My Theory: Tracy might step down after season


Claeys said himself this was the best team since he's been there and expected to win 10 games and compete for a B1G West title.

Now he says they are very young and are rebuilding, which is what Kill said virtually every year he was there. At some point you expect to be experienced and actually win the B1G West.

We actually are young. We have what 12 scholarship seniors? Leidner, Pirsig, Wolatarsky, the Expe Bros, Jack Lynn, Travis, Armarako (sp), Myrick. I think are the only one's who even sniff the field. I do agree that the schedule was set up to win the west this year and we needed one of PSU and Iowa to go our way. Still doable just isn't a margin for error anymore. But it would be asanine to fire him after a 9-4 season in his first year.
 

I listened into the headsets during the game and can confirm that he doesn't say anything to the other coaches, it's purely for looks. Clearly doesn't want to be a head coach.

He's probably listening to a country music station.
 


When did he say either of these things, particularly the latter?

He told Sid they're young on Sunday morning. Specifically, he pointed out that they're starting some FR and SO.

Rebuilding, I haven't seen or heard that one anywhere.
 


Claeys was commenting on Rutgers and said, "they are rebuilding right now like we were."

I think people may have mis-heard him thinking he said they are rebuilding. Either that or people are twisting his words to fit their narrative.
 


This is purely speculative but I think Tracy may just step down once this season is over.

For those of you who attended the game Saturday you may have noticed that for 90% of the game he stands 5 yards off the sideline not talking to anyone or doing any coaching. The only time I saw him speak to a player was when Carpenter had a kickoff go out of bounds.

He's already made comments to the media that there are a lot of extra responsibilities that come with being a coach.

I think he could resign once the season is over and go back to being an Xs and Os DC and enjoy it more. He just shows no enthusiasm with the players or coaches and barely gets in the refs ear for a bad call.

I think what is in the works right now is that he is going to swap with Patino.
 

Claeys was commenting on Rutgers and said, "they are rebuilding right now like we were."

I think people may have mis-heard him thinking he said they are rebuilding. Either that or people are twisting his words to fit their narrative.

It's definitely possible I mis-heard the rebuilding part referring to Rutgers. But Claeys did go on about how young the Gophers are, especially on defense. They are definitely playing with young DB's, but the LB's and DL have plenty of experience.

It's just interesting how he has switched narratives.
 



It's definitely possible I mis-heard the rebuilding part referring to Rutgers. But Claeys did go on about how young the Gophers are, especially on defense. They are definitely playing with young DB's, but the LB's and DL have plenty of experience.

It's just interesting how he has switched narratives.

Before the season did he know he would have six players not able to suit up on game day because of a restraining order?
 

It's definitely possible I mis-heard the rebuilding part referring to Rutgers. But Claeys did go on about how young the Gophers are, especially on defense. They are definitely playing with young DB's, but the LB's and DL have plenty of experience.

It's just interesting how he has switched narratives.

Being young and believing you have the best team yet aren't mutually exclusive....
 

But it would be asanine to fire him after a 9-4 season in his first year.

Whoever it is they are really passionate because the suggestions for when to fire Claeys and what kind of success he needs to keep his job are mind-boggling.

For example, "anything less than 9 wins and he's gone." Are we supposed to take that seriously?

Remind us who the people are who said he should be fired for winning nine games or anything less than nine? I keep reading that on this site, and I don't remember anybody actually writing it.

Yes, there are people who have said they'll be disappointed with less than nine wins (and I'm one of them). Fired? Haven't read that here.
 

When you don't play well people ask you why. As a coach you (hopefully) try and give honest answers. Fans who are upset hear those answers, label them excuses and remain angry. If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.

The reality is when people are upset, frustrated or have their minds made up the coach needs be fired there is no answer he can give that will suffice.
 



Remind us who the people are who said he should be fired for winning nine games or anything less than nine? I keep reading that on this site, and I don't remember anybody actually writing it.

Yes, there are people who have said they'll be disappointed with less than nine wins (and I'm one of them). Fired? Haven't read that here.

This is a direct quote from the Coach Claeys Job Security Poll post Rutgers thread: "9 wins or fired imo. Needs at least 2 quality wins, has 0 so far. "
 

This is purely speculative but I think Tracy may just step down once this season is over.

For those of you who attended the game Saturday you may have noticed that for 90% of the game he stands 5 yards off the sideline not talking to anyone or doing any coaching. The only time I saw him speak to a player was when Carpenter had a kickoff go out of bounds.

He's already made comments to the media that there are a lot of extra responsibilities that come with being a coach.

I think he could resign once the season is over and go back to being an Xs and Os DC and enjoy it more. He just shows no enthusiasm with the players or coaches and barely gets in the refs ear for a bad call.

