Eloquent Incoherence

Tommy Amaker was fired as head coach of the Michigan basketball team. I don’t normally follow college basketball very closely, but I think the way in which the athletic department has handled Amaker’s hiring, firing, and the search for his replacement is indicative of serious problems with athletic director Bill Martin’s leadership.

In 2001, Martin fired head coach Brian Ellerbe after several disappointing seasons, chronic player discipline problems, and declining attendance. However, the decision was announced a full 5 days after the season’s final game. The delay is significant because Rick Pitino, who has long been regarded as one of college basketball’s top coaches, had recently become available. Ellerbe’s firing was a foregone conclusion (despite Martin’s claim that it was the most difficult decision he had to make as athletic director), but because Martin delayed the announcement, Michigan entered the Rick Pitino sweepstakes at a significant disadvantage vis-a-vis Louisville, Pitino’s other major suitor. When he did manage to talk to Pitino, Martin offered him a deal that was significantly less lucrative than Louisville’s offer. Pitino ultimately chose Louisville, and has since coached them to four NCAA Tournament appearances and one Final Four appearance.

Upon settling for Amaker, Martin pledged to make significant upgrades to Michigan’s basketball facilities (including the construction of a separate practice facility). Six years later, the upgrades have yet to materialize, and Michigan’s facilities are now regarded as among the worst in the Big Ten. In addition, Amaker’s compensation totaled $700,000, well below the $1.2 million that the average major conference coach makes. Although a football-dominated university like Michigan cannot pay its basketball coach more than it pays its football coach, having an elite football program shouldn’t necessarily hinder a university’s ability to attract a top basketball coach–Ohio State coach Thad Matta makes $1.75 million a year and has his team on the verge of a national championship. However, Carr’s salary is a significant limiting factor for Michigan; his annual compensation package of $1.1 million is worth less than half that of Ohio State’s Jim Tressel. Although foot-dragging on facility upgrades and lowballing coaches’ salaries might be good for the athletic department’s short term bottom line, such a strategy handicaps Michigan’s ability to attract good coaches and build a top program.

Martin seems to have approached the search for Amaker’s replacement with the same lack of commitment and urgency that characterized his search for Ellerbe’s replacement six years ago. In the aftermath of Amaker’s firing, other schools with coaching vacancies pulled off major coups, with Minnesota snagging Kentucky coach Tubby Smith and New Mexico hiring Iowa coach Steve Alford. Smith will reportedly earn $1.7 million a year at Minnesota while Alford’s deal at New Mexico will total almost $1 million a year (an impressive figure for a university of New Mexico’s size and stature). Michigan was not even mentioned in connection with either of these high-profile coaches in the lead-up to their hiring.

In short, though Amaker may not have been the best coach, the basketball program’s performance has been largely commensurate with Martin’s management of it. Yet in Martin’s reality, three 20-win seasons and an NIT championship was not good enough for a program whose mediocre facilities and underpaid coach have relegated it to second-tier status.

This stands in stark contrast to Martin’s attitude toward the football program. Michigan’s football program is the winningest of all time, both in terms of percentage and total wins. The tradition and reputation of the program spans 125 years and is second-to-none. Its facilities are top-notch, boasting the largest on-campus college football stadium in the United States. Michigan consistently attracts some of the nation’s top recruiting classes and routinely produces top NFL prospects. In light of these impressive attributes, there is no reason why Michigan shouldn’t contend for the National Championship every year. And yet, in light of our record in big games the past six years, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the program’s performance of late has fallen short of its potential. Repeated losses to Ohio State and USC have been characterized by predictable playcalling and a failure to adapt to innovative offensive schemes. It has become apparent to all but the most obtuse that the program is sorely in need of a change in philosophy, and that Carr’s replacement (when he retires) should come from outside the program. But not in Martin’s reality. When asked about finding Carr’s eventual successor, Martin said that he would like to “clone Lloyd or Bo [Schembechler].”

Martin’s questionable management and expectations of the basketball program coupled with his complacent attitude toward the football program leads one to wonder what world he lives in. Lloyd Carr’s impending retirement will soon confront the athletic department with its most important decision in almost 40 years. But with Martin at the helm, I’m not even sure they realize it.

UPDATE 4/4 7:40 PM: West Virginia coach John Beilein has been hired to replace Amaker. When I first heard about Beilein’s hiring, I took it as a positive sign that Martin’s cavalier attitude toward the basketball program might be changing, given that Beilein’s contract with West Virginia included a $2.5 million buyout clause. But it appears that Michigan won’t be paying the buyout; when asked about the issue, Martin responded, “It never came up because there was no way Michigan was going to pay it. To John Beilein’s credit, he said, ‘The buyout is my responsibility.’” It’s great that Martin was able to snag Beilein without paying his buyout (if the deal holds up, which isn’t a certainty), but Martin’s assertion that there was “no way” he would have paid a $2.5 million buyout is an indication that his level of commitment to the basketball program hasn’t changed. I hope Beilein knows what he’s getting into. Don’t expect a practice facility any time soon, Coach.

Football Updates: It’s been a moderately eventful offseason. Coach Carr recently dismissed tight end Carson Butler, cornerback Chris Richards, and defensive end Eugene Germany from the team. According to reports, the players allegedly assaulted a student on St. Patrick’s Day and are currently facing criminal charges stemming from the incident. Carr also suspended wide receiver Adrian Arrington for the duration of spring practice for unspecified reasons. Though Arrington has not been officially dismissed from the team, when asked whether he would be back in the fall, Carr responded that it was “possible, but maybe not probable.” The potential loss of Arrington is significant, since he’s a key member of a receiving corps that would likely be among the best in the nation. Running back Mike Hart is missing spring practice after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee; according to Carr, “he’ll be fine”.

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