They really are trying to make us all quit Michigan football, aren't they?
I don't get the last one. Why would ND need Kelly when they already have the nation's foremost offensive genius?
The Martin brothers, destroying Michigan athletics one sport at a time!
Kirk Freaking Ferentz? Is this just Carr wanting to be nice to a colleague that he likes? Is this Mary Sue wanting to be nice to a former hire? So Kirk Ferentz would just dump 18+ years at an institution and immediately join one of his former hated rivals?
And this when there are young, dynamic coaches all over the country who have their teams in contention for conference titles and more late in the season? Bill Martin has no clue about how angry his fan base can be if this turns out to be anything more than a silly internet tubes rumor.
I'll believe when I see it. I'll puke if I do.
I think I'm going to be sick.
Remind me again why the opinions of a woman who has never played or coached football in her life, and a man who failed miserably in his only stint at head coach, who has no business holding the OC position, and who is clearly acting out of self-interest in the hopes of not getting canned, should have ANY persuasive value for Martin as he chooses the next HC?
Wow. I'm speachless......
This is outrageous and disturbing news.
Who is running the show in Ann Arbor and why are they thinking of passing on the chance to massively change and improve this stagnant and fading football program?
He's been offered the job? Did he interview? Does a 6-6 season just write a person a ticket to a job that could be the most revered in football? Jesus.
Here's a bit of info nobody has mentioned about Ferentz that seems relevant to me: He sent his daughters to Michigan. I met the one of 'em. Cute enough, but that could have just been the sheen of her dad's 10-win season and 34-9 shellacking of Michigan clouding my perception.
Please no Ferentz.
Just say no to Ferentz.
Please, everybody: e-mail and phone Bill Martin.
GOD NO, IF GOD IS REAL AND HAS ANY COMPASSION TOWARDS THE HUMAN RACE MINUS OHIO STATE KIRK FERENTZ WILL NOT BE THE NEXT COACH AT MICHIGAN!!!! MY GOD, THIS IS HORRIBLE!
Bryan, youve never steered me wrong, i hope that changes with this.
God help us.
I am praying that the AD of GVSU said the nicest things in the world about Kelly. We need him.
Ferentz is like Carr -- he's let the game pass him by and hasn't changed with the times.
Is there any doubt that Coleman is behind this? This is the more disturbing than the Appalachian State loss.
I'm pretty sure I just threw up in my mouth. A lot.
There's no doubt MSC is absolutely clueless regarding this hire.
So it comes down to MSC + Carr + the zombie-cronies over Martin.
How or who can help Martin and tip the scales?
I refuse to believe if Bill was in control that he could be making these idiotic decisions/offers.
I too am in total opposition to Ferentz.
Does it strike anybody else as odd that there's quite a few people posting here at close to 4 in the morning? Maybe we should set up some sort of after hours mgoblog drinking club. We can organize anti-Ferentz marches and worship crudely constructed Brian figurines.
Just kidding.
This is really not what I wanted to be reading before I try and go to bed. Nightmares for sure.
Jeremy: "after hours mgoblog drinking club"?
In session.
I've never been too much of a believer in the power of prayer, but people say it's never too late to start.
Dear God...
umm... Yea I'm pretty much speechless as well on this one. Ferentz=bad is all I can say.
Let's rationalize here. What major hiring decisions has Martin made during his tenure? Obviously he brought in Beilein. Is there any precedent for the UM president influencing the hiring of a coach?
Lloyd Carr is doing due diligence with GVSU's AD? That, on the surface, sounds ridiculous. If Martin has Kelly on his list then he's full of crap...Kelly interviewed for at least 2 jobs while he had games remaining and then bolted with a bowl game waiting...all things Martin believes to be unethical. Add that to absolutely no experience with a major college program and double the crap I'll consider Martin full of.
4am? F that. it's 1am here on the left coast.
rumermongering apparently equals rablerousing round these parts. Ferentz will not coach at another big ten school. I don't care how much money they offer the snub to Iowa fans would be insurmountable and furthermore Kirk at michigan would force me to attack mary sue via voodoo fucking magic. yuck.
spelling hard
aaaarrrrrrrghghghghgh nooooooooo
Do not want.
We should hire Bo Pelini. Then the Ann Arbor News can make the headline "Bo Who?" and all will be right with the world.
Sorry deuce. This being ***M***goblog, all temporal references will be to the time in Michigan.
worst ever.
Maybe offering Ferentz will placate LC and MSC so now Martin can go make the right hire. We tried, he wouldn't come, and now onto hiring Miles, Kelly, or RichRod
Will someone(s) please start phoning and e-mailing MSC and Martin Sunday morning and don't let up til they understand what an atrocity this could be?
Thank you Bill Martin and Mary Sue Coleman for leading UM down the same road that Nebraska and Notre Dame have gone down..here comes 1-10 against Ohio State..
If this happens there should be another press conference next week announcing the firing of Martin and Coleman.
Can anyone please provide hope that this is not true?!?
Oh god... please let this not be true. I will cry. Really. Ferentz can't even work up a team that has close to a winning record against Iowa State.