I saw him get into one of the TE's grill for a false start penalty.
Even broke out an "F-Bomb" while he walked over towards him.
Coach picks his spots for that stuff and, for whatever reason, that one was on TV the other day. Hope they have good, focused practices this week, receive some positive news (recruiting, injuries, whatever) and go to Champaign ready to compete for 60 minutes.
 

Remember, where the starting line was...with better game day head coaching we beat Michigan 100%. Where is Michigan now? Where are the Gophers? At that point we were the better team. Now, each week we make the same mistakes and add new mistakes each game, plus we have better players overall now than we had last year. That's not effective coaching. Forget the scores, watch the game....our schedule might be the easiest in 25 years. Are we getting better? How do we look? How does Michigan look? You can argue the Michigan advantages...I'll argue Harbaugh works harder and more effectively at it and his players have more fun and that's why they play better.

Michigan was a 12-point favorite in that game. And this year's Michigan team has something like 18 senior starters.
 

Remind us who the people are who said he should be fired for winning nine games or anything less than nine? I keep reading that on this site, and I don't remember anybody actually writing it.

Yes, there are people who have said they'll be disappointed with less than nine wins (and I'm one of them). Fired? Haven't read that here.

You haven't seen anyone on GH say Claeys should be fired? Is this one of those "I'm too lazy to look through other threads" threads? There are multiple threads on that subject and many posts supporting that action.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

You haven't seen anyone on GH say Claeys should be fired? Is this one of those "I'm too lazy to look through other threads" threads? There are multiple threads on that subject and many posts supporting that action.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fired after winning 9 games. It seems you completely missed the point.
 


Wow the negative posts continue. Whatever happened to letting the season play out and then go from there? I agree, this is a dumb/stupid thread or whatever you want to call it.
 


could he go to KSU where Kill is sniffing around the program that will have a head coaches position open soon?
 

Did you watch the game?

Michigan was a 12-point favorite in that game. And this year's Michigan team has something like 18 senior starters.

In the game, which team played dramatically better? The Gophers did!!! They are Michigan....they likely will be favored or nobody will bet....so what? This year's Michigan team... I believe it might have 14 senior starters which is also so what? They didn't all start last year. Why do they play this year? It's a coaching thing. The Gophers returned 8 starters on offense. They returned 5 starters on defense but all 11 number twos on defense from last year are back. We play...what is it 5 or 6 freshman on defense this year. I'm saying we have better personnel this year than we had last year. You evidently disagree.

And if you are right that Michigan has 18 senior starters...aren't you proving my point? We played better than they did last year...they got the same players they had last year!!!!! Yet they are undefeated and Top 3 in the country.
There is no Michigan advantage there... Harbaugh didn't recruit those guys. We were better last year on game day...now in 12 months they are dramatically better. I'd say the obvious difference is coaching. Our starting line one year ago was ahead of Michigan's. We have better personnel now than we had last year and Michigan has the same guys playing.. or who were on the team and in some cases beat out by better players who graduated.

We had 6 players go to NFL camps...they had 8 players go to NFL camps.
 

In the game, which team played dramatically better? The Gophers did!!! They are Michigan....they likely will be favored or nobody will bet....so what? This year's Michigan team... I believe it might have 14 senior starters which is also so what? They didn't all start last year. Why do they play this year? It's a coaching thing. The Gophers returned 8 starters on offense. They returned 5 starters on defense but all 11 number twos on defense from last year are back. We play...what is it 5 or 6 freshman on defense this year. I'm saying we have better personnel this year than we had last year. You evidently disagree.

And if you are right that Michigan has 18 senior starters...aren't you proving my point? We played better than they did last year...they got the same players they had last year!!!!! Yet they are undefeated and Top 3 in the country.
There is no Michigan advantage there... Harbaugh didn't recruit those guys. We were better last year on game day...now in 12 months they are dramatically better. I'd say the obvious difference is coaching. Our starting line one year ago was ahead of Michigan's. We have better personnel now than we had last year and Michigan has the same guys playing.. or who were on the team and in some cases beat out by better players who graduated.

We had 6 players go to NFL camps...they had 8 players go to NFL camps.


Michigan was 10-3 last year and won the Citrus Bowl.
Minnesota was 5-7 last year and found a way into the Motor City Bowl.

Harbaugh is 17-3 as head coach at Michigan and has back-to-back top five recruiting classes and another on the way.

Yes, on one night, Minnesota played pretty well against Michigan. But, overall, the programs were far apart.
 

Michigan was 10-3 last year and won the Citrus Bowl.
Minnesota was 5-7 last year and found a way into the Motor City Bowl.

Harbaugh is 17-3 as head coach at Michigan and has back-to-back top five recruiting classes and another on the way.

