Michigan Track Head Coach Fred Laplante Retires

Sully would be a good choice and he has worked there as an assistant coach in the past.

I know that Ben Flanagan and Jamie Phelan have signed there.

Ben has run 8:17 3000m and 3:51 1500 just recently and will likely be one of the top freshmen at XC in the fall. He runs about 2hrs every day so already running high milage (100+ miles/week) and gets stonger the longer the distance hence the success at XC while not as successful at track. Look for good things in the 5K and 10K from Ben.

Jamie just broke the 31 year old Canadian interscholastic record in the 1500m with a 4:22 and she finished second this week at the Canadian Internation meet in Toronto also in 4:22. She finished her career with 6 Ofsaa golds and 5 silvers. She won 3 golds this year in the 800m, 1500m and the 4 x 400m relay and might have won a fourth as member of the 4 x 100m but illegal baton pass cost them an Ofsaa spot. She has great speed.

Two great signings. As an alum I am excited by these two.

Best option for Michigan is to make Gibby Head coach but strongly encourage him to hire an assistant for middle distance. If Gibby decided to hire one of Ronnie's past athletes (Sully, Deimer, Myers etc) then he would amend his increasingly poor relationship with Michigan Alumni and bring the level of the mid distance program up to par. That way the new coach would not need a period to transition as Gibby already understands what it takes to win a big ten title. This way Michigan xc and distance would thrive while the middle distance program becomes its own dominant force adding in the 3000m and 400m as guys step up and down as aforementioned by the previous poster.

verynice wrote:

Best option for Michigan is to make Gibby Head coach but strongly encourage him to hire an assistant for middle distance. If Gibby decided to hire one of Ronnie's past athletes (Sully, Deimer, Myers etc) then he would amend his increasingly poor relationship with Michigan Alumni and bring the level of the mid distance program up to par. That way the new coach would not need a period to transition as Gibby already understands what it takes to win a big ten title. This way Michigan xc and distance would thrive while the middle distance program becomes its own dominant force adding in the 3000m and 400m as guys step up and down as aforementioned by the previous poster.

So for a split program that can only have 3 coaches you want to have 2 of the coaches cover only 800-10k?? What a joke. How about either Gibby learns a thing or 2 about middle distance runners or they get a coach in there that can coach 800-10k. It isn't that hard.

Yeah good point, i didn't think about the fact that they can only pay three coaches. Gibby isn't going anywhere (for now anyway) and can't coach middle distance... so there's not too many options other than getting someone who can coach Mid Distance and sprints or just a Mid Distance coach and someone who can coach the rest. Maybe a couple of grad assistants can help with events like hurdles or polevault.

or gibby can figure out how to coach middle distance and you can hire someone who can coach jumps/sprints, someone who can coach throws and you get a mid d minded ga and a jumps minded ga.

Mid D will not get you many points at the college level. There are very few loxsom types that can give you a great 4x400 leg and very few wheating types that can run a good 1500m. Most of the top ncaa 1500 guys can't make ncaa in the 800 and vice versa. Better off getting good sprinters that can jump. A good 100/200 guy can run both the 100 and 200, the 4x100 probably be an adequate 4x400 leg and maybe can long or triple jump or high jump.

A just middle distance coach to go with a distance coach is a waste. At the college level those two positions are one position.

If they make Gibby the head coach, the best answer for the new hire is Rondell Ruff. He is currently coaching sprints at West Point, and has run 1.49 and 3.45, so knows a lot about middle distance coaching too. He can relate to current student athletes, and coming from inner-city Detroit, will garner a lot of respect for the odds that he overcame to make it to where he is today.

If they bring in a new head coach to take over sprints, Gibby will not last very long. The new coach will not care much about XC, but care about getting points indoors and out. He will want someone who can coach 800-10000, not just the long distance boys.

Here is someone I would really like to see them pursue - Joey Woody (sprints, hurdles, and Eric Sowinski 800m)

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/c-track/mtt/woody_joey00.html

Ronny Ruff wrote:

If they make Gibby the head coach, the best answer for the new hire is Rondell Ruff. He is currently coaching sprints at West Point, and has run 1.49 and 3.45, so knows a lot about middle distance coaching too. He can relate to current student athletes, and coming from inner-city Detroit, will garner a lot of respect for the odds that he overcame to make it to where he is today.

If they bring in a new head coach to take over sprints, Gibby will not last very long. The new coach will not care much about XC, but care about getting points indoors and out. He will want someone who can coach 800-10000, not just the long distance boys.

Please stop posting Rondell.

Gibby should go find a small school distance only program. Can you imagine him rallying 70 athletes together the smug know it all.

Hire a real sprints coach and give Gibby one year to score 10 points at the conference TRACK Championships.

Agreed, for all of those who say you can't have a successful sprints/hurdles program at northern/mid-western school, it's simply not true. Woody had hurdlers qualify at outdoor and indoor nats. and his 4 x 100m team and a 200m guy finished 6th. Not to mention he was a world class 400mH guy himself so he has demonstrated credibility as an athlete and coach.

Tonja Buford Bailey has also done very good work at Illinois in recent years with Riley last year in the 100m/110mH and Ashley Spencer both years in the 400m and good relays on both sides, too.

No, they are not going to establish any type of sprint dominance over the traditional powers such as UF, FSU, LSU, Tx A&M but they have fielded competitive programs and athletes.

Its incredible to me with the instate talent that Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois have they cannot compete in the Big 10 with Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska in track. And its been that way for 20 years.

Yes, a northern climate won't attract sprinters. So they need to bring in national distance recruits, and have great assistants in the field events. And get a fast football player out for track like Wisconsin always has done.