This news? Soul crushing. Even if he turns it down (please let him turn it down) it doesn't give me a lot of faith in the athletic department's search.
Please let this be a stupid internet rumor. Les Miles makes too much sense. Just hire him as our safety valve so we don't screw this up.
Does anyone know how to pronounce Ferentz? Might as well start accepting the horrible truth. I need to know what to yell when I jump out the window...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.ph...1708&
id=2202705
Burning all my Michigan Paraphernalia if this is true...
ferentz would have been a great hire 4 years ago. les miles or bust. and by bust i mean please, please miles. drinking and praying.
I particularly enjoy the comments, above, wondering incredulously why Coleman has influence over the hiring of the highest-paid university employee.
Go sharpen your pitchforks, kids. We ain't hiring no dude with dyed hair who dared us to turn him in for stealing and paying recruits.
Incidentally, if the Ferentz thing doesn't happen, when do you suppose Michigan will finish in the Top Ten three years running, again? As you know, the last time was 1990-1992 -- or, 12 years before Iowa did, 2002-2004. I love these Blue RDFs (reality distortion fields).
You don't get it, do you. Our management culture requires a statesman, and it just so happens that everyone connected with Michigan football knows this, too:
On that Homecoming day when they pounded us two feet into the dirt, 34-9, Bo said, "He beat us with his guys, and if he'd a had our guys, he'd have won by 100." THAT is the measure of a coach.
Okay, I hear there's a sale on manure implements at the Tractor Supply, better head out and pick up your forks and a good file to sharpen those tines.
Nothing in the Iowa City newspapers today...not that that means anything.
Its too bad that the previous post about Ferentz was removed, I wanted to see again why everyone was so down on him. It appears that he has done well in Iowa City with much less talent then he would have here.
Holy cow. Just the thought of this is awful. Is it possible that this rumor was planted by some gleefully sadistic OSU cabal? It's only 1:00 p.m., local time, but I might have to make a run to the liquor cabinet. Or the bathroom.
OMG. Can we puh-leeeeeze take Ferentz, finish .500 or below and let every 1-AA pound us like a dog on a leg? That'd be great. C'mon guys, in all seriousness, Ferentz would be PERFECT cuz he can start right away! Wait a minute, know who else can start right away? Every other crappy used up coach who can't make it to a bowl. If that's the criteria, I passed this bum on the way to work the other day; I'm sure HE'S got nothing going on. Give him some of that potted meat & maybe some french fried po-taters and he'd be on it like stink on a monkey.
Wait a minute; ND's looking at Kelly too? Does that Mean Weis might be available???!!!
Just to clarify; I don't REALLY think Ferentz is "crappy & used up" but there are plenty of guys who are that are available. That's all.
If this is true - and I sincerely hope it doesn't pan out: wow, what a terrible weekend for Les Miles.
At the beginning of the weekend he was in the drivers seat for the MNC, and hopefully then following the call of momma to get his lifelong dream job shortly thereafter.
A few days later - splat, nada, zip. I'm guessing Les not exactly in a Thanksgiving type of mood this weekend, yeesh
What's amazing about all this rapturous rage by these dolts is that everyone who's ever coached the game knows that Tressel could not even get an interview, were he to try, to be D-line coach at Iowa. Do you really think Tressel, at YSU, could even have secured an interview? Iowa's been our toughest game, this decade, and they start caucasion walk-ons -- and send them to the NFL where they make Pro Bowl.
Well, I hope we can hire him, just to watch this unpleasant crew spit up their breakfast -- or should I say, the last 12-pack.
ugh
three conclusions:
1. bill martin was very serious when he talked about hiring someone to represent the U.
2. lloyd has more pull in the search than many of us had anticipated.
3. les isn't going to get the job. if he wasn't choice 1A, then he's not going to be the backup either. see #2 above.
All Michigan fans should boycott Michigan football if Ferentz is hired.
I am part convinced I should just rock myself to sleep...
2004 was a long time ago, and things haven't gone well at Iowa since then. 2005 was 7-5 I think, then the Drew Tate senior year implosion, then Iowa was 6-6 this year and other than defensively vs IL looked pretty terrible.
If this was 2004 I could buy in. But now? Yuck.
Regardless of outcome, it would be interesting hear what the reaction was among the general michigan faithfull following the last several major coaching changes: Bo, Moeller, Lloyd.
@fake bill martin...
Iowa our toughest game this decade?
90's to present, Mich 10, Iowa 3.
Ferentz's isn't a home run This Hire needs to be a homerun.
The Comment Bo made about Iowa beating us by 100 if they had Michigan players is laughable and an indictment of Lloyd not a praise of Ferentz's
If Ferentz's is teh hire I'm not paying a dime to watch Michigan again. They've let the Program fall apart by letting Carr stay 5 years to long. This would set it back even further.
This is a pussy hire if it happens.
Also in that span, Iowa has posted 4 records aabove 8-4. And I think we all agree that 8-4 is a pretty disappointing season. And so he does "kinda OK" with walk ons? What's that say about his recruiting?
Read several Hawkeye board postings referencing Nebraska's request to meet with Ferentz's agent for their job - saying this forced UM to accelerate our timetable with KF. What's with dyed hair and paying recruits? That story never made it across the border - details?
