How Do They Know? Broadcasters Should Stop Making Assumptions About Coaching Changes

I just can’t believe the things I hear on sports talk radio across America these days. All I keep hearing is that Mel Tucker will be leaving MSU to take the LSU job.

Now I hear that Jim Harbaugh won’t be at Michigan next season and will be replaced by someone else. Where do these people come up with this nonsense?

Listen, whatever people think of this article I really couldn't care less. This is my take and it comes from the heart. I don’t know how credible sports journalists and broadcasters can make strong assumptions that these coaches are leaving and taking other jobs elsewhere.

First of all, how do these people know what these families and schools are thinking and planning? The late defensive guru Henry Bullough taught me years ago that until a coach doesn’t work there, never assume who will be their replacement when they are still employed by that school.

There has been talk that Harbaugh is going to get fired from Michigan and that he'll be replaced by Cincinnati's coach Luke Fickell. What are they basing that on? When I talked to Zach Smith—who was a wide receiver coach at Ohio State and is someone that coached with Fickell—he told me that he thinks Fickell would rather retire than coach for the Wolverines because he dislikes them so much. So this rumor that Fickell might go and coach at Michigan is really unlikely.

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Yeah, there are indicators that Tucker could be recruited by other schools or Harbough could get canned by U of M, but nothing is conclusive yet. I just think it’s very premature and reckless to talk freely on a radio show or television show and make these silly comments that for sure this coach is going to leave or get fired.

The bottom line is, how do these broadcasters know? Because if they are proven wrong, listeners and fans don’t forget. Just remember that I told you so!