Michigan reached out to Butch Jones, per FootballScoop

The topic of Butch Jones and the Michigan job has been a subject of much discussion on this board for a good portion of the season. As Brady Hoke’s tenure in Ann Arbor appears to be nearing an end, Scott Roussell at FootballScoop reached out to a number of connections in college and NFL coaching and leaned that Michigan has reached out to both Jim Harbaugh and Butch Jones.

Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett and senior assistant athletic director Mike DeBord have spoken with a number of potential candidates is the what I’m told; and the reception thus far hasn’t been positive. We are told that the Michigan administration was hoping to have largely have their man identified by now and that does not appear to be the case as calls were ongoing yesterday.

Multiple sources I spoke with told me Jim Harbaugh has already told Michigan that he is not a candidate.

Sources tell us that Michigan has reached out to Butch Jones as well. Jones will not be a candidate at Michigan.

Source: Michigan struggling to find their next head coach

Forum discussion: Need to Michigan-Proof CBJ

Freak

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12 responses to “Michigan reached out to Butch Jones, per FootballScoop”

    • It definitely seems to be good news if you’re a Butch fan, which I am.

      Thanks for the comment.

      • I am too, and I think he’s getting the right places put into place, but it just takes time. The instant gratification generation (and I’m only 33) needs to realize that you can just keep changing coaches and staff members, and that in the long run, stability is much more important. To be cliche, and truthful–Rome wasn’t built in a day.

  2. Good news indeed, as Butch will have us back to prominence in good time. If only for recruiting reasons right now, disaster averted. Thanks for the update.

  3. I’m going to be nervous until they hire someone else or Bama Dave gives Butch a raise/extension.

    • Bama Dave? Why not Nole Dave? Didn’t “Bama Dave” hire the coach that you are currently nervous @ losing? Was that a move from his Bama roots or could it possibly be to do his best job possible for his current high paying employer?

      I know that’s a lot of questions. But every now and then I would like the hear an explanation of this strange “Bama Dave” paradox with ANY KIND of tangible evidence. Can you provide us with anything real and tangible showing Dave’s loyalty to Bama interests? TIA.

      • Just throwing in a touch of homerism for humor. And besides, Bama Dave came through with that extension and raise.

  4. Not nervous one bit. CBJ set out to do a job and IMO, he’s not done laying bricks at our beloved UT. With the talent he has brought in – and with the talent that is coming in, CBJ is not about to change his focus to another rebuilding job – in a lesser conference. The SEC is the football conference. UT is one of the best job’s in D1 football. CBJ is a smart man and knows what he is doing.

    • Honestly don’t see any “benefit” to such a move for Coach Jones. Maybe there could be an “I wanna go back home” or maybe “UM throws the bank at him”.

      To the first, I don’t see him being the homesick type otherwise, he and his wife would not be in the college coaching biz. “Going home” means a low probability of staying home anyway. Just ask Mr. Rodriquez and Mr. Hoke. And both have been successful coaches.

      To the second, I don’t see UM throwing the bank his way unless in complete desperation. UT fans and some around the SEC who are really paying attention know what Butch is doing here. Most fans around the SEC and almost everyone outside the SEC looks at W/L primarily. For example, how many posters on VN were talking @ how great Mullin and Freeze were LAST year? None. Once the wins came, then all of a sudden “they can coach”. UM fans want a guaranteed winner, just like our fans would. And that losing record at UT aint purty. Selling a coach with “a losing record” and several ugly losses would be a tough sale IMO. Especially when you “throw the bank” at such a candidate.

      To me, it’s impossible to know how loyal Butch is to UT. So, looking at this from the point of view of both sides, I don’t see it happening.

      For Butch, it’s a lateral move to a place where recruiting may be even more difficult. Plus he’s not completed the current rebuilding job. Leaving would not only upset fans, but it’s hard to see his players buying into a leave that goes against his whole “process”.

      For UM, unless they get super deep into the list, I cannot see them putting a lot of effort into Butch. Too hard a sell to the faithful who have had 2 disastrous coaching hires in a row. At least as far as their team is concerned.

      • Good post livefaith. Interestingly, I’ve talked to a few Michigan fans who are pretty high on Butch. Maybe they aren’t representative of the fan base as a whole, but they were aware of the recruiting job he’s done here and felt like he has our program going in the right direction. I was surprised a bit, that they could see past the record.

        Thanks for the comments.

  5. It’s just possible that a coach-of-merit who wants to go home could be LSU’s Les Miles. By his own admission the head job @ UM is his dream job…possibly shades of Lane Kiffin with USC. I’d love to see this happen and the subsequent feeding frenzy among SEC foes, particularly in the SECw.

    • As much as I hate to admit it, I think I’d miss the Les Miles-isms if he left the SEC. But yeah, his is definitely one of the top names being tossed around.