This is unbelievable and but should not be surpising. Mild mannered LC influences mild mannered BM to offer the job to mild mannered Kirk Ferentz. They want a spokesperson, we want a coach that can win games. Yes, representation of the university is important, but you can represent the university a lot better by winning.
Lloyd Carr might be the perfect spokesman but damaged the program enormously by losing to Appalachian State. He sounded good in the press conference though.
It seems everyone has forgotten that Bo was a fiery coach who may not have been the nicest guy to the press but his teams were ready to play.
This is one of the premier coaching jobs in America, why can't we get a premier coach?
Miles might be too outspoken for mild mannered BM, but he would win with this program and would bring back the passion we have lost under Lloyd. He reminds me a lot of Bo. Why we are not already offering him the job now that LSU lost is beyond me.
I actually thought that Bill Martin recognized the need to break Michigan football out of its bubble of arrogant complacency and hire someone who would take the program in a new direction. How foolish of me.
The comparisons to Tressel are off-base. Tressel won 4 NC's at YSU and was regarded as one of the best coaches in 1-AA. He's from Ohio, had strong, well-established recruiting ties to Ohio (which is important for OSU, since Ohio is a talent-rich state from which the overwhelming majority of OSU recruits hail), and appreciated the importance of the UM-OSU rivalry (unlike Cooper, who had no ties to Ohio prior to coming to OSU). I would have no problem if Martin decided to gamble on a young, up-and-coming Tressel-like candidate who wasn't necessarily the biggest name out there (like Brian Kelly, for instance). But Ferentz? This guy has done absolutely nothing recently to deserve the Michigan job. He's underachieved at a Big Ten program of solid pedigree for 3+ years. We can't afford to hire a Ron Zook, especially since we're already in somewhat of a decline.
I agree with you guys on this. Ferentz makes no sense. I can see it from a loyalty standpoint, and to that end Michigan should be credited. However, there is such a thing (as the Ferentz hire would display, I think) as "loyalty to a fault."
I don't see "it" with Ferentz. I do think that he would be able to recruit better at Michigan than he has at Iowa. That goes without saying...but I agree I don't see the "body of work" evidence that should raise him to the level of head coach in a premire program like Michigan.
I want to wash my eyeballs off after reading that.
Brian,
First I bow down to your inside information. Second, what is Bill Martin thinking?
This is a WAY too safe pick. Iowa just lost to Western Michigan!! I guess Les isn't more? It's good they are looking at Brian Kelly.
http://www.bighouseblog.com has a reaction to this news.
Somethings to note:
1) Money is now no longer an option. If we would pay the money for Ferentz, we can certainly pay for something.
2) Is this a name thrown out there to keep the attention off Miles? It sounds perfect for that purpose.
3) Might Nebraska's firing of Callahan not make our attempts to woo Miles easier? They'll want to interview Pellini, LSU will need to keep him once Les comes north. Why doesn't LSU accept the fait accompli here --- let Miles go and keep Pellini on?
4) Why would Coleman care about this? Did she have any influence over the Beilein hire?
I just realized this is an absolutely brilliant ploy by Bill Martin. Y'see, he realizes that LSU's gack against Arkansas took a lot of the luster off of Mile's resume, as did this comment by McFadden:
"We had been watching film of LSU and saw they had weaknesses against running quarterbacks," McFadden explained. "So it was something we planned on doing all week."
So how does Martin sell the prospect of another coach that can't handle mobile QBs to an already restive fan base? Simple: he constructs a scarily plausible straw man scenario that he knows will terrify us, which in turn will make us teary-eyed with gratitude when the job is finally accepted by Miles.
Metternich and Kissinger and Rove would be proud.
Holy Shit, this was not the rumor I have been waiting to hear. I am not sold on Les, but I do know that Firenez would be oh so wrong. Please say it ain't so.....(and please Firenez, if it is true, turn it down and never say a single word about it, I don't want to know that our AD could be that moronic)
if its not les miles, then fine... but pretty please not ferentz. cant martin just talk to beilin and go back to WV for another coach?
i used to have a sign on my desk at a previous job that said "intolerable service exists when intolerable service is tolerated..."
replace "intolerable service" with the word "mediocrity" and that's all a ferentz hire would be - an admission that mediocrity is ok.
Uh, as your athletic director, I rue the day -- if he doesn't accept the job -- he next shows up with another crop of Sanders, Clarks and Gallerys, and does again what he did to us in '02, what he did to Zook this year.
Recruiting is not coaching, kids.
For insight into Ferentz' state of mind, go here:
http://www.blackheartgoldpants.c...11/25/7421/
6564
@97,
I remember there being an "anybody but Lloyd Carr" sentiment following Moeller's dismissal in '95. Then he has the historical comeback against UVA and beats #2 OSU (ha!) to end the season. Without those wins, I wonder if he would have had the "interim" label removed.
As much as I'd hate to see Ferentz hired, it would be MOTS from the admin.
