Detroit News report: Drevno interested in talking to WMU about HC job

Submitted by KO Stradivarius on

I just saw this article by Lynn Henning stating the "Detroit News has learned" that Coach Tim Drevno is interested in discussing the Western Michigan Univ. Head Coach position, citing "multiple scouts as well as an industry source familiar with Drevno's view of the WMU job".  

Very carefuly worded but Lynn Henning is a veteran reporter and columnist, and therefore it could have some merit.  Of course, Coach Drevno just recently signed a 5 year contract extension, but it would appear he still has HC aspirations.   

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2017/01/11/ums-drevno-interested-western-job/96477576/

EDIT:   Two other candidates are mentioned:  Mel Tucker - Georgia DC;  Jeff Hafley - 49'ers DB coach,  

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Leaders And Best

January 12th, 2017 at 8:56 AM ^

This article sounds like an agent just trying to get his clients' names in the media. Possibly because they are interested in the job. But also maybe to renegotiate a raise. With the coordinator salaries on the rise, it wouldn't hurt to have your guy's name linked to another job.

The whole "article" is just Henning reciting three guys' resumes who were never being talked about for the WMU job until Henning. Usually most writers are talented enough to at least make it look legitimate.

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I dumped the Dope

January 12th, 2017 at 1:14 AM ^

but I'd guess here that Drevno probably priced himself out of the job (by signing with UM) due to the large buyout WMU would now have to pony up to Manuel to release Drevno from the contract.  And, on top of that they still have to pay Drevno...

Edit: so there's this "His new contract does not bar Drevno from becoming a head coach elsewhere"

But cmon what good is a contract if a guy can just walk from under it.  The UM has better lawyers than that !  The above statement is pretty qualitative and I doubt specific future titles are ixnayed.

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Mr Miggle

January 12th, 2017 at 7:05 AM ^

to keep them from making a lateral move. That's the protection the school wants. We've recently seen Wisconsin and PSU DCs take the same jobs at LSU and Tenn for more money.

I think it would be unprecedented to have a buyout triggered by taking a promotion to HC. Aside from nobody doing that, it runs completely counter to Harbaugh's own statements about hoping his assistants advance.

One thing Drevno's contract does is set the bar for smaller schools that want to hire him. They know they have to compete with both his current salary and his job security. The salary shouldn't be a problem for WMU. They came up with a lot of money to try and keep Fleck.

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Mr Miggle

January 12th, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^

I think that's when two year deals started to be very common and they've been going further with coordinators. That was an issue with Jeff Casteel. WVU offered him an extra year (and slightly more money). 

There was a case that went to court not long ago involving an assistant coach from Ok St. Texas claimed he was getting a promotion by having play calling responsibllity. Ok St claimed it was a sham to avoid paying his buyout. Texas settled it after losing attempts to keep it from going to trial.

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Helloheisman

January 12th, 2017 at 1:13 AM ^

Just my opinion. Our offense at times shows brain farts and hiccups that don't really help with big games. I know... Careful what I wish for. But, I trust harbaugh.

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Mr Miggle

January 12th, 2017 at 7:26 AM ^

No, seriously, why not? The new contract gave him a raise and added job security. He'd be crazy not to sign it.

He's been interested in becoming a head coach. That's not news to anyone. Why should he give up on that? It's not an either or proposition. He doesn't know when or if that opportunity will come. Obviously the WMU job wasn't open when he was negotiating his new deal.

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You Only Live Twice

January 12th, 2017 at 7:55 AM ^

Drevno is letting it be known that he intends to be a HC eventually. Getting his name out there. Not necessarily that he is interested in the WMU job specifically.  

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Leaders And Best

January 12th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^

When he starts talking about Jeff Hafley, it is pretty clear that his source is an agent. It's possble there is some veracity to the story. But my guess is this agent is just trying to get his clients publicity for a raise or a new job. Jeff Hafley is probably going to be out of work once the new coach gets hired in SF. This agent sees the contracts Don Brown and Dave Aranda just got and wonders if a rumor of Mel Tucker leaving may get him a raise.

Maybe Drevno is interested in talking about the job, but the article seems to spend a lot of time reciting the resumes of Tucker and Hafley. I also find it interesting that Angelique Chengelis, the most trusted source of Michigan news at the Detroit News, did not bother to even retweet Henning's story. But she did find the time to retweet De'Veon Smith's tweets about Wheatley interviewing for the job.

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gmoney41

January 12th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

I don't see why anyone would hire Drevno for a HC job at this moment.  He has proven at other stops that he is a good ol coach, but I haven't seen much here that backs that up, at least not yet.  I would like to see him prove his worth with us before leaving.  Maybe stay through the next few seasons of his recruits, get the line rolling and the offense purring like a kitten, and then I will convinced of his ability.  Right now, I just don't see the hype on the guy.

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stephenrjking

January 12th, 2017 at 3:12 AM ^

The article doesn't say "interested." It says "would be willing."

This is incredibly vague langauge that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Now, if there were other smoke floating around (see the Najee Harris thing last week) I could give it credence. But the smoke is coming from Tyrone Wheatley's house.

Granted, I could see Drev going there and taking Wheatley as an OC, but there's no way Wheatley is interviewing for a coordinator position when they haven't filled the coaching vacancy. 

And, as Don said, Western is an odd place for Drev to go. More power to him if he does, but it seems like he'll be plucked by a Power 5 school in a year or two. 

The only possible exception would be a situation where Harbaugh is interested in Greg Roman coming in. But then, I don't see why he would extend Drevno, and there's no "there" there with Roman right now that we've heard.

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Yessir

January 12th, 2017 at 5:21 AM ^

I was thinkin this might be Jive Turkeys talking to disrupt a recruit coming here, but Filiaga seems like a solid commit.  Doesn't seem like Drevno would consider WMU after just signing contract extension like many have already said.

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jblaze

January 12th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^

I know we have a lot of posters who went to/ had family go to WMU, but if Fleck (who had about as good of a career there as humanly possible) only gets a job at Minnesota, why would a guy like Drevno go there? He has as much of a chance to get a mediocre B1G job as the best coach at WMU ever (see: Durkin and Ash).

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Brodie

January 12th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^

Nobody believes Drevno is responsible for anything we accomplish. At best, he is part of brain trust and at worse he is a glorified OL coach. Guys like Durkin and Ash were, or were thought to be, the primary architects of their teams defenses. That's the difference.  

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Kevin13

January 12th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^

The word is Tim Lester is the front runner for the position and will probably land it. Wheatley would probably be their second choice. Seriously doubt Drevno would sign a contract extension a few days ago and then start looking for an HC job immediately after signing contract.

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FLwolvfan22

January 12th, 2017 at 10:24 AM ^

He never signed the extension:

"Western Michigan and Fleck were well down the road on a contract extension that would've more than doubled his $800,000 base pay, and added several years onto a contract that ran through 2020.

With the assistance of donors based in Kalamazoo and around the nation, Western Michigan made Fleck an "incredible" offer. He chose to wait things out so not to distract from the Cotton Bowl, which Western Michigan lost, 24-16, to Wisconsin on Monday. Assistants' compensation also was a holdup, and Fleck never signed the deal."

 

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2017/01/06/sources-minn…

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CoverZero

January 12th, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^

This seems to be fake news.  Lynn Henning has often been wrong over the years.  WMU would be a pay cut for Drevno.  He would do better to stay at Michigan for awhile and then take a job out West.

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