If you look at RR's record during his last three years at WVU, he went 8-3 against Top 25 when ranked, and 1-1 when unranked. That's a .727 winning percentage. Not too shabby. I think that period(2005-2007) is more comparable in terms of the talent level that Lloyd had during his Michigan years.

You can't make the conclusion from this data that Rich Rod is not as good a big game coach as Lloyd was. Obviously he was dealing with a lot less talent at West Virginia than Lloyd had at Michigan. When Lloyd took over as Head Coach he had a good team already in place for what he wanted to do, unlike Rich Rod in his first season at WVU and his first season at Michigan. Plus Lloyd had a lot more chances against Top 25 teams, playing an average of 5.46 ranked teams per season. Rich Rod has only played an average of 3.75. The Big East is obviously not as good as the Big Ten and it's also easier for mediocre Big Ten teams to be ranked then mediocre Big East ones. I think Lloyd was a great coach who doesn't get enough credit for what he accomplished but I also think Rich Rod can over time be just as good if not better.

Great project, and I'm not criticising it--but RR was in the Big East (duh!) and of course, Lloyd in the Big Ten. So as the research bears out--RR's sample size is too small. Whether the Big Ten is down, Rodriguez now moves to the Big Time--and will play a much tougher schedule with longer rivalries and much more history (and measurable intangibles) underscoring it. Also, under RR (by whose design, I do not know), WVU's non conference schedule was generally pretty weak. One argument that I believe undercuts Rodriguez and what he might or might not accomplish this season is the constant "The Big Ten is down" stuff. If true--then there is no reason for UM to go sub-500 in the Big Ten this year. If the conference as a whole stinks--then a good coach beats those stinky teams (and UM has the talent to do so). Of course, if UM rolls through the Big Ten and ends up at 6-2 or 7-1--does the stink of the Big Ten take away from that? I mean, hell, not many people here, or in the UM fan base in general, think MSU or Dantonio are worth a shit--yet we lost to them. What happens if UM goes 3-5 in conference play (without a rash of major injuries, of course)? What would be the significance of THAT for RR and Michigan? I think the Big Ten is a tough conference to play IN (emphasis mine). I think it's tough as well if you are a Michigan and have that bullseye on your back. You get the other teams' best shots. And look at Indiana--great game against UM--turd against OSU--tough ass call for them to play UM and OSU back to back. And do they still have to play the likes of Wisconsin, MSU, Penn State and Iowa? Consider, also, the archaic rules of the Big Ten--all the teams play 12 friggin' consecutive Saturdays (because unlike the rest of the CF world, the Big Ten likes to take 6 months off between season's end and bowl games)--think that might take a toll on players? i LOVE the Big Ten. I don't know if other conferences have this many teams who all hate each other so much. The Game; The Manure Bowl between MSU and PSU; Floyd of Rosedale's Golden Balls; Paul Bunyan's Asshair Trophy games; the Little Brown Jug; three to four conference teams playing Notre Dame every year; having to coach against Mark Dantonio (enough said); having to WATCH Ohio State's offense; now having to go up to Minnesota to play in arctic weather; Jump Around! (Oh god, how frightening is THAT to see 75,000 white people trying to dance?); being nailed with urine bombs by Ohio State grad school students; seeing 108,000 Penn State fans in their underwear. The list goes on and on. People can rail on the Big Ten for its bowl performances (or lack thereof) all they want--let's have some of those southern pussies and West Coast surfers come out HERE in November (or shit, in JULY for some of our schools) to play. The Big Ten is an old, venerable, fun, great conference that I wouldn't trade for the world.

of your diary: I had that in my diary entry too, only it occured in random places throughout the text and was, at least for me, undeleteable. Does anyone know what this jibberish is and how to avoid it?

or top 25 in the final poll? I ask cause lots of teams Michigan played may have started out top 25....but not finished. Second LC had a lot more games to work with over a longer stint (as someone else mentioned) plus the numbers only reflect Lloyds whole career, NOT the last 5 years or so when his numbers clearly started to deteriorate.....