December 8th, 2011 at 7:23 PM ^
Gonna give RR the benefit of the doubt on #1 on your list. I'm pretty sure he didn't expect GERG's only defensive tactic to be a stuffed beaver.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:14 PM ^
What does Three and Out have to do with calling a fake punt from deep in your own territory against MSU, and then, when it fails miserably, blaming it on your poor punter saying in the post-game presser, "he was supposed to kick it"?
December 8th, 2011 at 4:51 PM ^
No. It furthers the point that he had a hard time coaching in general.
December 8th, 2011 at 4:52 PM ^
I don't follow your reasoning. If, as suggested above, RR received better support from his administration than every other school in the league besides OSU and PSU, how would that justify regularly losing to the other schools? Against Big Ten schools other than OSU/PSU - the schools that we didn't have an institutional disadvantage against - his record was still a dismal 6-12.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^
RR was treated badly here, no doubt. A lot of so-called Michigan Men should be ashamed of themselves. BUT, Bacon REALLY glosses over the defensive woes and general incompetence surrounding the program under RR.
Stuff like having 2 kids play with the same jersey number in a game and eat a penalty... I've never seen that penalty in any other game in at least 5 years. Vast numbers of lost fumbles, special teams catastrophes, inability to make kicks, joking about Lombardi being unable to fix the defense, joking about parking lot tryouts for the kicking job... these are not the signs of a well-run program.
At the end of the day, reputed backdoor sniping by Carr, English, et. al. would be silenced in an instant with a winning record in the Big Ten or a win over MSU or OSU.
What kind of support were Lloyd Carr or the Michigan community supposed to offer that would help players tackle better? Or help RR not bottlekneck his coordinators into running 3-3-5? Would a warm press conference with Braylon Edwards have made our secondary stop giving up 50 yard plays every other game? He had his own chances to shut up his critics, and didn't.
At the end of the day, the anti-RR faction was not calling the defensive plays nor were they coaching special teams.
Wish him the best in AZ, but I'm getting tired of the "if-only-Michigan-folks-had-liked-RR-we-would-have-won-more-games" meme. It honestly is incomprehensible to me.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^
Generally agree except for 1 point: they wouldn't pony up the dough to hire a good D coordinator.
Had Sailboat Bill upped the budget, even slightly, he would have had Casteel and then who knows?
I do think Schaffer leaving was big mistake, though. By all accounts he is a good coach and didn't deserve the railroading he got either.
December 8th, 2011 at 9:26 PM ^
Shafer has been a fine DC everywhere else he's been. And if Rich Rod can only win with Casteel, then maybe he's just not that good of a coach, Casteel is.
December 8th, 2011 at 9:39 PM ^
Were the compensation packages defensive coordinators received under RR not comensurate with the pay defensive coordinators at U-M received prior to RR's arrival?
December 8th, 2011 at 9:22 PM ^
Just "Bravo".
December 8th, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^
when any man has to take personal responsibility for the results of his work and getting the things he wants. I have never heard RR blame anyone else for the failure of his team. Why do so many others?
If my boss doesn't like me, I need take responsibilty for that and try to change that. If he doesn't support me, I need to do things he supports. If I'm about to lose my job because I can't find afford the assistant I need to hire, I have to find a way to afford him or I lose my job.
I loved RR as Michigan's coach and I truly believe we had turned the corner. I couldn't wait to see what it would be like the next few years under his direction. Sadly, it didn't work out. The truth is RR is responsible for that.
Obviously, Brandon and others, myself included, are also responsible for that.
December 8th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^
I didn't hear the interview, but the point made above about Rich needing to be reflecting on what he can do differently for Arizona is a great point. Granted, he isn't as likely to be talking about that on a radio show broadcast back in Michigan. On the other hand, the Gibson hiring is ominous.
He's gotta recruit defense and impact size on defense like he means it. USC will score 100 points on them if he approaches defense recruiting like he did here. Those other offenses will clean up in that conference too.
