Wolverine Wednesday: It Doesn't Seem Like Its Getting Any Better

Since today is Veterans Day, I want to thank all the BHB readers that served our country.  My father and my grandfather served, its the greatest of all honors and Thank You for your service! 

Kyle Whittingham was hired to bring stability and quiet excellence to Ann Arbor.  The Wolverine program has seen great heights in recent times but that came with an assortment of off the field issues.  Michigan fired Sherrone Moore very late in the off season coaching search cycle and there weren't many options for the Wolverines to choose from.  

Kyle won the off season but very little after that.  His offense is the worst in the country and he looks completely disconnected from his team and staff during game days.  Most of the time his mic on his headset is pointed towards the sky.   He looks like a coaching zombie roaming the sidelines.  

Kyle fired his OC on Sunday and now the news continues to get worse as Nate Marshall has been suspended from the team.  Is Kyle now losing the locker room?  There is also some concern with Jim Harding and the Sprague situation.  

Michigan on Saturday faces a hot Oregon team that also went through issues this season, but has seemingly come out the other side.  Many Big 10 teams struggle when making such a long trip West and even though Michigan has a solid defense, they are not really expected to score against the Ducks and currently a 11.5 dog. 

So the road filled with gold and roses into retirement continues to look more like a long walk on a short bridge.  The game has based him bye and Utah knew it and Michigan will pay millions to come to that same conclusion. 

Thank goodness basketball season is here!  They take on Marquette at Crisler at 7:00.

• So Sparty is having a good week. Wolverines go down on Saturday and Duke on Tuesday. 

• Rutgers who can't afford any type of buyout will continue on with Greg Schiano next season.  Lucky them! 

Michigan Tuesday: Time is Not on Your Side Kyle

Kyle didn't come to Michigan to learn about Michigan Football and coach a Top 10 team.  He came to save face after Utah pushed him out and to ride off into retirement with a nice contract.  He finally had the resources and recruiting he needed to take his former mediocre results and turn them into championships.

Guess what Kyle, we have had way too many examples of that failing and you are doing and excellent job of failing spectacularly.  Yes, the Beck firing gets you a few more weeks.  But those weeks are a trip to Oregon and Columbus, while hosting a top 5 UCLA.   Your days are number my friend.  

BTW, regarding trophy games still left.  Michigan and OSU don't play for a trophy but if you knew anything about college football, its the top rivalry in football and maybe all of sports.   Thanks for coming to Ann Arbor, I hope your home sells quickly.  

How does Michigan fix this mess?

1. Michigan needs to hire a very strong AD.  This person needs business experience not necessarily academic experience.  They need to understand Michigan and what Michigan needs.  It's a unique place with unique needs.  No not a David Brandon type of hire, a Jim Hackett type of hire. 

2. Fire Kyle the Sunday after the OSU Game.  This year could not have gone any worse. 

Go drop a huge bag on Bob Chesney of UCLA.  Michigan needs a young smart aggressive football coach that runs to work everyday.  I also like the ring to Big House Bob! 😀  Bob, will get to see Ann Arbor and the Big House in person in two weeks. 

3. Start to rebuild this battle ship.  It doesn't take years anymore with the transfer portal, Michigan can have a good team next year with the right leadership. 

• As College Football continues to morph into a professional football.  The 2027 24 team playoff that nobody asked for is now official and the death of the Big Ten Championship game has happened next season.  This will be the last year of the Big 10 Championship game in Indy. 

• It really is time for the the Group of 6 leagues to have their own playoffs.  Play on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and crown a National Champion.  I would assume the Bowl Games are now dead as well. 

• Michigan Basketball after a bit of a rough UConn game plays Marquette on Wednesday. 

Michigan Monday: It's About Becking Time

It seems there is some Michigan leadership with a pulse still in Ann Arbor.  Because somebody got to Kyle Whittingham as he had zero intention of firing Beck after the MSU game.  He was using his press conference speak to basically say the following: now is not the time to make a change, but I will review all positions on the staff in the off reason, as this is a results business, bla bla bla........

On Sunday, Warde sends out a press release that Beck has been fired and later that Offensive Line Coach, Jim Harding will be taking over.  

Now let's review this decision.  

• Was there a Beck or you conversation with Coach Whitt?  Best Guess:  Yes, there had to be.  Kyle who had been protecting Beck all year, decided his salary was more important then standing by Jason Beck any longer. 

