David Brandon is facing the biggest challenge of his young career as the University’s Athletic Director.
He has to hire the best coach in the world — someone who will instantly fix the Wolverines’ struggling defense with the wave of a magic wand, bring in a field goal kicker who can accurately make 60-yard field goals and turn Michigan into a national championship contender by September.
Or … something like that.
In all seriousness, Brandon’s next move — hiring Rich Rodriguez’s replacement — will be a critical decision that will impact the storied Michigan football program for years, maybe decades, to come. And, of course, that choice will tell us a lot about Brandon himself.
Brandon was cool, calm and convincing yesterday afternoon as he announced the end of the Rodriguez era and answered questions about his decision and the future replacement.
A reporter asked Brandon how important it would be for the next coach to be embraced by the Michigan community. Brandon’s answer was honest and incredibly telling:
“Clearly, if we want to be successful — if we want to be successful as a football program, as an Athletic Department, and we want our University to really represent what we’re all about — we need to rally around our new coach,” he said. “Don’t find fault. Don’t make hasty judgments before he arrives on campus.”
But that’s exactly what happened three years ago when Rodriguez came to Ann Arbor.
Rodriguez wasn’t a “Michigan Man,” whatever that means. He was bringing a spread offense, and that would never work in the Big Ten. He came with a huge price tag: the West Virginia buyout. He wasn’t Les Miles, a rumored candidate for the job, who was weeks away from playing for (and winning) a national championship.
Blah, blah, blah.
The cards were stacked against Rodriguez before he even set foot on campus.
The Michigan community split into factions: Those blindly supporting any head coach, those willing to give Rodriguez a chance and those who decried him.
Every event — the announcement of NCAA violations, wins over Notre Dame, losses to Ohio State — only further polarized fans. There was no “all in” for Michigan.
And now, Brandon’s task is difficult. He has to hire a coach that can unite this divided community — one that was even split on keeping former coach Lloyd Carr or calling for his head (and Carr won a national championship!).
Is there such a coach? Is the Michigan fan base capable of rallying around its coach?
Maybe Jim Harbaugh could have been that guy, a former Michigan player with ties to Bo Schembechler, but Brandon thinks he’s heading to coach in the NFL.
As for the fan base’s ability to unite, well, I don’t know if that’s possible. Fans, alumni and students have had three years to try to do that with Rodriguez, and they haven’t come close. If Brandon isn’t careful, we might have a similar situation take place in the coming weeks.
Even Michigan ties may not satisfy a large contingent of fans, especially if fans perceive this coaching search as another disaster, like most view 2007. And people could consider Rodriguez’s successor their second choice, feeling that Harbaugh should have been the guy. It’s messy any way you look at it.
“Whether it’s a Michigan Man, quote un-quote, or not, what clearly is important is whoever it is has a clear understanding of what Michigan is all about,” Brandon said. “This is a unique place. It creates unique challenges. It also provides unique opportunities.”
Unique challenges — like an impatient, divided fan base with sky-high expectations. Unique opportunities — like the chance to coach for 20 years at one of the most prestigious football programs, with a chance at immortality in the eyes of Michigan fans.
It’s an alluring gig, but a scary one — especially after watching the Rodriguez show the past three years.
It’s even harder when you aren’t sure you’ll have the Michigan community supporting you.
— Auerbach can be reached at naauer@umich.edu.