ESPN's Mark May and Craig James think RR is safe.
I just saw Mark May and Craig James on SportsCenter doing the "will RR be around next year?" dance. They both agree that he'll keep his job in 2011, but they disagree that he needs to get to a bowl game in order to keep his job -- May thinks he needs and will get a sixth win, and James says he's already set because the offense has proven it is excellent. They both agreed that GERG is gone. Craig James: "When I was there, [Gerg]'s a nice guy and the kids really seem to like him, but... it's just not getting done. And they are young, but at the end of the day, when you're evaluating teams from around the country, everybody's young." Take that how you will. I'm just glad there's two more talking heads who aren't calling for Rich Rod's head.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:41 PM ^
Maybe we should lock GERG in a dark shed for a couple of hours
November 4th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
Then we may be fired... "Detractor not allowed"
Perhaps RR & GERG should lock Adam James in the shed for a few hours.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:24 PM ^
Does he have a fat little girlfriend?
November 4th, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^
I like that there is support out there for the program, but how can James say that everybody is young? Does every team have a secondary that is forced to play true freshman because there is literally no one else to go to?
November 4th, 2010 at 7:02 PM ^
we have to play so many FR because we run the 335. Run a different D scheme and you have less FR on the field. And our D line (w Roh) is pretty damn good. It is our secondary and our ridiculous insistance on running a scheme that require mostly secondary players is why we have so many FR on the field.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:13 PM ^
we play so many freshmen because the few upper classmen we have aren't worth a damn. And the 3-3-5 may have as much to do with us needing 5 DBs on the field all the time because none of them can handle man coverage, as any particular schematic preferences.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:13 PM ^
Well, playing "Various" or a 3-3-5 certainly contributes to the significant issues (i.e. significant youth, lack of experience) in our secondary at present, but even in a 4-3 or 3-4 alignment the challenges would be the same and we would be equally exposed (arguably more, given how both actually require a higher level of responsibility for the CBs and Safeties). As we've discussed at great length on the board, the injury to Troy W., the transfers, and those that didn't get academically accepted have come together in something of a "Perfect Storm" on the defensive side of the ball at present and, hopefully, we can hang on, hope for experience to yield "salty" players down the road, and do our best to improve quality-depth through our ongoing recruiting (Dallas Crawford, anyone?).
November 4th, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^
I agree, but to my knowledge it is due to RR's demands that they run the 3-3-5 and not GERG's. I know that Scott Schaffer left because of RR's insitance to run the 3-3-5. GERG has won BCS Championships and Superbowls so I don't know if the problem is him or RR. Either way our D has sucked since the day RR took over and in my opinion does not show much promise for next year. More experience should help but I thInk something monumental will have to happen for status quo to deliver results. Personally I think if we were to run a 4-3 we could at least stop the run. Teams would still be able to pick apart our secondary but they would not run it down our throats as well. We might even be able to get pressure on the QB every once in a while.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^
In speculating when this Saturday's performance will definitely clarify the picture a bit more.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^
In today's press conference, Dave Brandon and RR both said, "we currently have a plan in place to have these practice deductions completed by the end of summer."
Doesn't exactly sound like something Brandon would have contemplated with a lame duck coach......
November 4th, 2010 at 7:01 PM ^
We have a winner!
November 4th, 2010 at 7:03 PM ^
no logic allowed at the present moment. maybe next year when we have a decent D and a fancy new coordinator.
/s
November 4th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
While I think that RR is back, I don't think that your logic is sound. He could have the new coach go by the same schedule that he planned with RR.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^
Not sure this proves what you say it does. Would you want to have to recruit a coach when the the new guy is going to have to start at Michigan while living under penalties that date from RR's tenure?
If it comes down to it, I think Brandon would like to be able to say that the penalties are done and the new guy will have a more-or-less clean slate.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
If a new guy were coming it would not be at the end of the summer with a clean slate, it would be in January. Any new guy would bear the full brunt of the penalties. I think the point was, if a new guy was coming you would want to spread out the penalties to ease the transition.
I don't think a new guy is coming.