If Michigan brought back the mid-distance and distance tradition only and focused on that they would win 3 Big 10 titles a decade like they did with Warhurst but nothing more.

Indiana has tried that. They have more depth at distances than Sam Bell ever had and still can't win like Bell did at times with an all-around team like he had in the 1980's.

Nuttycombe at Wisconsin didn't win 26 Big 10 track titles in 33 years just from his distance runners.

I wonder if they'll try to keep the new international throws/field coach they got during the change over. seems to have done some good work with talent already there and signing new talent in a short time. it'd be a shame to lose a coach like that just because LaPlante couldn't get his s*** together.

The throws coach has done well and Gibby has been ok. As others have pointed out, it still leaves a huge gap with the sprinters/mid-distance runners. I agree that it's going to be a hard situation without a combined program. It would be interesting to see what McGuire could do with the mid-distance if they ever combined the programs.

They need a sprints/jumps/leadership/recruiting kind of guy, and let Gibby do his thing with the distance dudes.

The prototype is a Nathan Taylor, though Taylor would likely not leave Cornell.

http://www.cornellbigred.com/staff.aspx?staff=120

Why can't they do this for track mid distance? Kind of like when they had Webb. Willis bra men

http://m.mgoblue.com/s/22278/60?itemPos=7&fullArticles=true

insider21 wrote:

Happened Today. Discuss possible replacements / future of program.

LetsRun.com Note: We've changed the title of this thread to reflect the fact Lapante retired and was NOT fired. The link to the story on him is below:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-track/spec-rel/061013aab.html

It's interesting to note that LRC puts in a correction and a " LetsRun.com Note:" to correct an obvious error or lie.

But you can lie about any elite athlete you want here.

Great listing. Just for kicks, how about an update on each of the candidates?

[quote]Ronaldbb wrote:

Hmmmm.....odds for following candidates?

Dan Heikkinen?

Former Michigan star- turned volunteer coach for Warhurst. Known for trying to navigate the Ferry Field parking lot in his Bricklin SV1 without bottoming out on the speed bumps. Last seen: Operating an art gallery on Main Street, but forced to close several years ago due to high rents.

Gibby?

Currently leading the men's distance program at Michigan. Hired by Dave Brandon about 6 months into Brandon's tenure. After 3 years at the helm unlikely to be let go, meaning head coaching job will likely go to a sprint or throws coach. Last seen: Kicking back at Ann Arbor Top of the Park. What, me worry?

Warhurst?

"Retired" 6 months into Dave Brandon's tenure (see Gibby, above). Continued success in coaching with nice stable of international talent. Brandon would never bring him back. Warhurst would never return. Last seen: Briarwood Mall working his booth at the Ann Arbor Marathon Expo with co-coach Tim Broe.

Diemer?

Last American male to win a bronze medal in the steeplechase at the Olympics. Coaches in his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI at Calvin College. Why would he leave his hometown? Why would Brandon add another distance coach to the mix? Last seen: Kicking back at the Meijer Gardens and enjoying family life.

Greg Meyer?

Last American male to win Boston, returned to Ann Arbor to work at Michigan in the development office, then left to go back to Grand Rapids Aquinas College, as VP of Institutional Advancement. Last seen: Plotting with Diemer for the new Nike Athletics MidWest.

Sully?

4th North American High Schooler to break the 4 minute mile, multi-time Olympian, fastest Canadian since Dudley Doo-Right got to the railroad tracks in time. Not to be confused with WCW star, Kevin "The Taskmaster" Sullivan. Opened his own store in Florida when moved to FSU with wife, Karen Harvey and volunteer coaching for the 'Noles. Last seen: NCAA commenting on Twitter

Willis?

2nd place Olympian 2008. Currently enrolled in UM Business School. Would they give him a tuition break if hired as head coach? Last seen: Trying to organize installation of basketball hoops at playgrounds across NZ.

Brannen?

One of the last of Warhurst's great Canuck stable, recently dropped by Saucony, but showing good progress for the summer. Last seen: Chatting with Meb about potential Sketchers deal.

Karen Harvey?

Often controversial, but highly successful women's coach at FSU. Was odds on favorite for the job as Michigan seeks to regain its past, until Brandon realized that was Jack Harvey. Last seen: Motivating.

McGuire?

Never controversial, highly successful women's coach at Michigan. Postulated as candidate by the Unified Field Theory proponents. Last seen: Taking his athletes out for dinner on campus.

Skipping ahead... I'm getting tired...

Shakey Jake?

Beloved Ann Arbor homeless man known for his funky shades, broken guitar, and $1 postcards on the corner of State and Liberty. Always motivating, could see him standing on the side of the track now, serenading the boys with a tune. Last seen: Despite reports of his death, several known sources claim to have seen him cruising the Florida strip in a white Cadillac convertible.

Maybe (?) no longer coaching at West Point. I see the there was a posting in the last few days for sprints/hurdles asst. coach at USMA.

Encore! Don't get tired. After a good nights rest you can finish your fantastic capsule summaries. Love it! Just five more to go

Desmond Howard?

Warde Manuel?

Alan Webb?

Rondell Ruff?

Makhtar N'Diaye?

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5227388&page=1#ixzz2WYtNKS5b

or put james henry in charge, and promote his #2 (forget his name). henry has proven he can get the job done. heck, just make him the overall track and field coach. if you have to have a mens either recruit a real coach, or at least go with the recruiter on staff, saatara. he has pulled in 3 great classes for throw/field events. gibby still needs to prove he can do that