Mailbag question: What should Brandon do

Posted at 8:00am — 12/10/2010

Mailbag question: What should Brandon do?

GBMWolverine,

In one of your last mailbag posts about who will coach Michigan, you were very good about laying out the different scenarios for Dave Brandon to consider.

But I want to get your opinion. What should Brandon do? Coach Rodriguez has struggled and Harbaugh is very solid, but his selection doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. Above all I think waiting until January to make this decision might hurt Michigan the most, regardless of the final decision. What is your take?

Alex P.

GBMWolverine response:

Let us start by stating that the “so-called decision,” if one truly has not been made, is complex. There are many pieces of “data” to take into consideration. There is also a stated policy announced long ago of a final decision being made after the completion of the season. There are clear advantages to keeping Coach Rod. There are also clear questions and doubts that such a decision would create, even to the decision maker. As stated months earlier, Mr. Brandon’s toughest decision would come about if Michigan finished 6-6 or 7-5, but beat no significant team, not beat a rival but instead get hammered by said teams. That scene is now reality, making for a tough call for Mr. Brandon.

However, your query seems focused on the timing of the decision and our thoughts; so here goes.

If Mr. Brandon has made up his mind to retain Coach Rod or ends up retaining Coach after the bowl game, then clearly the decision to wait will come under heavy scrutiny. If Coach is not to be retained, policy can come second. The five-week wait leaves opponents chomping at the bit in a feeding frenzy watching Michigan flounder again. The negative recruiting for the talented players currently considering Michigan will probably inflict damage to this year’s class. Uncertainty is a powerful force to plant in a young mind.

Mr. Brandon may be wary of relieving Coach Rod of his duties and then having to make another tough decision, whom to hire as the temporary replacement. There may even be concern about some of the assistants loyal to Coach Rod leaving, although frankly assistant coaches need the money and do not need the black mark associated with walking away from an assignment.

Head coaches sometimes have that luxury. But if Coach Rod was to be relieved of coaching duties and quickly found another job, a minimum of three assistants would pack overnight and leave town.

Back to recruiting, which is a 24/7/365 endeavor that coaching staffs must excel at, especially at this time of year. We believe some of the current recruiting circus atmosphere might be tempered a little bit if the NCAA would push back the signing day until late March or even April, but this is unlikely.

Another month or two would allow staffs more time to see if recruits can qualify and make it past the NCAA Clearinghouse. The later date would give new staffs more time to recruit or hold onto the part of the class already secured.

Now it seems like coaches need to get to the new job immediately without worrying or carrying what happens to their old team, and quite frankly that really is not fair to many, foremost the players who are left in limbo.

If Mr. Brandon had relieved Coach Rod right after the Ohio State game can you imagine the rumor mills?

Like dominos, such decisions affect others. Pressure on those rumored to be candidates and players now considering themselves to be in limbo is significant.

Remember the circus the last time Michigan went searching for a coach and the attention coaches like Les Miles had to give the leave one school for another question at press conferences while LSU was preparing for the National Championship game?

Our bottom line is there is no easy or perfect solution. Facts must be considered and a decision(s) must be made. It appears the decision about Coach Rod is not being made with excessive haste and insufficient thought.

We are holding previous course: if Mr. Brandon believes Coach Rod is the long-term solution, keep him.

If there is someone available who is better, or better shares Mr. Brandon’s long-term vision, then Mr. Brandon should make the move in another direction.

We are 100% against changing head coaches at this point for change’s sake alone.

It (a change) must be a clear upgrade in Mr. Brandon’s eyes, or do not pull the trigger.

Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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