Take the reductions in the spring and summer and count on leaders like Woolfolk, Molk and Martin get the team to pick up the slack on their own.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^
What that most likely means is that as of today, it's RR's job to lose. That may not be the case four weeks from now. It's up to his team to perform.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
November 4th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
I just heard this too. Don't really like James but he had exactly the right take. He said Michigan has one third of it done (offense) and just needs the other two to catch up.
With the right D-coordinator we are contenders next season.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
We do have the right d-coordinator. I find it pretty laughable that we as Michigan fans want GERG gone. The guy's won two SuperBowls--most teams would kill for a coordinator with that pedigree. What it does for recruiting alone is enough. Why was it when Notre Dame was awful, worse than us, they were pulling in recruits like crazy on offense? Charlie Weis' system put guys in the NFL. He had the connections and the knowhow on what it took to get his players NFL ready and I think GERG has that knowledge and skill set as well. RR's a great offensive mind....defensively not so much. Stop micromanaging the defense--the 3-3-5 doesn't work in the Big 10, let GERG run his scheme with his own assistants and we are contenders next season.
GO BLUE
November 4th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
if only these guys knew what they were talking about.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
Am I the only one that sees a double standard with making GERG a scapegoat for everything defensive? I mean its clear he doesn't have full control, yet hes expected to take full blame? I feel like too many people treat RR like hes the offensive coordinator and not the head coach. What ever happened to the buck stopping with the head man? And no, I'm not saying fire RR. I'm just saying GERG is getting thrown under the bus and backed over in my opinion.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
This also happens a lot at the pro level. As a Bears fan I will use the example of Lovie Smith getting to stay but Ron Turner being fired and Martz being brought in. Lovie is a defensive coach and that part of the team was fine except the offense was atrocious. It's the same in this case. Except the offense is phenomenal and like nothing we've ever seen and the defense blows. A double standard? Yes. But it's not unheard of.
(Note: I know the Bears offense is still atrocious, but that's because Jay Cutler blows.)
November 4th, 2010 at 6:53 PM ^
Um, just a guess but I think he is the DEFENSIVE coordinator. Now we can debate beaten topic points back in forth in an effort to prove who is right but from your referencing of the whole buck stops here thing I don't see you agreeing.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^
Yes, but he also is being pushed to run a scheme he doesn't seem to understand, and has to deal with position coaches who seem not to understand the schemes GERG does want to run.
GERG is awful - his recent track record puts it out in spades. But RR never should have hired him. From what I understand, GERG actually called him up and asked for the job. That's not the best way to find an ace DC. And my fear is that if GERG is let go, RR will settle for another desperate, recently-fired coach who will agree, in the job interview, to run the 3-3-5 - only to prove clueless once he steps on the practice field.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:10 PM ^
And my fear is that if GERG is let go, RR will settle for another desperate, recently-fired coach who will agree, in the job interview, to run the 3-3-5 - only to prove clueless once he steps on the practice field.
There's one major difference between now and when GERG was hired........
Dave Brandon.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:39 PM ^
I don't want to see Brandon get involved in hiring a new coordinator. That's not his place. If your AD is pulling strings, you have a full-fledged mess on your hands. He can tell RR, "You're staying if you change your staff," but that's as far as he can go.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:53 PM ^
I'm not necessarily saying he will choose who it is, but I think he will be better at opening up the old Michigan connections to get someone who understands B10 defense a little better than GERG does.
November 4th, 2010 at 9:11 PM ^
i see no problem with a leader being involved with hiring someone two levels down in the chain. don't university presidents get involved with the hiring of the major coaches?
i do believe mary sue met with RR during the process along with martin.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
Gerg sucks there is no doubt about that. Like I said it is RR's fault for hiring him and the scheme he is being forced to run is awful. However if he gets to hit the reset button one more time I am willing to bet he doesn't settle for anything other than the best.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:44 PM ^
1. RR's idea of the best is clearly Jeff Casteel, who has turned him down twice.
2. RR will likely require his DC to agree to run the 3-3-5, which pares down the field of potential DCs.
3. A great DC might well be wary of coming here, given that RR is not only on the hot seat but that he has a history of interfering with his DCs.