As Don above is saying, hopefully this is all a ploy to get us into line and the fan base more united before the real hire (get Miles advocates saying "yay, Brian Kelly!" and Kelly advocates saying "yay, Les Miles!")
can we get some insight as to why Iowa has 'underperformed' the last 3 years? they only recruited 1 top15 class, iirc, and recruiting to iowa is not easy. they simply have ZERO recruiting base. the point is, i'm not sure iowa is head & shoulders above ISU. or even western *if* iowa had some crazy injury-riddled year.
believe me, i'm not crazy about this either...but he's won alot of games at freakin iowa. is it possible to look at this w/ a clean slate & judge his entire record as a coach ans not just the last 3 years?
One other thing about the "body of work" that Ferentz has accumulated. His players have not been stellar off the field.
From Iowa blog referenced above:
Citizenship: 42% attrition rate since 2003; 14 arrests of 11 players in last seven months; sexual assault investigation involving three football players
the fact that ferentz was offered the job tells us how important "class" is on u-m's decision-making process.
with that being said, i'd bet kelly is no longer a candidate for the job. he didn't handle the exit from cmu very well, according to a friend who plays football there.
but, hey, what do i know? take it with a grain of salt.
WTF? I wouldn't hire Kirk Ferentz to coach my high school team. What a joke. I guess Bill Martin and LC think this is a big joke. I think LC has more to with this decision than we thought he did. Goddamn LC. He's going to haunt our program for another 10 years.
I was at Laguardia airport yesterday and a guy was getting off the Northwest flight from Detroit and talking very loudly on his phone...he said "They called and want me to represent Les...I asked them what does Lloyd think about all of this?" coincidence? Maybe...but I doubt it.
Most people on Iowa blogs aren't buying into the Ferentz rumor. The same guy started the thread on their boards, Michigans, and Michigan States probably to rile up the fans. Either way, if Michigan does really offer the job to Ferentz and he accepts I will be extremely dissapointed. What happened to living up to the "Leaders and Best" standard, or are we just striving for mediocrity lately?
Something else to consider. If you wanted to float a rumor for strategic reasons (i.e. to rally the troops behind either Kelly or Miles) wouldn't you reveal information to a blog rather than a newspaper? Talking to a reporter and putting it on record raises the stakes.
Kirk Ferentz is more of the same. I understand why Martin, Carr, Coleman, and the blue hairs love him so much--he's safe. He's the sensible sedan that we've had for the last 13 years. We can no longer relegate ourselves to that comfortable sedan--it's broken down two of the last three years. Not since Bo Schembechler and Don Canham were hired have we had people with vision--true vision--in our athletic department. Billy Martin is a glorified bean counter, Lloyd Carr is a great man who is a stubborn as they come, and the alumni--the ones with the cash--think our boys just came home from beating Germany in the war. We might as well clone Henry Tappan Hall, at least he was excited.
Ferentz?!?!?! Looks like Michigan is content making us all depressed for another 15 years
This would be a tremendously deflating hire. There's finally some excitement about this beyond stale program and they go out and hire milquetoast himself? GodDAMN, if true.
Also, for extra soul crushing factor, hiring Ferentz would likely mean that Mike DeBord, worst coach in the cosmos, would keep his job (possibly not as OC).
There's no upside here. Literally any hire would improve the S&C so it's not as if Ferentz gets any bonus points there.
The most disgusting thing about this would be that Martin and MSC looked at the program and concluded they liked the direction it's headed and wanted to continue down that path. Yes, most embarrassing loss in NCAA history, beating one decent team all season (Illinois) and continuing on as OSU's bitch with a pathetic effort in the finale? Yes, please, more of the same!
...
If this comes true, anyone looking for tickets can find mine on StubHub. I can watch mediocre football quite comfortably from home, even when it's televised by the Big Ten Network. It will be so awesome when we compete for the Big Ten Championship once every four years, instead of pretty much every year.
Maybe they're just trying to prove to us that Lloyd wasn't as bad as some thought he was. Sometimes, I think Matt Millen is in charge in Ann Arbor as well.
And to tack on to what Chris said, I heard this rumor on Friday, and was told that at least part of the attraction of Ferentz is that he would retain most if not all of the staff. If this is all true, that means more zone run left. More inept offensive line play (seriously, has our line ever been as bad as it was this year, and that was with one of the greatest tackles we've ever had). More utterly disgusting attempts to stop spread offenses.
Then again, if all of this is true, maybe Brian is right and he'll turn it down. Something good has to happen to us this year, right?
Sweet.
At this rate we should just quit the Big 10, and start scheduling Harvard, Yale, and Cornell.
After all, Harvard is the "Michigan of the East".
Cornell runs a spread style offense so mark that down as a loss right now.
WOW - The terror.
As lifelong Michigan fans suffering through safe 8-4 seasons most years, and losing to teams we shouldn't lose to, this is not what we are looking for.
As a safe, consistant winning program, that takes very few chances, and tries not to lose games, and wants a decent man at the helm, this makes sense.
Ferentz is safe - period.
We get years of the same stuff we have grown used to - yea!
If this comes to fruition, I will be very sad. I will still love Michigan, and hope Kirk proves me wrong, but I will be surprised.
