Coaches Corner: Grading the Asst. Coaches
Normally we mesh both CoachBt and my take on these type of matters, but wanted to show people what both of us believe. We have seen these coaches in person during the spring and have heard about them in the fall. Also we can judge them on saturdays like every other fan can do.
1) Frey:
ErocWolverine: Best coach on the team for what he had to work with this year. Really, like him at the coach’s clinic and the graduate assistant that works with the O-line as well.
CoachBt: Best assistant coach of the bunch, great hire. Has experience as both player and coach in zone schemes.
2) Shafer:
ErocWolverine: Thought he was the best coach at the clinic and really think he got a RAW DEAL this year. The offense did not help him out at all and not all those returning starters improved like so many thought they should. They dreaded word “potential” one thing people need to go back and look at last years tapes and see these guys were not that good that were coming back. He will be the “SCAPEGOAT” (IMO) this year.
CoachBt: Very intense and fundamentally strong, just did not fit with rest of defensive staff.
3) Hopson:
ErocWolverine: Working with a bunch of terrible linebackers (IMO) and the best of the bunch is Mouton. Hopson is a very good recruiter, but hopefully he gets some talent with speed that will learn how to fill a hole and also tackle. Hope he sticks around, but I am not sure I would offer him the defensive coordinator job to keep him because his position group really did not impress me much, but the players he has there are terrible.
CoachBt: Top recruiter and intense SOB, better fit at defensive back than linebackers coach, but did competent job with terrible talent.
4) Jackson:
ErocWolverine: Always like Fred, but the only problem I have with him is the rotation of the running backs and he has been using the same thing for the last 8 years. Goes with one player when in this offense we could easily balance out the carries and get 3-4 players the rock.
CoachBt: Better, fit at pro style offense. Will get better with spread, good hire.
5) Magee:
ErocWolverine: He might be higher, but really thought his play calling was terrible this year. Not sure if it is changed on the sidelines or what, but many times did not understand what Michigan was doing. He is a very good recruiter especially in Florida.
CoachBt: Outstanding teacher and knowledge of spread schemes. Still had some questionable game day decisions.
6) Tall:
ErocWolverine: Disappointed in the defensive line this year. They had a decent year, but for this team to do anything this group needed to be great and bring it every game, every quarter, every play and frankly they did not. To many times you would hear Graham or Taylor’s name and then you did not for several quarters. He seems like he knows coaching, but might be just coaching wrong position. That happens when you hire staff before you have your defensive coordinator set in stone first. He is a decent recruiter, but working in Ohio will be tough until Michigan starts winning “The Game” and recruit Ohio hard instead of giving up like previous staff.
CoachBt: Tough call, he is very good football man, just coaching out of position. Needs to move to safeties, or special teams.
7) Smith:
ErocWolverine: Well not sure, if it was him or the quarterbacks, but their mechanics really have slipped this year from what I heard behind the fort with these quarterbacks practicing. He might be a good recruiter, but not sure, he is the best position coach that we could have gotten. In addition, doesn’t it seem overkill to have two quarterback coaches on the staff with Coach Rod as well since he spends so much time with them when we could use that spot for special teams coach or move Magee there since we only are playing one tight end and that role is limited.
CoachBt: Top recruiter, knows spread offense. One-dimensional and does not stress some of fundamentals as much.
8) Dews:
ErocWolverine: Think the wide receivers took a huge hit this year and the position coach to me did not make these players better. I saw Stonum running better routes his first couple of practices when he arrived in the spring then he was running the last half of the season. All these players haven’t learned to block, run crisp routes, etc. Took a serious hit when Michigan fired Campbell (IMO). He seems like a decent coach and maybe some of the problem is the players, but to me this group was very disappointing this year.
CoachBt: Provides needed toughness, but split ends had too many fundamental issues.
9) Gibson:
ErocWolverine: Defensive backs especially safeties really struggled this year and the “coffee boy” just does not seem to be helping them out. I keep hearing he was one of the best recruiters at West Virginia, but not seeing it here especially in Pennsylvania and Ohio where he was very good while at West Virginia. In addition, special teams looked terrible and he was part of the coaches that worked with them along with Dews I believe. We took a serious hit when Michigan fired Bedford (IMO) who is doing a good job at Florida.
CoachBT: Was problem scheme, he is not cover two coach, or just poor coaching.