Torn
My poor heart. I don't know how to take this any more. Three years is quite enough. Do I support Rich Rod despite the lack of production in Big Ten ball? How can I keep buying into this when we've only beaten something like two teams that ended the season with a winning record in the past two and a half years?
I miss Michigan football.
I, for the first time, am unsure if I want Rich Rodriguez to be given another year to get his act together. I don't see progress. I see last year with a better quarterback. I can see us losing the last seven games. I can see us sitting out of a bowl for the third straight year.
What's going wrong?
October 30th, 2010 at 11:48 PM ^
They sure are hurting after firing Callahan, or Aub after firing Tuberville
October 31st, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
Come on man. I like RR as a person, but it's time to move on. I'm getting too old to wait three more years.
October 31st, 2010 at 1:07 AM ^
If he's focused on offense -- and doesn't have a good eye for evaluating defensive talent -- who's going to recruit the defensive talent? I hear GERG rarely makes recruiting trips (save for bye weeks). Do we have confidence that our current secondary coach can identify and develop talent? Quickly? And keep them from bailing the program within two years?
I sat next to a friend of RR's at the Iowa game (I won't get into the specifics of why I know this is true). He's a supporter of RR. And he admitted that RR is too close to the secondary coach, who should be really be coaching HS ball. Take it for what it's worth.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
We are totally f'd if we try to go back to a traditional offense....Defense and offense will take 2-3 years to rebuild
October 30th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
but that excuse is getting old. These kids have been playing football for at least five years each. The first things you learn a\re blocking and tackling. This defense can't tackle old ladies in high heels. I hate to say it, but it's true, they just can't tackle. And the personal foul penalties are no because they are young or injured.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
I usually find something to be positive about, but right now I've got nothing. Denard had something like 190 / 189. I started thinking "at least we'll get the ball back so DR can get his 200 / 200. Then JoPa runs the fake FG and takes away the last fucking thing to cheer for. Sorry guys, our team would be great with an AVERAGE defense, but our defense is as bad as any I've seen in BCS.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
Rich Rod is gone. We are a joke. I don't care if anyone says I'm not a true fan. I've had season tickets since 2001 and have not seen any teams defense play this bad. What an embarrassing game.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
but that excuse is getting old. These kids have been playing football for at least five years each. The first things you learn a\re blocking and tackling. This defense can't tackle old ladies in high heels. I hate to say it, but it's true, they just can't tackle. And the personal foul penalties are no because they are young or injured.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:38 PM ^
It's hard defending RR when your entire family wants him fired, and your friends. I really don't know a single Michigan fan around me that wants him to stick around. I'm trying to figure out why I still want him around, because I really do. I say the defense needs a serious look ASAP, and maybe not even wait until the end of the year to bring in a new DC. That can't be any worse then the defense we are fielding now. I can't beleive how crappy the tackling still is.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:38 PM ^
Head coaches need to be great at 1) recruiting, and 2) their "specialty" -- one side of the ball, either defense or offense.
Rich Rod is great at recruiting and offense. He only has to be competent enough at defense to find a good DC -- it's like hiring a consultant. Now, we can argue if he hired a good enough DC, but you don't fire a coach because he's not great at all three things. If you can name a coach who is good at all three, chances are he's already taken.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:23 AM ^
But if they're all already taken, how foes anyone hire them in the first place?
October 31st, 2010 at 1:14 AM ^
Great at recruiting? Really?
October 30th, 2010 at 11:38 PM ^
Its Harbaugh time. RichRod has been a failure.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:45 PM ^
You can bitch about RR all you want, but he's not the one calling the defensive plays idiot.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:49 PM ^
You're right. He's just the one who hired the defensive coordinator, fired the defensive coordinator, hired the next defensive coordinator, recruited the players, and put the team on the field.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:41 PM ^
and they beat ND. Bo is rolling over in his grave watching this defense. They had two weeks to prepare for this game. RR stated they were going to work on tackling. Uhh... what the hell happened?
