Give Rich some time
Fellas,
If you bear with RichRod, don't get to carried away with the guys who leave UM, and stand behind him, by the middle of the 2010 season you will see that Michigan football is BACK!!
When RR was hear in West Virginia he took a school that was nothing and he did put WVU football on the map.
For his efforts(AND results) he was treated like crap by an AD who was envious of his ability to bring in donations, as well as a former school prez who made promises to Rich that he had no intentions of delivering on. I mean, the former prez was known for nothing at WVU other than trying to give our governors daughter a degree, without EVER attending WVU!
I know you've had some players leave, we had many leave when he first arrived in Morgantown,too.
I know that nobody was happy with the on-field results up their last fall.
But consider this, Rich could have used the on-hand talent to play power football, with a dropback passing attack,and, could have won another game or three.
He could have,but, he is not built that way. He did there what he did in Morgantown. He put his system in, even without the style of players that fit his system.
Now, many linemen starters, as I know Rich, have the option-read responsibilities down and with Forcier he is on the way with a double-threat QB.
I bet he has, or Tony(Gibson) has put up posters or board writings likw, 'Those Who Stay Will Be Champions' or something like that.
I coached basketball where Tony G, btw, played his high school football. He's a friendly sort so if you guys get the chance get close to him. Hell of a guy!
Rich left West Virginia, even though WV fans say it was a 'lateral move' (b.s., I tell them), but he left because he is a coach that wants to own a national title.
Support him guys. They'll be a lot better as this season goes along and after some experience with his new offensive backfield, starting in 2010 UM will be as good as anyone and a fixture in the NC hunt.
Good luck guys,
Coach Browning
I really don't want to "bare with" him, let alone the connotations the subsequent phrase "stand behind him" brings to mind.
You may want to change the spelling of that word in your very first sentence.
I'm a coach,lol, whadda ya 'xpekt?
It's what's inside the package NOT the fucking wrapper.
assholes on this board. They don't speak for most of us, their post count is just inflated by worthless grammar criticisms instead of football related comments.
on this blog during the past season. Particularly regarding the full implementation of the spread read option while the personnel really wasn't suited for it.
We had a terrible combination of that, two freshmen QB's, and a very suspect (and thin) offensive line. Add to it a defense that, suspect the prior year, was even weaker this past season. Sprinkle in a few injuries and some chaos regarding the DC, and their was not much more that RR could have done. You are right, he might have won a game or two more if he did not go full on with the transition; I suspect the team will reap the benefits of that sacrifice the next couple of seasons.
Regarding the environment that RR left at West Virginia, it was a disfunctional relationship (the guy, an alum of WVU, could have left for Alabama and didn't, his coming to UM wasn't driven by money). I hope that his relationship at UM is much better (and I do have hope for this, as most of our coaches stay for the rest of their careers).
This blog, led by Brian, has been in full (and mostly) unwavering support of Coach Rodriguez through his time at Michigan. I have a great deal of respect for what he has accomplished so far in his career, and expect even better things with the talent he is assembling in Ann Arbor. But since he has been coach of UM and have become more familiar with him, I have found that I really like the guy.
Thanks for the support, coach, and welcome to the blog. Looking forward to your insights in the future.
I'm not impressed with the spelling, but I don't really care because he has the right message. I agree with everything he's saying. I trust that RR knows what he's doing. I'm still all for giving him more time. If we aren't on track by 2010 then I may reconsider, but untill then I'm all for him. It's much more exciting without Carr. Carr is one hell of a guy, but that doesn't always deliver wins on the football field. Can't wait to see RR's team in full motion.
Not gonna lie if you have a problem with spelling on a sports board, well, you need to not be on a sports site.
Pay attention to the message and don't fool yourself into thinking that I'm here, or that anyone else is here to impress you.
That's pretty anal pal.
Don't use his strange comment about incorrect grammar as fuel for your revenge. I can understand why you are pissed, I mean how dare someone disagree with you. Maybe you should try excepting someone else's opinion, if not, maybe you shouldn't be on a sports blog.
That's pretty anal pal.
I have no problem in someone who disagrees with me.
This is not important enough to put ANY work into.
I'll write and go on to the next place I want to post.