I hope he learned that. Watching his intro press conference, it sure seemed like a guy that was set on proving himself the genius once again. For Arizona's sake, you have to hope that doesn't mean he will try to ram the WVA square approach into the big conference round hole. That strategy won't end well for him or his program.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
Martin, Roh, Campbell, Washington, Black, Demens, Morgan, Ryan, Gordon, Gordon, Floyd, Avery, Countess, Robinson, Furman, and a ton of other backups all signed or committed to play for Rodriguez.
The idea that the guy "doesn't understand" that he has to recruit defensive players continues to be one of the dumber concepts that continues to float around.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:49 PM ^
It's one thing to bring in good talent, and quite another to develop and deploy that talent in an effective manner. Rich Rod brought in talent, but they were not developed to their potential, and were not deployed in an effect way either.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:59 PM ^
I'm pretty sure Martin and Demens committed to Coach Carr. I think Martin was July of 07 and Demens was September 07.
Nonetheless, RR did bring in some solid D recruits. But historically Michigan does tend to get some.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:07 PM ^
Those guys still decided to come here after Carr left and Rodriguez was hired.
Just frustrating to hear the same people who bitched that we were heading in the wrong direction because Rodriguez's gang of tiny slot receivers couldn't compete in the Big Ten and his gimmick offense couldn't be successful and he didn't even bother to recruit defensive players and OMG attrition, etc., etc. now continue to assert that we were destined for doom with Rich Rodriguez at the helm of the program, when all their previous complaints have proved to be baseless.
For people who were wrong about everything else to continue to suggest we still would have sucked simply because they think Rich Rodriguez isn't a good football coach (based on the results of a three year run with a team suffering from major roster problems) is kind of silly.
December 8th, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^
For keeping guys that were already on their way and keeping them (throw Campbell in there too who was committed, de-committed, then committed again). But then you give him credit for Countess too. Who by that reasoning should be credited to Hoke. Or to Rich and the other guys (like Molk), to Carr. When in reality we both know it's a mix; that guys who commit for one coach obviously are credited to one coach, but the new coach who keeps him deserves credit for that too. Just when you use examples, they should be fair and consistent.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:20 PM ^
Well...its funny cause those players only became Solid D recruits... after they got proper coaching once RR and his lackeys left!
December 8th, 2011 at 6:07 PM ^
I love Rich, always feel for him, but i think this line is dead wrong. These kids committed to play for Michigan, not for Coach Rod. The ones that did have tranfered out.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:12 PM ^
But people didn't spent three years complaining that not enough defensive players were "committing to play for Michigan" or that the ones who did were too small or didn't have enough stars next to their name and that even if they did Rich Rodriguez was forcing them to leave the program through his sheer awfulness.
People bitched and moaned while Rodriguez did a pretty damn good job filling the roster with defensive talent. Rather than acknowledge their mistake, they look for alternate ways to express their rage toward a guy who walked into a shitty situation and walked out leaving us a very good football team to enjoy.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:18 PM ^
Some people might have, I dont think I ever did. You are right, but you dont have to get into it with these people.
slightly off topic, I get really sad when listening to Coach Rod. You could feel the passion. I hate that Huge guy, what a joke. He had to insert Josh Groban in at the end which totally made Coach feel like an as5
December 8th, 2011 at 6:36 PM ^
rich rod shldnt talk to media ever. he doesnt learn...hes the same now as he was when he came to aa. hes an excuse maker...he loves to take all the credit for anything...except when he sucks. sorry rich...brady fixed what u destroyed...at least b man enough to give him props
December 8th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^
At some point, he's going to have to be an adult and refuse to answer questions about Michigan, quit making hypothetical "what if" predictions about Michigan, get over it, and focus on his job at Arizona. And a good way to start that would be to quit taking interview requests from media outlets and radio shows in Michigan.
We moved on, we're in the BCS, everyone is on the same page with Hoke and co., and he's got himself a new program to worry about. Enough is enough.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:07 PM ^
RR's got a new team. He's gotta stop talking about us.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:37 PM ^
But clearly, people have not moved on. Evidence: the above thread.
December 8th, 2011 at 4:59 PM ^
uh oh, rich rod drama...
December 8th, 2011 at 9:31 PM ^
I'm just amazed.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^
i watched this like 12 times.
it is mesmerizing...
