Michigan Coaching Search: A Fertile Climate For BS

Michigan does not have a football coach. Time, in the self-sustaining 24-hour media climate, breeds fever. Michigan’s search firm reportedly reached out to David Cutcliffe, among others, yesterday. By nightfall, we had a report or a hedged, imprecisely worded tweet that DAVID CUTCLIFFE REJECTED A MICHIGAN JOB OFFER.

Everyone had a good guffaw. Then people looked into it.

The social media vortex is hungry for information about Michigan’s coaching search. There’s little information available to feed it. There’s every incentive for interested parties to fill that void with misinformation. In short, it’s a fertile climate for bullshit. Deploy reason and keep your detectors engaged.

Let’s look at this search, rationally.

Michigan can wait until the end of the year to hire a coach. Today is December 10th. RECRUITZ can’t be contacted after the dead period on the 15th. Michigan will have a small class for 2015 anyway. Finding the right coach is far more important than whatever foundation could be laid in those couple days. Until the NFL weighs in, there are no other major candidates to compete with. They may prefer it to be finished tomorrow. It does not need to be.

Jim Harbaugh is the panacea. NFL reporters have him staying in the league. Reporters plugged in at Michigan keep insisting Michigan has not been deterred. What to make of that is unclear. Harbaugh has every reason to keep the Michigan option alive for leverage. But, as long as that door is open, Michigan won’t shut it.

If the door is open, Michigan would do exactly what it appears to be doing. Protract the search process. Gauge interest from other candidates. Make zero commitments.

Who is plan B or C? No clue. But the most pertinent question when one of these names come up is “why is this name being leaked?”

College names will be floated. Jimmy Sexton made a fortune for his clients off the Texas opening last season. Michigan native Butch Jones received a raise and extension from the mere whiff of Michigan interest. Oh, hey, look! Underpaid Sexton client Jim Mora is a name that is out there.

NFL names will be floated. Not surprisingly, from folks who want jobs. Greg Schiano has been a name on everyone’s lips. Is that coming from Michigan, who can’t afford an underwhelming hire, or the unemployed Schiano camp? Jay Gruden, on the outs at Washington, is suddenly a candidate. How long before Doug Marrone and others have hats thrown into the ring? We’ve already seen unemployed Mike Shanahan.

Les Miles may be the other constraint. He answered the phone in 2007. He met with Michigan in 2010. He’s kooky. He’s 61. He’s believed to be unpopular in some Michigan circles. He would also excite people, would sell tickets and would be a credible hire. Jim Hackett, the man tasked with convincing him, is a former teammate. Had he no interest, Miles, probably would have addressed it by now. Possibly in this fashion.

Predicting what Les Miles would do in a given situation may be foolhardy. But, if Miles was the fallback option, Michigan would be doing the same thing. Protract the search process. Gauge interest from candidates. Make zero commitments that would offend him.

Could another candidate emerge? Without question. But, Michigan is probably not pulling the trigger until Harbaugh says no. And that candidate, at this stage, would have to be a more attractive prospect than Les Miles.

[Photos via USAT]