Analysts are falling into the same trap with Michigan coaching candidates

Jason Jones

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Analysts are falling into the same trap with Michigan coaching candidates image

This week the Michigan Wolverines begin to consider replacement options for Sherrone Moore, who was recently relieved of his coaching duties in Ann Arbor. This should feel like a familiar place as 2025 comes to a close. Michigan becomes the 13th significant college football coaching job to open this year. Michigan, or at least analysts speaking for them, are falling into the same trap.

While the specific jobs open this year vary in their perceived desirability, all of them have been noteworthy. From LSU to Oregon State, these are all desirable coaching destinations in some form or another. The problem that arises, again, is an inflated sense of self-worth when compared to every other job.

Those lending a voice to this subject are falling prey to the same mentality that plagued places like Florida and Penn State early on in their coaching replacement journey. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports leads the march off the cliff of falling for the same mistake. In a video now circulating across social media platforms, Klatt invokes that arrogance that didn’t work the other 4-6 times it was suggested earlier this year.

Klatt’s primary motivator behind the names he listed can be summed up with one concept. “Force them to say no”. The problem with Klatt’s assertion is each and every one of the names floated in that video, are likely to tell Michigan “No”.

This entire notion comes down to a BCS and pre-BCS mentality that no longer applies. In those eras there was a belief there was the haves and the have nots. The ‘haves’ were teams that had storied histories, a tradition of winning, and were viewed as the big dogs in any related conversation. These teams could almost write their own ticket because of the name they carry.

A program’s name and reputation are no longer the flex they used to be. Once teams started paying players, NIL budgets became a larger factor than name and reputation. Are those two storied programs with a reputation of being a great coaching destination? Then why didn’t they get their first choice at head coach? Because those factors took a back seat to a different equation.

Most of these names should be dead on arrival. Klatt and others are making the same mistake they made only a month or so earlier. Believing this program is desirable enough to get good coaches to leave great situations. As Klatt claimed, “force them to say no”.

Dan Lanning (suggested by Fox Sports) is not leaving Oregon. For virtually anywhere. Why would he? Oregon is likely a top 5-8 program in the country. Oregon has elite facilities. One of the toughest stadiums to play in. As well as brand juggernaut in Nike that helps fund the operation. Why on earth would Lanning leave for Michigan? Which objectively, would be a step backwards.

Curt Cignetti (suggested by the Detroit Free Press and Fox Sports) is not leaving Indiana. Forget the wins and losses or even an NIL budget. Cignetti and Indiana work. He was often overlooked as has Indiana, as they have historically been perceived as a basketball school. It works and Cignetti seems to enjoy being the program no one expects only to be victorious anyway. Even if that were not true, Cignetti just signed a “keep my name off coaching candidate lists” extension.

Clark Lea (suggested by Fox Sports) as a candidate makes sense. However, like a few other names on this list, it’s going to take a much bigger allure than Michigan to pull him away from his alma mater. Especially when Lea gets a little of the Cignetti allure. No one expected Vanderbilt to be a serious contender. Until Lea. He has the Commodores in the national conversation and just flipped the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the nation. Why would Lea leave Vanderbilt?

Marcus Freeman (suggested by Fox Sports and CBS) feels like he should be a non-starter. There are a handful of jobs in the country that should suggest to other programs to ‘back off’. Notre Dame is one of those programs. While it is not the 1950s-1980s anymore, Notre Dame is still Notre Dame. There should also be no reality where Michigan is viewed as a better job than Notre Dame.

Mike Elko (suggested by Fox Sports), like Lea, makes sense on some surface level, but fizzles out the longer his name is discussed. Texas A&M is almost a cheat code SEC job. The Aggies have some of that storied history that they can lean on, but once NIL was approved, Texas A&M became an immediate player. The Aggies have money and money buys players. Like Cignetti, Elko was also recently extended to prevent such coaching candidate conversations.

Kalen DeBoer (suggested by the Detroit Free Press, 247 Sports, ESPN and CBS) is understandable, but only from a fan driven narrative position. Whoever stepped in after Saban was going to have a heck of a time filling those shoes. After DeBoer’s Crimson Tide failed to make the playoff in year one, the detractors were at the gates. Suggesting the pressure of Saban will be too much for DeBoer. They are in the playoff coming off a 10-win season that included wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Tennessee all while they were nationally ranked in the top 20. DeBoer could leave, but why would he? Alabama is arguably one of the best three jobs in the country.

Kenny Dillingham (suggested by CBS and 247 Sports) leaving Arizona State might be one of the toughest to sell on this list. Michigan would be viewed as a promotion in program, as well as conference. Resources, reach and financial commitment could be better, but Dillingham leaving the Sun Devils just doesn’t seem likely.

Lincoln Riley (suggested by CBS) provides an interesting claim the rest don’t. USC to Michigan would be a lateral move. Those are two programs that might be on the same tier. Both have had great success, multiple times in their history. Their names carry a similar weight. However, in the current landscape of college football, neither carry more weight than half of the SEC schools and a few of the Big Ten schools. If the reach is similar, why would Riley leave southern California for Ann Arbor Michigan?

Other names have been floated could be real possibilities. Jedd Fisch out of Washington is a significant option. Jesse Minter (LA Chargers defensive coordinator), Bryant Hines (Indiana Hoosiers defensive coordinator), Glenn Schumann (Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator), Manny Diaz (Duke Blue Devils head coach), Tommy Rees (Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator) and Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator) all are reasonable options worth debating.

It's early in the Michigan coaching search. The timing of Moore’s firing likely won’t help the situation as twelve other programs already addressed their vacancies. In the early stages like this, it's expected to reach for the ideal but likely unattainable, before settling in on something more realistic.

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Contributing Writer