December 8th, 2011 at 5:04 PM ^
RR still has not learned how to deal with the media. You would think with his experience here, Three and Out, and a year at CBS that he would be more media savvy. Hoke is way better than him at handling these situations. He needs to stop making excuses about his time at Michigan and focus on Arizona, or he is going to be unemployed in 3 years again.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:53 PM ^
quoting him (an excuse he made) when you say he's an excuse maker? Or are you responding to pundit's and poster's excuses regarding him?
Maybe I'm biased, but I think RR has been pretty straight forward that things just didn't work out. To be fair about the 10 or more comment, RR said something very similar to the 10 win season just after he was fired.
I seem to remember him saying something along the lines that he was dissappointed because he thought we had just turned the corner and could start competing for BCS bowls and championships.
December 8th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
It's pretty much win-win, isn't it? when you're no longer responsible for their performance. You set the bar insanely high for your replacement; most likely he fails to clear it and you point to how much better things would have been if you hadn't been fired, and if he somehow does meet your prediction it's all because you set him up to succeed.
Or that's the theory, I suppose. It somehow comes off differently in practice.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:33 PM ^
People asked him before the season and he said this team had a lot more talent, depth, and experience and could/should be expected to win 10 or so games. Everybody got mad at him then and said he was trying to undermine Brady Hoke by raising expectations to absurd levels that no mortal could possibly achieve. The team won ten games, easily could have won them all, and now people are still mad at Rich Rodriguez for thinking he built a really good team here.
We were lucky enough to hire two great head coaches in a row. The only people who need to move on are the ones who are still angry because they think Rich Rodriguez ruined Michigan football.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:05 PM ^
The RR era was the worst 3-year stretch in the entire history of the program. If that doesn't constitute "ruin" I don't know what would.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^
He came in and forced everyone on the team to begin sucking at football. Then only through the sheer magic of Brady Hoke's getting it-ness were we able to instantly become a 10-2 football team the moment he was forced out the door.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:35 PM ^
PS - I usually love your commentary, but we're just going to have to agree to disagree on RR and leave it at that
December 8th, 2011 at 6:48 PM ^
Harry Kipke followed up back-to-back national titles with a terrible three year stretch that led to his firing. 1933 was the first year of that stretch, where the only win was the Willis Ward game against Georgia Tech.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:46 PM ^
The RR era was not the worst 3-year stretrch in Michigan football history. Do some fact checking.
Edit: beaten to the punch by a mere hour...probably should have read further before posting
December 8th, 2011 at 7:10 PM ^
Amazing how some people can speak/write something you, yourself, feel but can't figure out how to speak/write it yourself..
(edit: directed toward Purple Stuff)
December 8th, 2011 at 5:55 PM ^
for the current coaching staff. Great job, keep it up. Go Blue.
December 8th, 2011 at 6:02 PM ^
I have grown weary of this movie.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:05 PM ^
Not to get too wrapped up in the past, but it is interesting to look back on the season and wonder how it would have gone with RR at the helm. I like the guy and don't like all the hate talk directed toward him. I have to admit though, I wonder if he really could have pulled off 10 wins. I just don't think so, personally. Moar points scored throughout the season? Probably. But moar points scored on us (even if he had brought in GERGs replacement)? Also, probably. Also for example, does the team beat Ohio with RR as coach? I don't know, no one does. But it can be interesting to speculate on how things would have gone with our ex in command.
December 8th, 2011 at 8:00 PM ^
on how things would be today with any of my ex's generally leads me to make stupid decisions.
December 8th, 2011 at 8:07 PM ^
Taking time out from your honeymoon to do a radio interview in your ex's hometown, in which you field veiled questions on whether she'd be happier if she were still with you...
...that's a strange decision.
December 8th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^
Here's one thing RichRod needs to change: stop agreeing to interview requests from Michigan media outlets.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:05 PM ^
then I'm convinced he'll bomb out at Arizona. He clearly has no idea what a good defense is or how to build one or how to get rid of Tony Gibson.
We relied on the D a lot during MSU, Illinois, Nebraska and Ohio State. No way we would've been able to do that on RR. He needs to stop talking (apparently he hasn't learned that one either)
December 9th, 2011 at 5:45 AM ^
I'm only interested in talking about coaches that coach for Michigan.