***This article was published November 2013 when it looked like Brady Hoke could get fired after the 2013 season. This article is driving a lot of visitors from Google, but it is older - so, please click here for our updated mid-November 2014 Michigan football coaching hot board.***
Michigan football coach Brady Hoke is basically coaching for his job the next 3 weeks. If he doesn't go 2-1 in the next 3, and stay competitive with OSU, he will likely lose his job after the season, forcing Michigan to search for a new coach for the 2nd time in 3 years.
If Hoke loses to Northwestern tomorrow, he will only be able to save his job by beating Ohio State in the season's final game.
I have had numerous conversations with prominent alumni, former players and members of the current athletic dept staff in the past 2 weeks, and here are the likely candidates Michigan would pursue if Hoke is let go. I have stacked ranked based on mutual interest in the position.
It is very unlikely that Hoke would be fired before the bowl game, so this search would be public from Dec 28-29-January 5-6th.
1. John Harbaugh, head coach, Ravens
Michigan interest: 10
Potential coach interest: 8.5
Nothing would make the transition in Ann Arbor any smoother than if Harbaugh would take the job. Make no mistake, John loves Michigan as much or more than his brother. Given his age (51) and massive prior success, he would be a home run hire, rivaling Urban Meyer to Ohio State as the best college football hire in recent memory. You don't often find a NFL head coach coming off a Super Bowl championship taking a college job, but this may be a rare case.
Why this makes sense:
1. Mattison and much of the defensive staff would stay with Harbaugh as coach
2. The Ravens are a long shot to make the playoffs
3. His last game in Baltimore is Dec 29th, which would coincide with the likely end of Michigan's season in a 2nd rate bowl game
4. He would KILL in recruiting - he is basically his brother with a better attitude
5. He truly LOVES Michigan and always wished he could have played for Bo
6. He has accomplished all he can in the NFL and sees his likelihood for continued success to be much less in Baltimore now that Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are no longer anchoring his team
Michigan would likely have to offer John a 6 year, $35 million+ contract to land him.
2. Greg Schiano, head coach, Buccaneers
Michigan interest: 7
Potential coach interest: 9
Schiano has turned down Michigan in the past, passing on the job in 2007. He will likely be fired in Tampa the Monday after the Bucs final game and would fit great in Ann Arbor, a no-nonsense ass kicker who can take on Urban Meyer. Schiano was VERY close to taking the job in '07 and has great admiration for the school and program.
3. Kevin Sumlin, head coach, Texas A&M
Michigan interest: 10
Potential coach interest: 5
It will take a boatload of money and convincing, but Sumlin could end up in Ann Arbor. Some wealthy alumni are enamored with him and think he is the next Urban Meyer.
4. Tyrone Wheatley, RB coach, Bills
Michigan interest: 5
Potential coach interest: 10
This is the true wildcard. The former Michigan All-American RB is doing a tremendous job with the RB's in Buffalo this season and will likely get an OC job somewhere in the off-season if a head coaching job doesn't materialize. Wheatley is a rising star in the coaching circles, serving as RB coach at Syracuse and now the Buffalo Bills. He would KILL IT on the recruiting trail, but would have to hire an all-star cast of assistant coaches to help groom him as a first time head coach.
5. Cam Cameron, OC, LSU
Michigan interest: 6
Potential coach interest: 8
Doesn't it seem like Cam should be 70 years old by now! Cam was on the Michigan staff from 1983-1993, and was QB coach for Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac and Todd Collins. Cam LOVES Michigan and has worked for 'Michigan' guys for much of his career post-Ann Arbor.
He was head coach for Steve Ross's Dolphins for a year, OC for John Harbaugh in Baltimore for 5 seasons and has been OC at LSU for Les Miles this season. Cam could be a big boost to Michigan's offense and could also likely keep Greg Mattison as DC, given the many years they have worked together: 92-93 at Michigan and 2008-10 in Baltimore. Cam is only 51 years old.
Second tier candidates: (not in prestige, but not very likely)
6. Jim Harbaugh, head coach, 49ers
Just not very likely he will leave 49ers until he wins multiple Super Bowls
7. Les Miles, head coach, LSU
Michigan just never seems to pursue Les very hard, even though it would be the perfect fit. Rumors of an affair with former Michigan coach Gary Moeller's wife have long dogged Miles, speculating many to think that AD Dave Brandon dislikes Les and has nicknamed him "Loose Morals".
8. Kirby Smart, DC, Alabama
This guy has every trait you would want as a first time head coach, but, he is convinced that he will take over at Bama in the next 5 years and will continue to dominate after Nick Saban retires
9. Charlie Strong, head coach, Louisville
An Urban disciple. The top coach in the game at a non-BCS school.
10. Lloyd Carr, retired Michigan head coach
Far-fetched? Not as much as you would imagine. Carr still has 'it' and would be able to coach the team for 3-5 years while grooming a replacement internally. Bill Snyder of Kansas State is 5 years older than Carr (Carr is 68) and returned to KSU with a bang after 3 seasons of retirement. KSU has been to 2 BCS games since Snyder un-retired.
This would be a bit wacky, but, do NOT count this out as a possibility. It has legs.
Who do you think should replace Hoke if they fire him?
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