The Perfect Candidate To Be Michigan's Next Head Coach [BLOG]
By: Jeff Riger
@riger1984
I have an idea and it's a long shot; you know kind of like Michigan actually scoring an offensive touchdown. Heck, I'll settle for a trip inside the red zone. We know that doesn't happen these days either.
Saturday had to be it. Michigan has no other choice but to relieve Brady Hoke of his responsibilities at seasons end. It's obvious that he should already be gone but God forbid David Brandon actually gives the paying fan base what they want?
Anyway back to the idea...
Since Hoke will no longer be employed after the 2014 season, Michigan will no doubt turn their attention to finding a new head man, a guy that will have the very difficult task of making Wolverine football relevant again. People are fed up, some fans have stopped showing up to the Big House and it will take more than the words "this is Michigan" to get things back on track.
So who should that guy be?
Jim Harbaugh is obviously the dream candidate. The 49ers are off to a 1-2 start, it seems like the team is fed up with the coach and contract negotiations might be turning into a train wreck. Wouldn't it be great if you could bring Harbaugh and his khakis back to Ann Arbor?
It would be the perfect fit!
Harbaugh made Stanford a winner before he got a gig in the NFL so why couldn't it happen here? He knows how to win, recruits too, played at Michigan and best of all when Brandon wants to watch film with the team, Harbaugh would tell him where to go. It would be epic. Instead of whatever video Michigan plays before their current games at the Big House, they could instead run an actual feed of Harbaugh slamming his coaches door right on the AD. That would fire up the crowd a lot more than any sports-music-put-together-high-light package-thing they currently run.
But Harbaugh isn't coming here.
With as much of a pain in the ass as he seems to be, demand will be sky high for him if he left Silicon Valley.
NFL teams would clamor to hire him and that's probably where he would end up especially if he doesn't win a Super Bowl this season. Why travel across the country and beg kids to come to your school when you can have a GM get you the players and you can sit back and get paid more money than you know what to do with?
It's fun to think about but it's a pipe dream.
Which brings us to John Harbaugh...
If you can't get Jim; why not get John? He knows Ann Arbor too and beat Jim in the Super Bowl. And, with all the bad press that seems to be going down in Baltimore it could be only a matter of time before he moves on. However if he does he too would probably opt to stay in the NFL. Just like Jim, John would have plenty of offers to be a head coach at the pro level and plenty of blank checks that gone along with it.
The Harbaugh's aren't coming here. I know! Bummer, right?
But don't fret, I have a solution. I'm just not sure you'll like it!
Bring in MSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi!
Before you laugh, stop reading or send me a vicious tweet, let me explain.
Narduzzi is the perfect choice for Michigan.
He knows the region, can recruit and he actually... wait for it... knows how to coach.
Think of all those 2 and 3 star recruits that Narduzzi helped turn into stars.
Narduzzi is the heart and soul of that ferocious defense in East Lansing. He built it from nothing and it seems like he'll have a head coaching gig relatively soon. He's already turned down massive raises elsewhere to become an assistant and might have also turned down Connecticut to be their head coach. He's recognized nationally having just won the Frank Broyles award that goes to the nation's top assistant coach and got a pay raise at MSU of about $400,000. Narduzzi is making close to $1 million dollars a season now.
Narduzzi would be the perfect next head coach for Michigan and don't give me the "well gosh he has no head coaching experience." Who cares! You've seen how the last two coaches that did. How did they turn out?
Now I don't doubt Narduzzi might have some issues with taking a job at a place that he and Mark Dantonio probably make fun of on an hourly basis. It's now engrained in Narduzzi to not only hate Michigan but he probably despises the words "leaders and best" too.
It would be a challenge to get Narduzzi to leave MSU.
But that's where the power of a beautiful sheet of paper called a check comes into play. Offer him the world and an opportunity to head up his own team in a conference he knows he could win in. No matter how good of friends Dantonio and Narduzzi are I guarantee the defensive coordinator has thought about how he could do in the head coach's shoes? It's human nature to want to have your chance to prove you're better than the guy running the show.
He could have that chance in Ann Arbor.
Let's be honest...
The Michigan gig is not what it used to be but it sure in the hell is still better than Connecticut.
Yes, Narduzzi leaving MSU might cause Dantonio to fight him but not everything is easy nor should it be.
I also admit that this brilliant idea could cause Michigan even more embarrassment too. If Narduzzi were to turn down the job offer the Wolverine faithful would never hear the end of it. But you're already the butt of every joke by MSU people. What's one more? Michigan needs to take this risk because there is another side to it.
If Narduzzi were to accept it would be extra sweet. Not only would the Big House be getting one hell of a coach but they also would be getting MSU's second in command. It would be a nightmare for Sparty. Michigan returning to prominence with a former Spartan leading them there? That's stuff dreams are made of.
If my phenomenal, genius, diabolical plan worked, Michigan would get back to who they were while Michigan State would be good too but also infuriated that their guy left them.
Talk about rivalries. Talk about storylines. I'm fired up just typing about it. The annual Michigan-MSU game would actually mean something again rather than being the one sided bloodbath than it currently is.
Maybe somebody could even get Narduzzi to refer to MSU as "little brother" after he beats them. Better yet, maybe he could get Mike Hart to coach on his staff? Does Hart still coach?
So get to it David Brandon!
After Hoke finishes telling all that will listen today at his weekly presser that the Wolverines will be fine because "this is Michigan!" Go make that call to East Lansing and start begging Narduzzi to come and save the train wreck that you are responsible for creating.
Oh and when Narduzzi says he won't allow you to watch film with him don't worry. He'll be making you look like a genius by actually winning again and he'll probably even wear a head set too.
Who wants to sing the fight song? This Walmart Wolverine is fired up or I'm very depressed and frustrated that it has come to this.