I hope that me and you can learn from and value each other as posters here.
If, however, having to try and understand my posts are more than you want to try I will understand.
Take care.
Go Blue
You too.
"Excepting" is not accepting.
very nice
anal
If you bitch about spelling errors you should make sure you don't have them yourself.
"Gonna" is not a word. You should have placed a comma after 2010. The final sentence is a fragment.
minimum to show what he can do. Hes safe for that time because it would be a complete disaster to switch from power I to Spread only to switch back to power I a few years later. It would hurt recruiting just as much as play on the field. You need to build a stable enviroment with everyone on the same page to sustain high levels of success.
I agree that Rich Rod should be given three years before any serious talk about his job security takes place. However, this notion that it would be a "disaster" to switch our offensive philoshophy really isn't supported by recent examples around college football (other than ours, of course). Georgia Tech went from a pro style to the triple option offense under Paul Johnson last year and won 9 games. Michigan St. went from running John L. Smith's goofball version of the spread to a more conventional offense and won 7 games in Dantonio's first year. Florida went from running a pro style offense under Ron Zook to Urban Meyer's spread offense and won 9 games in his first year.
True. There's more to it than the blanket statement of "new offense, needs more time." Yes, it's tough to get guys adjusted to a new playbook, but to be fair, Michigan lost a lot of talent (prematurely.)
One thing though, I don't know that it's fair to compare Urban Meyer and Paul Johnson's situations to Rich Rod's. If you want to use past examples, you should also look at RR's record in his first season at each new program.
Personally with the conservative nature of Michigan's athletic department, I think RR would get at least 4 (but 5 would not surprise) years and the boot. With all the setbacks of last year (predictably) RR could not really do too much. Shafer did not help, nor did the dwindling output of Lloyd's recruiting classes. This year is still different, at least a little, but the past two or three years, and recruiting three and four years ago will definitely help RR. You're spot-on with the statement it would be a complete disaster to switch from power I to Spread only to switch back to power I a few years later. I think Bill Martin went all-in so to speak on this hire, and it remains to be seen whether it will be a dynamic, program-changing hire or an abysmal failed experiment. To be honest precedent as well as solid recruiting say that it will be the former (as most of us believed.)
To the poster above, Georgia Tech improved because
1.) They had two quarterbacks that were defined as mobile, Nesbitt and some other guy who is unimportant (but would've started here.)
2.) Jon Tenuta was not good for Georgia Tech's program, I read somewhere last summer (I believe Athlon) that there was a ton of backstabbing going on with him.
3.) Teams had not seen Tech's breed of offense. RR's is a little more in style now, but with it's inability to be run successfully hurt it's "surprise factor." Tech did not have that problem.
4.) They had a good, experienced defense.
5.) The ACC is not fantastic, Utah, Ohio State, Penn State, and probably MSU were harder than Tech's competition save for their drubbing in the bowl versus LSU.
In surmisation I agree with the OP, and I'd say that mmost of this blog does too.
that you have to deal with these grammar/spelling freaks. They are good fans though, and we all support the team. I really appreciate your thoughts, and I am so excited about watching this team this fall. I think RR's blocking schemes will make more sense to these guys in year 2. The spring game showed me a group of OL's that were moving in unison, and acting as one. They will be much more effective, and they have moved past the "learning" phase and are now focusing on implementation. You gotta figure the blocking styles, moves, landmarks, and points of emphasis were all different for these big lugs. They are also learning how to manuver their newly honed physiques, now that Barwis has got them to drop an average of 30 lbs. I really saw some good things out of each line unit, and UM has great depth there. That's going to be key in a long, grueling Big Ten season. Go Blue!!!!! Go RR!!!!!!!
the question is whether he can truly delivery with his "systems" in the Big Ten. His showing so far after just 12 games has been pretty unimpressive. But at least he's been here before. UM fans find this new territory.
I do believe that in 2009 UM football will show some significant strides in certain phases of the game (QB play, running game, OL play, better downfield passing). At the same time I would expect the other phases of the Michigan's game to be riddled with serious problems (QB play, turnovers, the entire defense: DL, LB and secondary).
