Michigan football names Adam Braithwaite new defensive coach; Tony Gibson adds new duties
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez didn't need to look very far to fill a vacancy on his defensive coaching staff.
Adam Braithwaite
Courtesy of U-M
On Wednesday, the athletic department announced Adam Braithwaite will be the Wolverines' new safeties and outside linebackers coach. He had spent the past two seasons as a staff assistant with Michigan.
"We are excited to promote Adam to be our safeties/outside linebackers coach," Rodriguez said in a written statement. "He has been a loyal hard-working member of our staff for several years and knows our system. I believe he will bring a lot of energy both in coaching and recruiting."
Braithwaite replaces linebackers coach Jay Hopson, who left the staff to become defensive coordinator at Memphis.
In another staff move, Rodriguez announced that secondary coach Tony Gibson will add the responsibility of being the special teams coordinator, while continuing to coach cornerbacks and free safeties.
Comments
Sean T.
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 : 8:28 p.m.
Baaauuuuggggghhhhhuuuuummmmmbbbbbuuuugggghhhh!
azwolverine
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 : 8:10 p.m.
Sean and Tru2blu, Don't you realize that RR has already proven his worth with zero national titles and only 6 losing seasons in his 17 year career? Heck, he's even had 4 ten plus win seasons in those 17 years! Those who don't have the foresight to see he is guaranteed several NC's in the coming years just don't know his track record! RR is King!!!
maizenbluenc
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 : 10:28 a.m.
IMO they had to hire within, because they couldn't afford the risk of a prominent outside hire not fitting in and causing waves. Rich and staff know this year is make or break, and it is critical they are all on the same page. Not to mention the importance of continuity in defensive coaching. Besides Braithwaite was a QC assistant, meaning his job was to watch film and critique technique. (Which also means he has been advising Rich and Greg, so he has a working relationship with both). Assuming Greg and Rich think he has coaching skills, he may be just the ticket to help our young players develop their skills. The bigger, long term question is recruiting skills. That is where a prominent outside hire may have helped more.
Sean T.
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 : 7:18 a.m.
I like promoting within but as many other posters have declared....It's a bad move! And TRU2BLU76, you cannot explain the truth to those who want to believe a lie. All of us want to win but only a few of us are realistic about the chances of us pulling it out with our current coach. I wish the program well but I'll wait until there's someone with promise. Though I believe our current class of recruits are rated high and will be good players someday. To many expect these young kids to save our program so we'll probably be worse defensively and with the current hire, It shows RR still doesn't care much about the programs all-time worst defense. Hail to the Victor!
voiceofreason
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 9:43 p.m.
BigBlueinFl, Tony Gibson is in charge of special teams, but each coach has their own specific special teams responsibilities.
BigBlueinFL
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 8:55 p.m.
Is it wise to have Tony Gibson coaching the special teams as well as the secondary? I think his plate is full with the secondary is it not?? They are an awfully green group.
ryly
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 5:38 p.m.
Rich "Poor" Fraudriguez will never appoint anybody who is any threat to his sovereignty, witness the defensive coordinator who was the worst head coach in history, and is now idolized as "GRob" by some goofy poster.
Steve Pepple
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 3:38 p.m.
@81wolverine: The misspelling has been corrected. Thank you for pointing it out.
voiceofreason
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 3:33 p.m.
I like the promotion. He is a young guy, so he should be able to relate well to recruits. Hopefully they are grooming him to eventually become defensive coordinator.
81wolverine
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 3:23 p.m.
First, please proofread these articles before posting - "safties" is not a word I'm aware of. Second, I agree with one post about the relative experience level of Mr. Braithwaite given the horrible linebacking Michigan has had since 2006. Maybe a more experienced, Div. I coach would have been a better choice. Let's hope the young man surprises all of us.
sikness
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 2:54 p.m.
All three of you are way off base on why this might not be such a great hire. Him being the position coach isn't that big of a deal. Bottom line, the defense is going to be run how GRob wants it, no matter who is coaching what position. A position coach isn't going to improve our defense no matter who it is. My worry about this hire is the recruiting aspect. What areas is he going to be recruiting? He at least has some experience in coaching, he has 0 experience recruiting big time high school players, and has no reputation in any recruiting circles. Personally I like that RR is promoting from within. It proves he's trying to keep Michigan Michigan. But how will this hinder us with recruits?
heartbreakM
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 2:34 p.m.
I don't get it. Rod had a chance to get someone, anyone, with national credentials to coach at MICHIGAN. He got someone who knows the system, yes, but his coaching experience is at Div III schools and as a staff assistant. And is knowing the system all that good, given the results over the last 2 years? Maybe he had trouble hiring because nobody wants to come knowing the pressure that is on Rod to win NOW. I just don't see how a guy with such limited experience and not even at a div I school can upgrade the play of our linebackers, arguably the worst defensive performers in the 2 year Rod tenure so far.
BlueInBama
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 2:27 p.m.
An article about the defensive side of the ball... BORING... When are people going to wake and up realize that defense is NOT an integral part of our King's success? When the spread takes off, we are not going to need defense, period!
blueiniowa
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 2:03 p.m.
I Don't like this. I could be way off, but I just don't see Greg getting 'his guys' in to help him coach his scheme. RR himself admits he is not a defensive guru, so why is it that his guys are the one being tapped. Maybe I am wrong, Robinson wholeheartedly approved this decision, and it fits exacty what he is trying to accmplish on that side of the ball. I hope I am.