The Michigan Wolverines relieved Brady Hoke of his duties last week, but arguably, that was only the second biggest piece of news out of Ann Arbor.
Interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett, speaking last Tuesday like a man who might have an inside track to removing that interim tag, also called on the term “Michigan Man” to be phased out as it relates to the search for Hoke’s replacement, and admitted the phrase has been misconstrued.
“I want to get rid of the term “Michigan Man,” Hackett said Tuesday as reported by Tony Paul of the Detroit News.
Yet, in spite of that, actions quickly flaw the logic. Hackett himself fits the term, having played at Michigan. Mike DeBord, a man helping to ease the transition for the players as well as working in the background, also fits the term with experience working at Michigan. Lloyd Carr could be the ultimate personification, and he is issuing statements on preferred candidates. Brian Greise is also involved in the decision making.
Even Korn Ferry, the search firm that Hackett contacted to run things has “Michigan Man” ties with Jed Hughes, a Michigan alum. For a place supposedly now committed to not celebrating the Michigan Man, that’s a whole lot of Michigan men involved within critical decision making. Given the abundance of such personalities, the chance for groupthink only becomes bigger.
Old habits certainly do die hard. The only way Hackett could truly prove that the phrase he wants is getting phased out is by hiring outside the Michigan family as it relates to the next coach. But with names like Jim Harbaugh and Les Miles at the top of everyone’s wish lists, even coach conjecture has possessed a sprinkling of the usual Michigan Man influence.
Hackett and company, though, still have the chance to surprise and deliver a name that nobody’s yet been considering. With the culture at Michigan, that move would be for the best at this point in time. The Wolverines need a fresh start with someone who’s been on the outside. It didn’t work with Rich Rodriguez because the natives got restless and failed to give the coach the support he needed.
Hiring Hoke, a man most considered to fit the Michigan Man bill, was supposed to fix that, but it didn’t. Now, getting Harbaugh or Miles seems to be a top priority for Michigan, but it doesn’t need to be. The Wolverines could easily identify an NFL coordinator or coach from a smaller program and give him time to grow and the tools to succeed, regardless of prior connection to the school or name stature. The fans would be smart to back off and give that particular choice space.
It would be the only way for Hackett and company to prove that the usual Michigan Man theme actually means nothing. After all, Bo Schembechler was hired as a Miami (Ohio) man before the quote most attributed to him started to take on a life of its own.
Max DeMara is a senior editor at The Detroit Sports Site. You can find him on Twitter @SportsGuyTheMax