Keep in mind - there really are only a handful of qualified people for this position and Kirz Ferentz happens to be one of those. Michigan cannot afford to take a huge gamble here because of what is at stake. Michigan CANNOT hire a Weis, it would be a bigger disaster here than in South Bend.
Sorry for posting this twice...I realized I posted it as anom and didn't mean to...
I was at Laguardia airport yesterday and a guy was getting off the Northwest flight from Detroit and talking very loudly on his phone...he said "They called and want me to represent Les...I asked them what does Lloyd think about all of this?" coincidence? Maybe...but I doubt it.
Most people on Iowa blogs aren't buying into the Ferentz rumor. The same guy started the thread on their boards, Michigans, and Michigan States probably to rile up the fans. Either way, if Michigan does really offer the job to Ferentz and he accepts I will be extremely dissapointed. What happened to living up to the "Leaders and Best" standard, or are we just striving for mediocrity lately?
It's almost as if our man Brian told us that we were going to hire Firenze -- the centaur from the Harry Potter books rather than Ferentz. Everyone knows that Hagrid is much more knowledgeable about the nuances of off tackle left.
Can someone please post Bill Martin's email address...
Why would Notre Dame be looking for a new coach after yesterday's display of coaching genius?
Interesting rumor to be sure. Going against it being true is the way Bill Martin conducts business. He is thorough, well measured and methodical. I find it a stretch that he and/or his committee have completed the search process so quickly. This point is rendered mute, however, if MSC is really calling the shots...and I don't think she is.
Going for this rumor is the value Bill puts on head coaching experience and "safe", stable personalities. Ferentz makes some sense in this regard and, overall, it wouldn't surprise if he did end up being offered the job.
Either way, there is no way that this is a rumor leaked with the purpose of shoring up the fan base to support Miles, Kelly or anybody else. Fan base support does not factor heavily into Bill's decision making process.
Ferentz is a good coach..there is a ceiling at a place like Iowa, but it is a disapointment that he could not not come close to maintaining the success he had from '02-'04.....thats why Alvarez at Wisco was so amazing; he reached as high as the Badgers could get and pretty much created a system/program that stayed there.....Ferentz still gets an incomplete grade from me for his Iowa
tenure...he has a history of building good college offensive and defensive lines, and I think that is where some of our weaknesses lie.....I would be alright w/ this hire, but with any hire I would also be skeptical as there is no coach out there that really blows my socks off.....real worried if he maintains the same coaching staff particularily Gittleson.....with new S/C and Ferentz, we would go back to having great offensive lines, I am sure of that......but not sure of anything else.......we should slow our roll, though, on the whole Ferentz being offered the job.....do we know the financial paramets.....remember, he is among the highest paid in the game right now.....what if our offer is less than that, will he take a pay cut to come to UM....another thing that does disappoint me if this proves true, is I really want us to scour the country for the right coach.....the job has not been available since 1969, when i was -3 years old......there are excellent coaches out there and such a quick hire makes me wonder if we have done legit due diligence across the board.
We'll wait this news out and see what happens.
Bill Martin and Mary Sue Coleman have no idea how ugly this will get if they hire Ferentz, everything that involves Michigan revolves around the football program. Hiring Ferentz will be a disaster as the alumni, fans and students probably revolt unlike anything ever seen before. I'd advise them not to hire this clown if they want to save their program, stadium renovation and integrity.
Ferentz is great! He is 3-6 vs Iowa State and lost to WMU. He is pathetic.
Dantonio > Ferentz
Sparty > Michigan in 3 years with Ferentz.
marysuec@umich.edu
Still rather have him then Miles. Not wild about the idea though.
What is Martin's email?
hiring a coach should be all about what he's done lately...and that's it.
Also, Michigan should hire the flashiest guy out there.
Kirk Ferentz?
Only worth hiring if he puts some sequins on his parka and does the Robot every time Michigan scores.
See, this is why these things are done out of the public eye... because sports fans know nothing of diplomacy and take these things to literally.
Mary Sue Coleman hired Ferentz at Iowa. She knows him well enough to know he's not going anywhere voluntarily. She also knows he's had a rough couple of seasons and Iowa's new administration is starting to feel pressure to do something about it. Floating the Michigan job is no-risk, since he won't take it. But it'll help bouy Ferentz at Iowa and give the AD a reason to keep him. The only way Ferentz takes the job is if Iowa's AD tells him to go, which is unlikely. Also good diplomacy in the Big Ten to send out a signal that we respect the quality of the other coaches and view them as viable candidates.
The news that interests me is Carr is doing the due dilligence on Brian Kelly himself. That sounds more serious to me.
I hope the fans who have worked themselves into a lather over Les Miles will be willing to give someone else a chance if he's not hired. I've never been totally sold on him. I think he'd either be a raging success or a total disaster, and anything in-between is unlikely.
Funny how we've gone from being sure that a coach would leave a national title contender to take the job the second it was offered... to praying that a coach would rather stay at lowly Iowa than come to Ann Arbor.
Bill Martin seems intent on doing away with the perception of arrogance at UM. It is OK to be mediocre. You don't have to be the best at everything.
Wow. Even Tressel should feel insulted by this news.