There is no excuse for no tackling. In the first half, I counted at least fifteen missed tackles that allowed first downs or major gains. That is NOT youth. That is coaching.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^
That's what's the most disappointing about this loss. They had 2 weeks to prepare for a Penn State team that is without its top players and they still lost.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:41 PM ^
And I am officially off the RRod wagon after today. I tried, I really did. But fuck this. We just haven't been able to do the little things right even after three years. A defense my grandmother would gain a hundred yards on, terrible terrible special teams, and Vincent Smith plunging into the line on 3rd and 1.
Heck, make Magnus coach. I don't care. I will support Michigan till the last breath in my body, but RR, not so much.
October 31st, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I'm ashamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn
You're a little late
I'm already torn.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^
I'll just say this. When i buy into a program or person, i completely buy in. I love RR, and I buy into him. If michigan makes the decision to go to Harbough, then I'll buy in. But at this point, i cant be torn. Its RR all the way
October 30th, 2010 at 11:52 PM ^
way to the bottom of the B10..thanks GERG and RR
October 30th, 2010 at 11:53 PM ^
way to the bottom of the B10..thanks GERG and RR
October 30th, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^
For me, that was different than losing to Michigan State and Iowa. No improvement even if there are freshmen all over the place. I've always supported this coaching staff but right now I don't. Maybe I'll feel different tomorrow but I doubt it. That was embarrasing. The offense didn't come through when needed which I think is a trend. The defense doesn't improve. The team was not prepared. It's time to admit sunk cost and move on. I'll watch the rest of the games and root for a miracle but I'm beat down. It's not what happens to you, it is how you deal with what happens to you. The coaching staff is not responding to what happens to them. Penn State is awful and we couldn't really compete. Sickening.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:43 PM ^
Look, this is the same Michigan team you've been watching all year. Fantastic offense. Crap defense. Only difference is DR didn't get hurt this game to stifle the O, and the D didn't come up with a turnover to flip the possession equation.
No other coach can do much with this defense, especially when you have to keep MM on the sideline.
Any other coach coming in will have to blow up the team and we'll be 1-11.
Let's just wait this out, give the D some more time to mature and develop. If this team had even an average defense, they'd probably be undefeated right now. The best thing for Michigan Football to do at this juncture is to swallow hard and ride this out, because when it does work (and it will), it will be fantastic.
Besides, Brandon signed up to play Alabama in 2012. Think he wants to do that with a 2nd year coach with a new offense with kids he didn't recruit. This program is RR's, win or lose, at least through 2012. And I have a feeling that you'll want him to be your coach for a long time after that season. Just wait.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:49 PM ^
I'm really starting to wonder this. They were behind big to MSU, Iowa, and PSU. The total score at the end of the game may look good, but how much is that a function of the opponent playing a prevent-type defense?
October 31st, 2010 at 12:05 AM ^
The MSU game, the offense moved the ball fine. TOs in the red zone killed them, which are mistakes by one player, and not a problem with the scheme.
In this game, we moved the ball well in the first half. 6 possessions: the first was a 3-and-out, granted, but after that, TD, Robinson hurt, FG due to penalty, dropped KO put them at the 2, then end of half. The rest of the game, they tore it up.
My point was, the same people that were throwing out their chests when we were 5-0 are tearing the exact same team apart. And not even, this team didn't have Mike Martin.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:52 PM ^
I don't buy this argument anymore. If RR can recruit and develop an offense like this, it's shocking that are defense is the complete opposite. Seeing a defense that's at the bottom of the division is extremely discouraging. RR should have been recruiting and developing these players from day 1. It seems like he waited until last year and said "oh hey, I think I need better players in the secondary now". Come on, he is directly responsible for this. I'm sick and tired of this bullshit.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:09 AM ^
And they'd be here, if they'd qualify. He started with the disadvantage of Carr leaving him with no recruits to start with, then having a couple losing seasons to albatross his recruiting efforts. If you read this blog, you'll see these recruits are coming. He needs more time. In my mind, this is really his second year. You have to forgive him 2008.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:27 AM ^
Oh, wait....