Yes, on one night, Minnesota played pretty well against Michigan. But, overall, the programs were far apart.

Oh ya, far apart...rightttt... Let's see,
Because the Michigan coach is fired in 2014 because Michigan is 5 and 7?
Far apart because the Gophers beat Michigan 30 to 14 in Michigan in 2014?
Far apart because the Gophers went to New Years Day Citrus Bowl in 2014 season?
Far apart because we were clearly the better team, losing on coaching blunders?
If the teams were far apart it is the Gophers who had the advantage!


AND NO, Harbaugh does not have back to back top 5 recruiting classes. In 2015 Michigan was #51 in recruiting and the Gophers were #53, according to Rivals.
But one coach went to like 50 and 83 satellite camps recruiting and building his brand around the country and world. He had a #4 class in 2016 and in 2017...you may be right, likely a Top 10 class as well. So, one coach works harder at recruiting and puts more emphasis on higher rated recruits than the other coach. But again, we do have better personnel in 2016 than we had the year before. Different philosophies. We just make a lot of mistakes on game day. That's the difference- coaching.


Those Michigan recruiting classes, you tout...they haven't played yet. Again, he is coaching the 5 and 7 guys....your 18 senior starters.

Let me annoy everyone and quote myself: "There is no Michigan advantage there... Harbaugh didn't recruit those guys. We were better last year on game day...now in 12 months they are dramatically better. I'd say the obvious difference is coaching. Our starting line one year ago was ahead of Michigan's. We have better personnel now than we had last year and Michigan has the same guys playing.. or who were on the team and in some cases beat out by better players who graduated.

We had 6 players go to NFL camps...they had 8 players go to NFL camps."
 

AND NO, Harbaugh does not have back to back top 5 recruiting classes. In 2015 Michigan was #51 in recruiting and the Gophers were #53, according to Rivals.

They were only ranked that low only because they signed just 14 recruits. Certainly not top 5 but probably top 20. Signing so few recruits can really mess up the team recruiting rankings.
 

Oh ya, far apart...rightttt... Let's see,
Because the Michigan coach is fired in 2014 because Michigan is 5 and 7?
Far apart because the Gophers beat Michigan 30 to 14 in Michigan in 2014?
Far apart because the Gophers went to New Years Day Citrus Bowl in 2014 season?
Far apart because we were clearly the better team, losing on coaching blunders?
If the teams were far apart it is the Gophers who had the advantage!


AND NO, Harbaugh does not have back to back top 5 recruiting classes. In 2015 Michigan was #51 in recruiting and the Gophers were #53, according to Rivals.
But one coach went to like 50 and 83 satellite camps recruiting and building his brand around the country and world. He had a #4 class in 2016 and in 2017...you may be right, likely a Top 10 class as well. So, one coach works harder at recruiting and puts more emphasis on higher rated recruits than the other coach. But again, we do have better personnel in 2016 than we had the year before. Different philosophies. We just make a lot of mistakes on game day. That's the difference- coaching.


Those Michigan recruiting classes, you tout...they haven't played yet. Again, he is coaching the 5 and 7 guys....your 18 senior starters.

Let me annoy everyone and quote myself: "There is no Michigan advantage there... Harbaugh didn't recruit those guys. We were better last year on game day...now in 12 months they are dramatically better. I'd say the obvious difference is coaching. Our starting line one year ago was ahead of Michigan's. We have better personnel now than we had last year and Michigan has the same guys playing.. or who were on the team and in some cases beat out by better players who graduated.

We had 6 players go to NFL camps...they had 8 players go to NFL camps."

...? I'm so confused. Are you actually suggesting that we would beat Michigan if we played them this year?
 

...? I'm so confused. Are you actually suggesting that we would beat Michigan if we played them this year?

I think he's saying we aren't that far apart (at least as of last year). And that their ability to separate from the pack has the result of coaching.

I would suspect that if we ponied up $9 million for a head coach and an additional $4.3 million for assistant coaches, our on-the-field product would improve too.
 

...? I'm so confused. Are you actually suggesting that we would beat Michigan if we played them this year?

How do you get that out of that?

Agreed that 60's writing style can be difficult to follow as it's more of a stream of thought rather than a coherent message.

Last year we should have won, this year we are predicting a blowout loss. Little has changed in the talent pool on the field (allegedly) what's the modifier than? Coaching.
 

How do you get that out of that?

Agreed that 60's writing style can be difficult to follow as it's more of a stream of thought rather than a coherent message.

Last year we should have won, this year we are predicting a blowout loss. Little has changed in the talent pool on the field (allegedly) what's the modifier than? Coaching.

I would hope nobody is predicting a blowout loss, as we aren't playing them this year - except for possibly in the Big Ten championship game.
 




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