• Why Jim Harding?  When Jim was hired all we heard were things like, "best OL coach in the country" talk.  Then we have watched the O Line just be terrible all year.   So the question is, Was that Beck or Harding causing the issue with the line?  If the answer is both, Michigan does not have a net gain here.   If it was Beck, then maybe the line can play better.  

• What does this mean for Coach Whitt's future in Ann Arbor? Not much, this was a desperate move by a desperate coach that doesn't have any answers.  I expect he will be removed as soon as the Ohio State game finishes.  This was a failed experiment when Michigan had limited options at head coach.  He was a bridge hire and the bridge got washed away. 

I can't imagine if your are a donor who helped pay for this $40M roster and getting these results.  Someone had to be fired and the changes are not over.   I sure has hell would not want to be taking those calls in Schembechler Hall right now. 

At Our Whitt's End

When Kyle Whittingham got hired at Michigan I had a few concerns.  My biggest concern was Michigan is hiring a guy that Utah pushed out and clearly felt was holding them back.  I didn't bang that drum too loudly as everyone in the media just raved about the hire.  You couldn't find one person to say one bad thing about him.  

Then he got to work, saved most of the roster, re-did the weight room, brought over All Americans from Utah and hired what seemed to be a strong staff.  Something then fell apart and now the Michigan program is completely broken as last night they lost to the worst team in the Big Ten, instate rival, and a team playing mostly 3rd and 4th stringers due to injury.   Not to mention the worst QB in the history of the program ran the ball down the middle of Michigan's top tier defense all night. 

That's it for Coach Whitt in Ann Arbor.   The only issue is U of M doesn't have any leadership to pull the trigger.  It's lacking a President and AD.  

Here is what I learned as we all have watched this team implode:

• Beck is looking to get fired, he wants out.  There is no way you call a game like that and think you have a job on Monday. 

• The boosters that fund this team and spend Millions, will not be writing that same check next year with this staff and that performance.  A change has to be made. 

• Coach Whitt has lost this team and his staff, he doesn't do shit on the sideline except peer off into space.  

• Utah is undefeated and will be #1 or #2 in the next CFP rankings. 

• Watching Utah I now understand how Beck's offense works.  During passing downs the QB isn't supposed to throw, he is supposed to scramble for 15 yards each time.  He just needs to be a "serviceable" thrower to open the run lanes.  The problem with Bryce is, he was always trying to throw on throwing downs. 

• The University of Michigan is not prepared to run a professional football and basketball team.  Their academic backgrounds don't fit this model.  I'm sure the lady from Vandy will run a great University but I'm 100% sure she is not ready to run multiple professional sports teams. 

• I'm really tired of getting coaches out of the discount bin.   Sherrone, Biff, Coach Whitt, and (it's still early) Coach Boynton.  While we miss out on other coaches that were on the staff doing things in the NFL like winning a Super Bowl for example.  Or program changers like UCLA, UK, and IU have. 

• Who is to blame?  You don't have to look too far, its Warde.  Cignetti or Day didn't run off to the NFL.  Hurley got a huge contract offer from the Lakers but still stayed at UConn.  Something is broken at Michigan and it starts with leadership.  

• Michigan's defense is not as good as we think.  They don't get 3 and out's, they don't tackle well, give up very long drives, and they get run on.   Yes, they don't give up TD's but there are a ton of holes in that defense. 

• The offense line has no idea what they are doing.  They are spinning around like tops out there.  Might be the worst OL in 10 years. 

• You can't make your highest paid player, a recruit out of high school.  If your going to spend that type of money it has to be for a proven QB at the college level. 

So now what?  This team does not deserve your time, it really doesn't.  It's a really poor football team.  They have 3 more loses on the schedule and then it's over.  No Bowl game this year, but who cares about that anyways. It's not like this fan base it going to dig into our pockets and travel to the Liberty Bowl.

A clear lack of leadership will continue to bear its ugly head as Michigan has been completely neglectful on keeping a lame duck AD and not hiring a new one.  Michigan has to get a AD hired quickly and allow him or her to do their job aggressively and quickly.  

Either way, the one things that needs to happen is Coach Whitt needs to get on his motorcycle and head into retirement a few years earlier than expected.