their portal announcement. Reality is, by the time they announce, a destination is in mind
DeleteThis is why "who were you going to get who was in the portal?!?" is a silly argument. I'll die on the hill of Moore and Campbell CHOOSING to play the 2024 season with the QB poo poo platter instead of going out and getting a capable starter that offseason. Maybe because of Cade McNamara they felt they could get away with a garbage QB and still win but that was just one of many stupid decisions during the Moore-regime
DeleteThankfully we are past it. Honestly we are lucky Moore banged that secretary because it put a merciful end to his tenure. Good riddance to the only coach I've ever wanted to see fired midway through his first season. He said stupid things off the field and made stupid decisions on and off it. He made terrible coaching hires. He couldn't manage a clock to save his life. Etc.
Now we have a top 5 head coach back at the top. Thank you Warde!
It should be noted that Moore chose to "focus on high school recruits" at QB with transfer Jack Tuttle, transfer Mikey Keene, and transfer Jake Garcia.
DeleteI think Jadyn Davis was a bad evaluation, and Moore and Co. should be dinged for making a poor choice there. I think they believed Tuttle, Orji, and/or Warren could play better than they did. I also think the OL and WR stunk in 2024, so whoever played QB that year was going to struggle.
"I'll die on the hill of Moore and Campbell CHOOSING to play the 2024 season with the QB poo poo platter"
DeleteWhen I predicted 4 losses, you argued relentlessly in defense of that QB room ... specifically over a gimmick who has yet to earn trust as a passer (even after four OCs, three HCs and two programs)
*WR definitely stunk in 2o24!
@Thunder,
DeleteI was talking about 2024. Jack Tuttle was a transfer it's true but he was also a returning player after being the top backup in 2023. They didn't bring anyone in to upgrade the room relative to Orji/Warren/Tuttle. They could have.
In 2025 Moore chose to focus on a very expensive high school player over more proven portal options. He may have chosen right in 2025 but I am sure he did not in 2024.
'24 OL being mediocre I would blame on the coaching. Crippen and El Hadi weren't bad players and they proved that in '25. Milton and Griebe were flat out good players. Meanwhile several of the guys sitting on the bench at various points went on to start elsewhere (Missouri, BYU, Pitt) so they probably weren't too bad either. Persi played a notable role on the '23 team and started before that. Giudice was an SEC starter and is expected to be again in '26. Gentry was solid for BYU. Maybe none of them are NFL caliber players but they were functional at worst.
DeleteAll in all you had solid talent, age, and experience on that OL unit but the chemistry was off -- I put that on the coaches. They shuffled the lineup and let Evan Link get exposed before he was really ready.
The WRs weren't good but Colston Loveland was an elite downfield target and Donovan Edwards was underutilized in the pass game. We've talked about Tyler Morris before - not a star but not bad. He'll get his chance to produce at Indiana next year. There was a viable passing offense feasible there between those 3, far beyond what the coaching and the QB allowed. Moreover, nobody said they had to use 4 WRs as often as they did. That was another one of the decisions they made when they had more talent at RB, FB, and TE.
The culprits for the inept 2024 offense were:
1. Lack of talent at QB
2. Poor coaching and inability/inconsistency to adapt scheme to mitigate the above (i.e., run the damn ball!)
....big gap...
3. Mismanagement of OL personnel
4. Poor WR play and talent
The #1 issue in 2024 could have been addressed via the portal, yes even in Feb, March, April or May. They chose to go with who they had and they were dead dead wrong. They could have addressed it by adapting scheme and personnel but they vacillated between being stubborn and being stupid. The only smart thing they did all year was stop passing almost entirely (against OSU, USC, Alabama, and Minnesota).
je93 for the win
Delete