I hope Ferentz is reading these posts. And turns it down. The outrage would be overwhelming for any man to deal with.
It would be different if Iowa didn't, well, suck. Freakin' Indiana beat them. Oh, and Western Michigan. And Iowa State. And on what planet does that get you the best job in football!?
Sounds like LLLLoyd is really wanting to put his tired old stamp on the program forever. And the administration is his bitch. Sad.
P.S. KISS THOSE RECRUITS GOODBYE.
I'm baffled by all the rabid hatred of Bill Martin. The man could not possibly have handled the Beilein hire any better than he did, and people are ready to throw him off a bridge over something that might happen.
Why shouldn't Carr be doing the due diligence? Wasn't one of the things we all could agree on as fans that Carr ran a clean program? Carr isn't hiring the next coach, but he is absolutely the best person on the planet to determine if the next coaching candidate is likely to embarrass Michigan off the field.
I can't think of a better role for Carr to play in the search for the next coach.
I don't understand why we would offer a job to someone who we are fairly sure is going to reject it. What is the purpose in that? Even as an overly clever bait and switch ploy, it still is not worth the embarassment.
I don't believe this. It makes no sense to offer someone this quickly without the due diligence all have said is underway. I have to put this one in the bad rumor category, and not because I don't want Ferentz, but because it's simply not logical.
Redux, like your point. 90% of what's going in is behind the scenes and we will never know what that is - we only see the 10% above the surface and start over-reacting to a tenth of the real truth. But that's what makes blogs fun, right?
The new admin at Iowa broomed out Steve Alford on the hoops side, and maybe KF is getting the same treatment ala he's MarySue's "boy" and the new folks want their own man.
But my gut tells me this is a straw-man ploy to take the spotlight off of Miles right now so he can get his thoughts together. Jeez, the Freep has about 10 features on Miles this morning. . . .
PLEASE put a huge buyout in this guys contract then, so he doesn't jump ship for the NFL.
This cannot be true. Just cannot. Don't want Ferentz. Don't want Ferentz. DO NOT WANT FERENTZ!
FERENTZ BAD!
i think i agree w/ redux & scott. there is no downside here. KF is an iowa guy all the way. he's turned down nfl overtures in the past. let's just relax...this whole process is out of our control. there's no point in getting too worked up.
i just want to know when the viable urban meyer rumors will start.
the hockey team beat minnesota. what a weekened.
Apparently Martin wasn't lying when he said he wished he could just clone Lloyd. This is absolutely infuriating news. Run left strategy and blowing fourth quarter leads lives on!
Not sure how I feel about the rumor, but let's not condemn KF for running a program without discipline unless we're willing to let go of the notion that Lloyd did as well.
Remember '98? Remember the parade of arrests and assaults that embarrassed the program almost immediately after the MNC? Disciplinary issues and "class" are not mutually exclusive.
Just saw KC Lopata on Mich replay. I didn't know he thoundth like thylvethter when he talkth.
61-49, that is his record at Iowa, I was not a Math Major but that is not a .750 winning %.
I agree (hope, hope, hope) that it is likely a Big 10 relationship thing to offer him the job.
One thing we know, then, is that $$ is NOT going to be an issue with this hire.
Perhaps, we've made a lowball offer (below his current salary) and he would have to be dying to get out of IA to accept?
...Hail-to-the-naw! KF isn't the answer...now BK will be going in the right direction.
Also would like for Paul Johnson to be given serious consideration for the coaching job. I like him alot!
It was hard enough writing off basketball while Amaker was coaching the team, how the hell am I going to manage to write off football once Ferentz turns Michigan into Nebraska?
I'm surprised so many of you have questioned why Mary Sue Coleman might have an influence on the coaching search.
Ummmm...maybe because she's the president of the university? I would be more concerned if she DIDN'T have an influence on the coaching search.
Let me preface this by saying that I REALLY don't want Kirk Ferentz. I don't know why Michigan would even consider hiring someone who just went 6-6.
However, the Michigan football coach is the highest paid university employee.
He's also the most visible representative of the university. He gets more TV airtime than anyone at the school (Michigan Replay, press conferences, interviews, etc.).
If you asked my mom who the president of the university is, she wouldn't have a clue.
If you asked my mom who the head football coach was, she could tell you in an instant that it was Lloyd Carr.
A high school wouldn't hire a head football coach without letting the principal have a say. Why would a university be different when it's 1,000 times more important?
Ferentz would be an embarassment of biblical proportions, and would cause me to renounce my season tickets.
Henri, I don't want Ferentz, either, but I'll take your tickets off your hands...
Of course MSC will have a "say" in who M's next coach will be. But her role shouldn't include choosing the coach. She doesn't have the knowledge to do that. MSC's part in this situation ought to be limited to confirming (or denying) the candidate selected by the AD.
Magnus:
I think that what we're concerned about is not the presence of input by the Univ President, but the magnitude of that input. "Give my former coach an offer" is a bit excessive -- and it's hard to fathom why Bill Martin would go along with that (assuming that KF is not his preferred candidate).
So much for the hiring committee? That's what makes me think that this was done to appease MSC and now they will get on to the real search.