October 31st, 2010 at 1:29 AM ^
This is emphatically not a fantastic offense. In the first half, when the game was in contention, they averaged 2 points per possession. That's nowhere near what a fantastic offense can do.
October 31st, 2010 at 8:44 AM ^
I guess the 2nd national ranking is just a fluke.
If I pick out some data points and make a flippant argument too, I could make a case that our D is better than the '85 Bears.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^
Can we demote RR to Offensive Coordinator? Lets hire some Billy Bad*ss defensive minded head coach. If we fire RR, what decent program will hire him after the record he has put up.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^
see holes. I see screens, I see 3rd and 10 and go on my knees.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^
Michigan sucks.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^
I've had way too many beers, but I can say this beyond a any doubt.
I love Michigan Football. I'll let you all debate the outcome of coaches etc. but I'm true blue until I die (which hopefully will be years from now) Michigan fan. I just want Michigan to be Michigan Football again. Stout defense, methodical offense and pride. Do we have pride??
Go Blue!
October 30th, 2010 at 11:48 PM ^
Maybe he is running a scheme that his Boss is making him run. Maybe the issue is that the defensive recruits, his Boss has brought in are not only young, but also untalented. Bring in whomever you want for DC, the result with these players will be the same. Outside of perhaps Black, there isn't any talented depth. What freshmen or sophomores stick out?
This argument about.. "They are young" is getting old. Iowa started a freshman Linebacker who played at a high level today. Even MSU started a freshman corner that has played pretty well. This is on the Head Coach and poor recruiting. All of these 3 stars that people are so giddy about.... "Oh they are diamonds in the rough", "Our staff knows potential", guess what, maybe they can't play.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:52 PM ^
is not about youth. Even with youth, we should have enough talent to be better than 117th in the country in pass defense (and even worse when just taking B10 play into account). This is about missed about missed tackles, this is about Demar Dorsey, Adrian Witty, Justin Turner, Vladimir Emilien, Anthony Lalota, Antonio Kinard, this is about fumbling the ball out of bounds on the 3 yard line on a kickoff, this is about fucking kicking the ball out of bounds of twice against Iowa...
October 30th, 2010 at 11:59 PM ^
a quadruple post! a very rare specimen...
October 31st, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
504 errors, 8 beers, and this defense will do that to a man.
Mods, please do the needful. I am sorry, ban me if you need to. kthxbye
October 30th, 2010 at 11:53 PM ^
is not about youth. Even with youth, we should have enough talent to be better than 117th in the country in pass defense (and even worse when just taking B10 play into account). This is about missed about missed tackles, this is about Demar Dorsey, Adrian Witty, Justin Turner, Vladimir Emilien, Anthony Lalota, Antonio Kinard, this is about fumbling the ball out of bounds on the 3 yard line on a kickoff, this is about fucking kicking the ball out of bounds of twice against Iowa...
October 31st, 2010 at 12:14 AM ^
Have been playing football since they were pups. They've all played, read, pressed, scraped, covered hi-low routes, took on lead blocks, filled their hole, caught passes and tackled. Since when does being 'young' negate competency.
At some point their HS coaches let them know about being a senior leader and not making 'those kind of mistakes'. They forgot that a year or two later?
Apparently
October 30th, 2010 at 11:54 PM ^
is not about youth. Even with youth, we should have enough talent to be better than 117th in the country in pass defense (and even worse when just taking B10 play into account). This is about missed about missed tackles, this is about Demar Dorsey, Adrian Witty, Justin Turner, Vladimir Emilien, Anthony Lalota, Antonio Kinard, this is about fumbling the ball out of bounds on the 3 yard line on a kickoff, this is about fucking kicking the ball out of bounds of twice against Iowa...
