Reflections on RichRod

Submitted by stubob on

Today, we fire up the MGoBlog Wayback Machine and return to December 17th, 2007: a day that will live in MGoBlog infamy. Specifically, Brian's Profiles in Heroism for RichRod. I thought it would be a good idea to look back at the last coaching change and compare the attitude and opinion around the previous coach to the current one, in the hopes of calming down the "Brian Hates Hoke" meme that's sprung up.

Remember that the situation was completely opposite last time: Michigan was striking out with big names, and we were preparing for Mike Debord-equivalent promotion from within the program. For what it's worth, the history starts around page 423, with the actual news happening on p. 422.The brief overview of the situation before the RichRod news was summed up in Adrift - basically internal guys or someone totally bonkers. Even at the time Brian was railing against the status quo from the AD, and that is what's being reflected in the current Hoke posts. Then RichRod blew up from out of nowhere.

Hindsight being 20/20 and all, Brian made this prescient comment:

RichRod was preceded by a coach somewhere between very good and excellent, though by the time Rodriguez arrived West Virginia was in a bit of a rut, coming off 7-5 and 4-7 seasons.

Rodriguez did not immediately fix said rut -- West Virginia bombed its way to an ugly 3-8 year in 2001 -- but after an initial adjustment period the program ignited in two phases. Phase 1: West Virginia ... hovers at the edges of the top 25 from 2002 to 2004, winning eight or nine games and losing four or five. Phase II: The White-Slaton rocket fuel era that features 10 and 11 win seasons, BCS berths and bowl victories, and one really ill-timed thumb dislocation.

and then added the following caveat:

the Big East got a lot easier in 2004 when Miami, BC, and Virginia Tech took off for the ACC. As far as back-to-back-to-back ten win seasons go, WVU's are somewhere between LSU's and Boise's in terms of impressiveness.

But it wasn't all roses, sunshine and puppies. Brian pointed out well-known issues with recruiting:

Maybe it's unfair to tar the coach when a couple of guys he got through school turn out to be world-class knuckleheads, but the idea of a Pacman Jones or a Chris Henry at Michigan is unsettling. ... Rodriguez also availed himself of JUCOs and academic risks that might not fly at Michigan. ...Michigan likes its high graduation rates and excellent APR numbers. If those start to come down he'll catch heat.

The conclusion wrapped up thusly:

the man does not have anything approximating the current Michigan staff's outdated philosophy. ...Rodriguez is everything a Michigan fan could want in a hire; to get him after the month-long disappointment train that was the coaching search is manna from heaven.

Better that Debord? YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES

It certainly bears mentioning that at the time, Mallett was still on the roster, Pryor was still considering Michigan, and the QB rotation was not WalkOn/Death.

So we come here today not to bury RichRod, but to remember him. He struggled to meet the lofty expectations placed upon him by the fans, the media, and the Athletic Department. May he have future success at a program not encumbered by ghosts of the past, a rabid and bored press core, and a fanbase able to accept change (all of which snowball around each other).

If anything, the "outdated philosophy" comment is the source of whatever animosity is directed at Hoke - not at the man specifically, but what he represents. We must temper our opinions until we see the product on the field, and hopefully we can minimize the roster attrition that was a major source of our struggles for the last three years.

Comments

Hugh Jass

January 14th, 2011 at 4:23 PM ^

guy.  As a coach myself I never like it when a coach gets dismissed.  He for many reasons chronicled never fit at Michigan.  He will find the right fit somewhere and will be very successful.

King Douche Ornery

January 14th, 2011 at 4:48 PM ^

Rodriguez was a guy you'd like to have a beer with, but you might not want him to run your country...ERRRR  football program.

Franc-O

January 14th, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^

 

This has been the past 3 yrs for me under Rich as best as I can sum it. Ups, downs, whatever! Its my brain on U of M Drugs. I can't put it in any better words...

2008

Sept: Yeah Rich Rod! WTF Rich Rod

Oct:  WTF Rich Rod! HOLY HELL RICH ROD!

Nov: WTF Nick Sheridan! WTF RICH ROD!

Dec: WTF UOFM!

2009

Sept: Yeah Rich Rod! Yeah Tate! Yeah Denard! I LOVE RICH!

Oct:  WTF RICH!

Nov: WTF RICH! WTF Tate!

Dec: WTF UOFM!

2010

Sept: Yeah Rich Rod! YEAH DENARD!

Oct:  WTF RICH! Hello jim?

Nov: WTF RICH! HELLO jim?

Dec:  WTF RICH! HELLO JIM?

Football Banquet: WTF! HELLO JIM!

 

Jan 2010

Jan 1

WTF RICH! HELLO JIM!

Jan 6:  

HELLO DAVE! GOODBYE RICH!

HELLO JIM! GOODBYE JIM?

WTF DAVE! BYE BYE JIM!?

Jan 7

HELLO PAT?

brady hoke

BYE BYE PAT!

brady hoke

WTF DAVE!

brady hoke

HELLO CHUCKIE?

brady hoke

HELLO LITTLE BO P.?

brady hoke

HELLO STOOPSY?

brady hoke

WTF DAVE!

Jan 10

brady hoke

HELLLLLO LESSSSSS!

brady hoke

HEEELLLLLOO DAVE!

brady hoke

BYE BYE LES!

brady hoke

WTF PIZZA BOY!

brady hoke

BYE BYE PIZZA BOY?!?!?!

Brady hoke

HELLO BRADY HOKE?

WTF PIZZA BOY!

WTF BRADY HOKE!

Jan 11

HELLO BRADY HOKE!

WTF!!!!!WTF!!!!!

WTF!!!!!

Jan 12

WTF!

Presser!

hello brady

Hello Brady

HELLO BRADY!

HELLO UofM!!!

           

           

 

M-Dog

January 14th, 2011 at 7:58 PM ^

RR should have been brought back for at least another year.  Brady Hoke would still be available later if we needed to go that route.

RR did not even get to graduate a class.  His key guys were Sophomores.  That's quite an itchy trigger finger on the part of our AD. 

I guess that RR needed to play up his connection to Don Nehlen since it's obvious only coaches with Michigan connections are allowed here.

SC Wolverine

January 14th, 2011 at 8:31 PM ^

Partly, RR was a victim of getting a new boss, who did not hire him and represented the ethos that RR was changing.  If DB had hired RR, there is no way that he fires him after Denard's sophomore season.  But it's funny how much more loyal you are to guys you brought in.  Not that DB was disloyal to RR.  But after the Gator Bowl disaster -- and come on, it was a gross disaster -- there was not enough personal investment on DB's part for RR. 

raleighwood

January 15th, 2011 at 2:12 AM ^

It really doesn't matter when Hoke would be available.  RR forfeited his job after the Gator Bowl.  He knew that he had to make a statement and proceeded to lose by 38 points.  His offense only put up 14 points (and nothing after the first quarter).  This is after only putting up 7 points against OSU (and nothing after the first quarter).

RR should NOT have been brought back for another year.  He was given many opportunities to show something (anything) against a quality Big Ten oppenent and failed to do it.  He had to go and deep down in his heart, I'm sure that he knew it.  No AD could keep him after the Gator Bowl fiasco.

I actually grew to like RR over the years.  That doesn't change the fact that he earned the firing based on the on-field results during his tenure.

UMinTroyOh

January 15th, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^

Looking back on the history prior to WV should have been the focus of Martin when choosing RR. Hindsight certainly shows the defensive weakness. We would likely be talking about a successful 2010 season with Casteel at the DC helm.