I never thought I'd see the day that Michigan football would be as entertaining as Duke or NC. We're screwed if Captain Kirk comes here.
As scary as it seems, I'm not worried about Ferentz coming here. All politics. You know MSC has some say, but she's not out making calls & recruiting coaches. Just a friendly gesture. And given the Nebraska situation, they're just covering bases before he's not even an option anymore. (Granted, I wouldn't want him if I were Nebraska either, but you never know)
@ truly disquieted
I agree that it would be pure cronyism if Mary Sue Coleman said, "Hire the coach I hired at Iowa."
However, saying that Ferentz has been offered the job (if true) simply because of Coleman is pure conjecture. And her past working relationship with Ferentz shouldn't make her remove herself from the hiring process.
An App. State-level pukey feeling all inside. Must stop reading nasty blog rumors.
The most troubling part isn't that he was interviewed... or even that he was offered... it's that it happened this soon!! There's no way Martin even phone interviewed Kelly or Miles. I guess he was lying when he said he wanted the "best" coach in the country.
"I would have no problem if Martin decided to gamble on a young, up-and-coming Tressel-like candidate who wasn't necessarily the biggest name out there"
I think Chuck Martin out of Grand Valley State fits this description very well.
First of all he is a winner, both on and off the field. He's a man of character who promotes community involvement with his team and also has had great success on the field. His Grand Valley State University football team holds the longest active winning streak in college football and is making a bid for his third NCAA Division 2 national championship as a head coach, and has been the defensive coordinator on two other national championship teams at GVSU (2002 and 2003). His record as a head coach is 48-3. He's a great up and coming young coach (38 years old) who has the potential to coach and win at Michigan for a long time.
What more do you want the guy to prove... 2 straight national titles, probably going to win another one this year... he was a defensive coordinator for two other national title teams at GVSU, since he came in as Defensive coordinator, the records for GVSU football:
(DC) 2000: 7-4 With a team full of sophomores who lost their first three games...
(DC) 2001: 13-1 Trip to the Title Game
(DC) 2002: 14-0 National Title
(DC) 2003: 14-1 National Title (AFTER 25 seniors from the 2002 team graduated)
(HC) 2004: 10-3 Regional Finalists
(HC) 2005: 13-0 National Title
(HC) 2006: 15-0 National Title
(HC) 2007: Sitting at 11-0 and making another National Title run.
let's take a look at GVSU's NC teams... 12.24 points allowed - 2005, 15.54 points allowed - 2006, 13.34 points allowed per game - 2003 (9 points allowed in all 3 rounds of the playoffs), 17.85 Points allowed per game. Solid defense has been the benchmark that brought GVSU their titles. Who led the defense? That's right... Martin in 2002, and 2003, then he was the Head Coach for the 2005 and 2006 national title teams... in his 4th year coaching, he's on his way to another National Championship (3 in 4 years). This kind of coach is a great prospect ans i think he'd be GREAT for Michigan Football.
WTF with the friendly gesture? This is not a social club or a fraternity. This is Michigan choosing a coach - I could give a flying fuck (forgive the French) whether Ferentz needs a little love or a colonoscopy. Screw him. If we have a president and AD throwing out a sure-to-be-rejected offer to an old friend at another university just to prop his ass up, that is...I don't know...malpractice.
It seems like Martin is basing his decision more on class than what a coach can do overall.
When has it become more important to Michigan to win a press conference than a football game?
I for one am all for a coach with some spunk and fire. I would love to have a coach say F-ing OSU in a presser or something to that effect. I'm not looking for a blabbering idiot like Mark Dantonio who resorted to name calling with a 21 y/o college student, but it would be nice if for once someone would have some fire for Michigan football. Aside from the losses, I'm sick of "well we tried our hardest but it just wasn't there, this will help us to prepare for next week" only to get to next week and still lose. Oh, but we handled ourselves very well in the press conference. Who cares!!!
Ferentz being our head coach just isn't going to cut it. Yeah it ultimately is up to Martin, however, most fans Alums students etc want a change to Michigan football. I think that should speak volumes in Martins ears, realistically though, I know that our opinion doesn't much matter.
HonoluluBlue, that info is sure tempting. Never heard of the guy. But I can't see Martin taking that kind of risk. If there's any truth in Ferentz being a candidate, it means he values the safe choice over the bold choice and hiring a GVSU coach would be beyond bold.
And Honolulu, I am guessing those four years as DC was under Kelly?
I've done my part in promoting Chuck Martin, i sent an e-mail to Bill Martin expressing my opinion on the guy, and I'm promoting him whenever i get the chance. Check the guy's bio out on www.gvsulakers.com He was Brian Kelly's DC for his NC teams at GVSU, and he's done an exceptional job as the head coach there as well.
I don't really believe that Martin is so devious or Machiavellian to engage in a straw man ploy, it was just attempt to defuse a moment's worth of panic.
I may be in a small minority, but I think Martin's actually a pretty smart guy, and I can't believe he would think that a coach with a 61-49 career record would be a viable candidate here, especially when you consider that KF is 3-7 against Iowa State. That's not like going 3-7 against USC or Florida. This is either an outright internet tubes rumor, or something that was just done as a favor to MSC who's concerned about her hire at Iowa. Ferentz is not a terrible coach; it wasn't too many years ago that plenty of people thought he was the best coach in the B10. But we have to do better. Now if we wanted to hire him as OL coach...