October 30th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^
is not about youth. Even with youth, we should have enough talent to be better than 117th in the country in pass defense (and even worse when just taking B10 play into account). This is about missed about missed tackles, this is about Demar Dorsey, Adrian Witty, Justin Turner, Vladimir Emilien, Anthony Lalota, Antonio Kinard, this is about fumbling the ball out of bounds on the 3 yard line on a kickoff, this is about fucking kicking the ball out of bounds of twice against Iowa...
October 30th, 2010 at 11:50 PM ^
Wed all want to support Rich Rod because we love Michigan, but there is not enough postives to show this is going to change. I'm sick of hearing GERG is the problem, we don't have the talent, we don't have the right players.....Syracuse has sucked for years and look what they have done this year with our former defensive coordinator Shafer....I'm sick of the excuses, I gave Rich two years, then I excepted the fact we may win 7 or 8 this year and expect improvement, I'm not seeing any improvement, in fact we are seeing more regression, and most importantly a predicatable offense,.....when is the last time Michigan even ran a reverse? Seriously? How many 3rd and short's now has Vincent Smith been given the ball and fallen down after a hand tackle? This isn't difficult people, other teams watch GAME FILM, and we make no adjustments or bring anything new to the table. It's time to send Rich back to Clemson....we need a Michigan Man, and we need Jim Harbaugh before we become the U of M Spartans.......
October 31st, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
We gave up 41 points to Penn St. That started a redshirt freshman at QB. Who was starting his first game ever in college. Who wasn't even sure that he was starting until mid-week. Who at one point in the game was 9 for 10 on third down passing. How can we use the excuse that our secondary is young? One of the hallmarks of Michigan defenses over the years (before RR) is that they universally got better as the season went on. Where's the improvement? I can see giving up points to Stanzi and Cousins, two pretty good Big 10 QB's. But to a player who has never started a game?
October 31st, 2010 at 12:01 AM ^
What? No one posting about GERG's super bowl ring, or how the coaches always know best, or how we should just be happy with the win? Actually, I get why people aren't posting about that last one, but it's funny how those people don't come out of the woodwork at this time. And by funny, I mean completely predictable and a little sad.
Time to bite the bullet and really go all-in by hiring a top $ defensive coordinator (as I said last year after the Illinois game). If RR isn't going to manage the defense, he needs someone who he KNOWS is a good coordinator.
And if we don't get another win, then we should quit when we are behind. Starting over sucks, but it sucks even more the longer you take.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^
Standing Outside a brokken phone booth.
I can't embed. Copied from You tube. Not working. My apolgies.
Will money pay for all the days I spent awake but half asleep.
Seconds ticking kill the song million miles before the fall.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
Im going have to change my name!
October 31st, 2010 at 12:13 AM ^
at this point, I could literally understand arguments on both sides of the RR debate. It's too bad that it really would take just one more win and the extra practices for a bullshit bowl game to push me towards keeping him. we're headed for that 6-6 gray area that many assumed wouldn't happen. Could be take care of business and beat Illinois and Purdue? Sure. I'm not terribly excited to take on Illinois, personally.
but if you aren't 100% at your boiling point in terms of frustration as a fan right now, something's wrong with you and you've punted in the game of fan-dom.
I can not believe how good we made Penn St look today. Were we really coming off a bye-week?
You'd like to think the Purdue game is in our back pocket as #6, but after McGloin, is anyone that confident? we got totally depantsed again. Anyone looking forward to a scholarship QB playing us next week with a competent defense on the other side?? YAY, can't wait.
If I were Coach Rod, I'd start playing towards the crazy side, with onside kicks and trick plays. It's time to sell out.
But, despite the frustration, i think the line is still clear: Bowl or Bust.
Plan B still looks good, though...
October 31st, 2010 at 12:33 AM ^
I've been listening to depressing 90's songs on a loop. Feels like high school all over again.
Primitive RAdio Gods
CandleBox
Toad The Wet Sprocket
Rinse. Rather Repeat.
Really trying to embed. Alas no. But got my mind off the game for a while.