This combination of factors may be what forced him to take on GERG in the first place.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:53 PM ^
I agree that not enough blame is being put on RichRod for hiring GERG in the first place, but you also have to realize that RichRod has very little involvement in the schemeing and the development of the defense.
I mean have you looked over the last two year's worth of Defensive UFR's to see how bad the scheming has been? It just hasn't been the players getting minuses but the coaching as well. That's pretty telling.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:08 PM ^
you also have to realize that RichRod has very little involvement in the schemeing and the development of the defense.
This is a defense of Calvin Magee. It's not a defense of RR. He is the head coach, responsible for the entire team. If he chooses not to spend much time on defense, that's his call - but he'd better have a good defensive staff then. Whatever he does, it's his product out on the field.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:21 PM ^
Telling...
November 4th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^
Assuming GERG is not running the system of his choice, and is doing what RR is forcing on him, I agree. But who knows how things are actually playing out besides insiders?
November 4th, 2010 at 7:10 PM ^
It's universally recognized that RR favors the 3-3-5. There is no debate about that.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
If GERG had any role in running this defense, as a Defensive Coordinator normally would, then he needs to be held accountable for this debacle. If he was just a pawn, and didn’t really have control, then he needs to be replaced with a coordinator who actually coordinates.
Obviously, the head coach is ultimately responsible, but short of firing the head coach (which remains a possibility, depending on the next four games), firing GERG is the only thing you can do that has a prayer of fixing what is broken.
The only question is whether: A) Rodriguez hires someone who is well versed in, and actually believes in, the 3-3-5; or, B) He brings in the best damn coordinator available, and gives the guy carte blanche to actually run the defense as he sees fit.
Regardless of what happens here, the whole concept of hiring a coordinator, leaving the previous assistants in place, and then imposing a scheme the coordinator is not comfortable with, has to be one of the dumbest ideas ever. Only Rodriguez’s obvious talent on the offensive side the ball would lead you to consider forgiving such a monumental error.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^
Are we really going to have a new thread every time some blowhard gives his opinion on RR's status? Wake me up hen someone whose opinion counts chimes in (Brandon)
November 4th, 2010 at 6:52 PM ^
Fair enough. When I made this thread, I didn't know that Brandon and RR had today at the presser discussed a schedule to complete the practice reductions by next summer, which is as close to an announcement that the coach is safe (for now) as we will probably get until the season is over.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^
November 4th, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^
That is funny I could have sworn a week ago James said RR would be gone.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:49 PM ^
my main beef with RR is he always wants to take care of his WVU def staff. Well i think time will come when he'll have to make a decision do i fire my boys on DEF or get fired myself. I am a huge RR supporter and really want the spread to stay in AA, i am praying DB and RR sit down and bring in a good Def staff next yr and that includes letting the new Coord hire his own assistants!!
Hail
November 4th, 2010 at 6:53 PM ^
So far everyone has said to keep RR for 2011...the only duechbag is Cowherd and that guy is about as useless as a screendoor on a submarine...which gives him a radio and espn show, cuz duechbags like that attrack more duechbags.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^
I really hope you're purposely spelling douchebag wrong.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:03 PM ^
yes i did it on purpose and will not edit it. Damn english major.
edit*** from urban Dictionary...hes from canada right?
| 1. | duech bag | |
|
a foreign douche bag
|
||
November 4th, 2010 at 10:24 PM ^
definition please?
November 4th, 2010 at 7:11 PM ^
Hahaha I'm sorry I just wanted to make sure. I saw someone else spell it like that on another thread once and they were being serious, so I didn't know.
Didn't mean to sound anal or like an asshole, I got the sarcasm, I guess I'll just go with the flow next time haha
November 4th, 2010 at 7:01 PM ^
I cannot stand the way that guy talks.. Does he have a lisp or however it is spelled? He is so annoying to listen to
November 4th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^
"Lithp."
November 4th, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^
Valenti said that Brandon will pull an "Earle Bruce" on RR and fire him the week before the OSU game. Further proof that RR is probably safe for at least one more year.
November 4th, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
One good thing about a new DC will be never having to read "GERG" again.