As far as Lloyd contacting GV personally, that strikes me as a bit implausible. This is something that is typically done by some low-profile administrator, not the most visible man in the entire university. Plus, Lloyd is still the football coach, and I would think he'd be plenty busy preparing the team for the bowl game, regardless of opponent.
Finally, I'm all in favor of the
after-hours mgoblog drinking club. It might come in very therapeutic over the next year.
Again, what is the deal with favors? Does anyone here think it is a good practice that the president of U of M is using the most prominent football vacancy in years to prop a friend? This says to me it's not true. If it's true, MSC and BM should be ashamed.
Don,
I like Grand Marnier, on the rocks.
If you pour it, they will come...
Meechigan Dan:
I like to call it rationalization. When something this crazy comes to light, we have to find ways to make it seem reasonable. In my mind, as UNreasonable as "doing a favor" is - it is much easier to swallow that the prospect of Ferentz really being our next coach.
Martin's email is wcmartin@umich.edu.
Now whatever you guys do, don't flood his inbox with emails. He probably wouldn't appreciate that very much. ;-)
And as for the mgoblog late night drinking club, I'll take a Knob Creek neat.
wcmartin@umich.edu
Could the explanation for Iowa's lately lagging offense be attributed to the departure of Joe Philbin to the Packers?
Could it be that HE is the (former) Iowa coach we should be pursuing?
let the e-mail firestorm begin. my first has been sent.
i hate you guys, but if you hire ferentz i'm going to hold a candlelight vigil for the michigan football program.
i want you guys to be 11-0 when we beat you, not 6-4.
also, i've got another question: would any of you want les miles to be your head coach if he wasn't a michigan man? based solely on his credentials, would he really be the guy you want? because i'm watching this guy coach week in and week out and he's basically an idiot with flashes of brilliance.
honestly, brian kelly seems to be the best guy for this job
Idiots on FOX are arguing that LSU is a better job than Mich and Miles would be better to stay home.
Kiss that SEC ass, boys.
Yes Honolulu Blue!!
I am a big fan of the idea of Chuck Martin as next head coach of Michigan, and I am really glad that someone else has taken note of him as a winner! I hadn't though about his community involvement, but now that I think about it I do remember an article that I came across when I was looking for info on him. He could be the next "Bo Who?" but this time only better. Honolulu Blue, thank you for emailing Bill Martin about this amazing prospect.
Brian, is it possible that Michigan's AD contacted GVSU's AD about Chuck Martin in addition to Brian Kelly?
@ Magnus,
"However, saying that Ferentz has been offered the job (if true) simply because of Coleman is pure conjecture"
If this offer took place it obviously stinks of cronyism. 6-6 to Michigan head coach? This is not 4 years ago when Ferentz was a rising star. I am not saying previous relationships should be discounted during a hiring process, as what better way than to actually know someone and their performance than to actually have worked with them before.....But if indeed this rumor is true, BIG IF, then there is no way to justify this offer other than do to social ties. It would be 100% due to Sue Coleman.
AND NO LES MILES!!! A friend told me that he is a true Michigan Man: he blows important games.
Think about it: his team went from being without-a-question #1 in the country to scraping by in games it should have won by more.
Honolulu Blue and I believe this: hire a "nobody" like Chuck Martin who has demonstrated the ability to win big and consistently, and we could have our own Jim Tressel. It's a gamble, but it might just be worth it. He seems like a defensive genius, and he's young!
"honestly, brian kelly seems to be the best guy for this job"
For the Record... Kelly before Martin:
1991: 9-3
1992: 8-3
1993: 6-3-2
1994: 8-4 Conference Title first round playoff loss (sound familiar?)
1995: 8-3
1996: 8-3
1997: 9-2 Conference title, first round playoff loss (sound familiar?)
1998: 9-2 Conference title, first round playoff loss (sound familiar?)
1999: 5-5 To be fair, the team was mostly freshmen
Also AFTER GVSU without Martin on his staff
CMU
2004: 4-7
2005: 6-5 (5-3 in the MAC)
2006: 10-4 (MAC Championship and a win over MIDDLE TENNESSEE in the Motor City Bowl)
...not all that impressive.
WITH MARTIN AS DC
(DC) 2000: 7-4 With a team full of sophomores who lost their first three games...
(DC) 2001: 13-1 Trip to the Title Game
(DC) 2002: 14-0 National Title
(DC) 2003: 14-1 National Title (AFTER 25 seniors from the 2002 team graduated)
(HC) 2004: 10-3 Regional Finalists
(HC) 2005: 13-0 National Title
(HC) 2006: 15-0 National Title
(HC) 2007: Sitting at 10-0 and making another National Title run.
Speaks volumes to me regarding Martin's Defensive mind, and he's proven that he can take over the reins of an already successful program and guide it successfully.
any more arguments for Kelly? The only way I'd want Kelly is if he could somehow get Martin to coach under him as the DC again.
I'll take Absinthe.