Communication
Everyone manages differently.
Frankly, getting into the ear of a ref or a player during the game does little most of the time. Coaching happens during the week or at half time. This is why head coaches have assistant coaches- to do the game management during the game.
Do I think Claeys makes it through the offseason- no, I don't. But it won't be because of how he interacts on the sideline. It will be measured by how prepared his players are.
You can be a very effective coach without yelling. Encouraging a player during the game can be very helpful. If a coach says to player at the next practice remember when.... player has no clue what the heck you are talking about but you do the sandwich thing during the game and say "You are making so many good plays out there today...fun! ... Hey, on that 3rd down play there, if you could have come harder with a tighter angle I think you get there...trust your instincts...play fast..you with me? (Maybe they ask a question?...maybe now they really do understand what you want them to do) Cool, You're playing great!" The result, then you see improvement....followup on things during the game you emphasized in practice....build relationships with your people. Let somebody know they are doing it right! We don't play confident! Trusting your assistants is nice but when the head coach is talking it better just naturally carry a lot more authority, importance, impact to the players and therefore get better results. They listen more intently. A head coach not saying anything is a bunch of lost opportunity. You got players wondering how they are doing or somebody who only points out mistakes and it's a long day. Coaching happens during the week...but players need positive reinforcement on game day.
And yes, there are head coaches who don't talk, there are head coaches who yell and are successful. I just like the Pete Carrol, Tony Dungy, Dabo Swinney approach, or even the tough love Mike Zimmer, Nick Saban, Bill Belichek approach. It's a pretty big handicap if you don't communicate to your team during a game...or only talk to one guy on a headset.
Remember, where the starting line was...with better game day head coaching we beat Michigan 100%. Where is Michigan now? Where are the Gophers? At that point we were the better team. Now, each week we make the same mistakes and add new mistakes each game, plus we have better players overall now than we had last year. That's not effective coaching. Forget the scores, watch the game....our schedule might be the easiest in 25 years. Are we getting better? How do we look? How does Michigan look? You can argue the Michigan advantages...I'll argue Harbaugh works harder and more effectively at it and his players have more fun and that's why they play better.
