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Why Harbaugh Over Kelly At Michigan
Should Rich Rodriguez be replaced as head coach at Michigan, there is a groundswell that would suggest Cincinnati's Brian Kelly be the choice. There is little question Kelly is an excellent coach, but this is why Stanford's Jim Harbaugh would be a better fit.
- Harbaugh has had signature wins over opponents that have destroyed Michigan - USC and Oregon. Is there such a thing as a signature victory in the Big East and has Kelly had one? How did his team do in the Orange Bowl? The Pac 10 is much more difficult landscape. And like Kelly, Harbaugh had great success at a lower level of college coaching where pure coaching often makes the difference.
- Harbaugh has deep ties to Michigan football and its patron saint, Bo Schembechler. He was raised in Ann Arbor and played four years at U-M as a great player. Kelly has no ties whatsoever to U-M. And we've seen what that can to do an outsider like Rodriguez.
- Kelly has won with players he didn't recruit, both at CMU and Cincinnati. Harbaugh's teams are getting better at Stanford as his recruits play more. Also, his NFL connections, coupled with Michigan's brand name, would make him a major force in recruiting. Kelly has no NFL ties.
This is my column in Tuesday's Oakland Press about the Michigan coaching situation: http://tinyurl.com/y97zx7a
- Harbaugh has had signature wins over opponents that have destroyed Michigan - USC and Oregon. Is there such a thing as a signature victory in the Big East and has Kelly had one? How did his team do in the Orange Bowl? The Pac 10 is much more difficult landscape. And like Kelly, Harbaugh had great success at a lower level of college coaching where pure coaching often makes the difference.
- Harbaugh has deep ties to Michigan football and its patron saint, Bo Schembechler. He was raised in Ann Arbor and played four years at U-M as a great player. Kelly has no ties whatsoever to U-M. And we've seen what that can to do an outsider like Rodriguez.
- Kelly has won with players he didn't recruit, both at CMU and Cincinnati. Harbaugh's teams are getting better at Stanford as his recruits play more. Also, his NFL connections, coupled with Michigan's brand name, would make him a major force in recruiting. Kelly has no NFL ties.
This is my column in Tuesday's Oakland Press about the Michigan coaching situation: http://tinyurl.com/y97zx7a
Labels: Michigan Football Rich Rodriguez Jim Harbaugh Brian Kelly
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:07 PM
7 Comments:
Pat,
Your thoughts are interesting on Harbaugh vs. Kelly. As an ND fan that would like to see Weis go, Kelly would be at the top of my wish list and I would like to see Harbaugh receive consideration. I really like Harbaugh's ability to recruit and put a physical football team on the field. If he can put together top-20 classes at Stanford, he could do much better at ND or Michigan. The one thing that bothers me about Harbaugh is his personality. Being in the stands to watch ND play Stanford, the guy acts like a total jackass and very unprofessional. He shows no composure whatsoever. I've also heard unflattering things about him off the field, although they are just rumors.
I think Brian Kelly is proving himself to be the best available college coach on the market. He has won at three different levels. Granted he has not beaten a top ranked team, but I don't think you can fully judge a coach solely on one performance in a bowl game. He has taken a program that Dantonio lifted off the ground and taken it to the top of the Big East and made it relevant nationally for the first time in decades. He can develop no-name recruits that were even after thoughts at Cincinnati into really productive QBs. He is also recruiting better at Cincinnati than Dantonio did, who is proving himself to be a very good recruiter at Michigan State. My major concerns if he comes to ND are can he handle the pressure that comes with being the face of the highest profile program in the country and can he recruit nationally, not just in Ohio and Michigan.
John,
Kelly would have to be right at the top of Notre Dame's search. He would fit there well. If it is between the two for Notre Dame, I'd say go with Kelly. Michigan needs somebody to unite them under the shsdow of their patron saint - Bo. Harbaugh could do that.
Caputo
Pat,
I agree that Kelly would be a better fit at ND and Harbaugh would be better at Michigan. In your article you make some valid points from an outsider, rational perspective that the opinions of Carr and Hart shouldn't dictate who is the next coach, especially if it is someone with the background of Harbaugh. I do think that Harbaugh will have to mend some fences at Michigan before coming back. He can be overly brash, although I guess one could say the same thing about Les Miles. That is in stark contrast to Lloyd Carr. In addition to his critical comments about the academic side of athletics at Michigan, he also was outspoken in his criticism before the season that Stanford and the rest of the Pac-10 doesn't play Towson or Delaware State like teams in the Big 10 do...ouch. Like most people, I don't think Michigan likes to be criticized, especially by one of their "own," it will be interesting to see how that divide is bridged if Rodriguez continues to falter and Harbaugh looks more and more like the best coach on the horizon.
Pat,
Kelly did win with his own recruits at GVSU. It is really amazing at how great he has done with really any player that he has had. I think that shows how well he adjusts his teams plans to the talent he has. I was actually amazed that MSU didn't hire Kelly instead of Dantonio, but that ship has already sailed.
Harbaugh would likely be a good coach for Michigan. Maybe if Rich Rodriquez is fired after next year, he will still be available. It would be nice to see Michigan play well again. I just hope they go back to a pro style offense, as I have always disliked the spread and can't watch games that use them.
-Marty
John,
The dynamics are different at ND than any other school. According to rankings, they have done well recruiting. They should do better than they have done under last three coaches. I have little doubt Kelly would.
Caputo
John,
The dynamics are different at ND than any other school. According to rankings, they have done well recruiting. They should do better than they have done under last three coaches. I have little doubt Kelly would.
Caputo
Marty,
There is little doubt what Kelly is doing is not a fluke and he deserves a shot at a major job. I know this isn't based on anything of great logic, but the spread just looks out of place at Michigan.
Caputo
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