Michigan Should Hire Brian Kelly
Jim Harbaugh is set to leave Michigan for the head coaching job with the Chargers. It sure sounds like Sherrone Moore is a heavy favorite to land the Michigan job to replace Harbaugh. It’s just not the route I would take. If Michigan wants to maintain the excellence they have had with Harbaugh, Brian Kelly should be their primary target.
On one hand, I understand wanting to go with Moore. He did a nice job during Harbaugh’s suspension. That included the win over Penn State where he quite literally dialed up a run play on every single play in the second half (link to stock notes that week). Hiring Moore would probably be a good way to limit players from leaving to the transfer portal. Moore has been in the building and the players seem to have a liking to him.
I fully acknowledge and understand that. I would just like to bring up that we have no idea if Moore can actually coach. Harbaugh is the real brains behind the offense. Putting Moore in the head job is a risk. A risk I’m not sure you can take.
Not if Brian Kelly is actually willing to take the job. I know what I’m getting with Kelly. More importantly, I’m getting a coach that understands how to build offensive and defensive lines. Something that needs to remain in place if Michigan is going to keep winning.
Kelly, 62, has a career record of 283-102-2. He’s also 8-4 in Bowl games and most of those losses came with Notre Dame when he was significantly out-talented. Would the Massachusetts native jump at an opportunity to leave the South for a prominent program up North? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’s a phone call they should make.
You can bang on Kelly all you want. All I know is he won 10 games in back-to-back seasons just getting his feet wet at LSU. He also landed the number one quarterback, running back, and wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Bryce Underwood committed to LSU and is from Michigan. If Kelly went to the Wolverines, you don’t think that class would follow?
Maybe Moore will become a good coach. There is also a chance Michigan has egg on its face a few years from now and could have prevented Ohio State from ceasing power in the Big 10 again. Is that a risk they’re willing to take with a maybe? I wouldn’t.
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