Coherent, reasoned arguments make this board what it is. Please don't muck it up people.
Please just use a paragraph format, good punctuation, and less than liberal use of the caps lock key, and I'll survive.
Don't forget spelling.
Sorry, how could I have not remembered spelling, the easiest prerequisite on MGoBlog?
did not hire Rich Rodriguez to win a lot of games in his first season. If he wanted instant success with the talent that was there, he would have answered the phone while on his sailboat (I still believe that whole thing was intentional). If he wasn't willing to have a painful, slow transition process he would not have hired a coach who had the exact opposite offensive philosophy of what was already there. BM certainly knew when he hired him that this would be a slow process. People like Mark May are retarded to think that Rich is "on the hot-seat" so breathe easy, folks. Martin's going to give RichRod his due time. It took him a solid 4 years before WVU was a BCS contender, and that is what he will get from his current employer, if not more.
I think Mark May is correct in one small sense--the M fans and alums that don't read this blog and are more general sports fans, along with the "we're Michigan and losing is unacceptable" crowd, and the national media. There are a lot more of these people and they are very vocal, and i think if we go say, 6-6 this year the heat will be intense. Many people believe that even given the handicaps mentioned, that 3 wins is mystifying. Having said all that, you're right that Martin and many fans will give him 3-4 years for sure.
I feel like I should be listening to "Deutschland Erwache" while reading this.
I think as long as fans see improvement in most every facet of the game (read: so long as we don't turn the ball over 6 times to teams like Notre Dame), they will tolerate a .500 record. If, however, we do not demonstrate improvement in most areas, then the debate begins. But we should end the speculation until the Fall. What's the point in talking now about what will happen to our Coach if the sky falls?
I think the general UM fan base and media reaction to a 6-6 season would be greatly affected by who we beat and who we lose to, especially Ohio State. If a 6-6 includes losses to ND, MSU, Wisky, PSU, and OSU, then the offseason is really going to suck for RR and his staff. It won't be fun for Bill Martin, either, since he's the one who has to deal directly with unhappy deep-pockets contributors to the athletic dept.
If that same record includes a victory over the Buckeyes, I think that it would go a long way to encourage the fans that progress is being made.
If, god forbid, we go 5-7, then I think the only thing that would forestall a complete meltdown amongst the fans and donors would be a victory over Senator Tressel.
However, I don't think there's any chance of Martin firing RR for on-the-field results before at least 4 years are done. If we're not making a meaningful challenge for the B10 championship by the end of the 2011 season the pressure on Martin to can RR would be intense, especially if he hasn't managed a victory over OSU. I still think he would give RR a fifth year, but if there doesn't seem to be enough progress by the end of 2012, even if we're having winning seasons, I bet RR would be gone.
I don't see us getting much further than 6-6 this season. Predicting 9-3 like some are is based on huge assumptions about our supposed potential, and that's always a crapshoot. Like vanhoop and others I think 2010 is going to be the breakout (or make-or-break) year for RR.
What would help RR the most would be for the Buckeyes to come to Ann Arbor undefeated, ranked #1, with everybody outside UM crowning OSU as a shoo-in for the NC and Terrell Pryor the sure Heisman winner. If we beat OSU in that circumstance it would help RR in the same way that 1969 helped Bo.
To the original poster of this article, I say thank you. It was a good article and I am glad I read it. Please ignore the grammar nazis, for they know not what they do.I try to always use good grammar but at the end of the day I really don't care if the proper homonym is used. Spell it to, two, or too, I still get the point of what word you are shooting for. I like to read positive articles about UM like this one. So much emphasis is laid on RR for leaving the way that he did but nobody wants to talk about the fact that WVU must not have honored their promises if they pushed RR away. If I remember correctly RR was offered the job at Bama but WVU said they would do the things that he wanted them to if he would stay. He agreed and signed the contract but they did not deliver. He left (IMO) because of broken promises. RR (IMO) was the right hire for the job and I am stoked about the future. I think a little bit different about RR's future here if unsuccessful, I think it will take the big house not selling out for Bill M to get rid of him. If that happens this year (which I seriously doubt) then I would give him through 2010 but if the big house continues to sell out every game then I think he would probably get 5 years.
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