Hail RichRod!
Has any football coach in America been under the microscope so soon out of the gate as Coach Rodriguez?
Has any coach endured more ongoing press scrutiny? Up here in the Midwest it's celebrated; in SEC country they fire reporters for wearing hats to pressers!
Has any coach had more equivocal alumni support, where even supporters (at times, myself included) preface even the faintest of praise with a "Yes, but...?"
So as I was sitting in the stands during the game yesterday, there was no one I felt better for than Coach Rodriguez. (Pregame, I was too busy crying in support of Brock Mealer).
One game does not a season make, but who among us yesterday didn't see the flashes of an offense that is beyond exciting? That when executed by players who understand it, have practiced it, and have the skills to do it, appears unstoppable.
I have written here a few times of this season being the Revenge Tour. The opening date was the home re-dedication, and it couldn't have gone better.
Next week, Coach Rodriguez takes the team to South Bend. (Or as the UMMB played during halftime, gets the band back together. For a Revenge Tour?)
There will certainly be rough spots ahead. Right now I say: "Hail, RichRod!"
I watched his post-game news conference video. I stopped it right here. When have we seen Coach Rodriguez like this after a game during his tenure?
It's about time.
September 5th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
The guy knows his stuff. I never had a doubt on that. The question was whether the fan base and the people who control his fate would give him the time and the benefit of the doubt.
Looks like he'll earn that benefit, like he's earned everything else in his career.
I hope he got that 5 straight hours of sleep he hasn't gotten since he took over. He and the guys sure put something out there on that field that made me very pleased That was just fun. Seeing those guys play with that energy. It has seemed like forever around here since we saw that.
September 5th, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^
But its a long season
September 5th, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^
The guy's worked as hard as any coach in America (well, harder according to the NCAA), and deserves a week without scrutiny, criticism, bitterness, and flaming piles of poo on his porch.
May the wins keep rolling in. He's earned it.
September 5th, 2010 at 1:33 PM ^
He did more as far as National rankings at WVU with 2-3 star players than any coach could do. At UM he will get 3-4 stars and the occasional 5 star defensive player, running back and dual QB (probably not receivers) and the rankings he obtained at little ole WVU will be consistantly higher at big ole UM.
September 5th, 2010 at 1:43 PM ^
I feel much the same way. Though there was no revenge involved yesterday, it sure puts everyone else on notice. Boilermakers, Spartys, Illini, Buckeyes, be warned!
September 5th, 2010 at 1:43 PM ^
I feel much the same way. Though there was no revenge involved yesterday, it sure puts everyone else on notice. Boilermakers, Spartys, Illini, Buckeyes, be warned!
September 5th, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^
i know that we're all excited about the big win, and i too think that we're going to do much better than expected THIS season; but still, i can't help but look forward to next season. reasonable schedule + 17 returning starters + rich rod's third full recruiting class = legit national championship contender.
...wow (see below)
OFFENSE: 9 returning starters (Schilling, Dorrestein graduate)
QB: *Robinson (Jr.), Garnder (So.), Forcier (Jr.), Sousa (Fr./R.S.), Jones (Fr./R.S.)?
SB: *Shaw (Sr.)/Smith (Jr.), Cox (Jr.), Toussaint (So.), Hopkins (So./Fr.), Jones (Jr.)
X: *Stonum (Sr.), Hemingway (Sr.), J. Robinson (So./Fr.), Miller (So./Fr.)
Z: *Odoms (Sr.), Jackson (So.), Stokes (Jr.), Williamson (So./Fr.), Conway (Fr./R.S.)
Y: *Roundtree (Jr.), Grady (Sr.), T. Robinson (Jr.), Gallon (So.), Dileo (So.)
TE: *Koger (Sr.), Moore (Jr.)
LT: *Huyge (Sr.), Fisher (Fr./R.S.), Posada (Fr./R.S.)
LG: Barnum (Jr.)/Washington (So.)
C: *Molk (Sr.), Khoury (Jr.), Pace (So./Fr.), Miller (Fr./R.S.)
RG: *Omameh (Jr.), Mealer (Jr.)
RT: Lewan (So.)/Schofield (So.)
FB: McColgan (Sr.)
DEFENSE: 8 returning starters (Mouton, Ezeh, Banks graduate)
NT: *Martin (Sr.), Campbell (Jr.), Ash (So./Fr.)
DT: *Van Bergen (Sr.), Talbott (So./Fr.), Heininger (Sr.)
DE: Black (So./Fr.), LaLota (So.), Paskorz (So./Fr.), Rock (Fr./R.S.), Watson (Sr.),
OLB: *Roh (Jr.), Herron (Sr.), Wilkins (So./Fr.), Rogers (So./Fr.), Beyer (Fr./R.S.), Kinard (Fr./R.S.)?
MLB: Demens (Jr.), Fitzgerald (Sr.), Ryan (So./Fr.)
WLB: Jones (Jr.), Bell (So.), Jones (Fr./R.S.), Leach (Sr.)
Hyb: *Johnson (Fr./So.), T. Gordon (So.), Hawthorne (So./Fr.), Simmons (Jr.),
SS: *Kovacs (Jr.), Robinson (So.), Furman (So./Fr.), Williams (Sr.),
FS: *C. Gordon (So.), Emilien (So.), Vinopal (Fr./So.), Van Slyke (Sr.)
CB: *Woolfolk (Sr.), Christian (So.), Avery (So.)
CB: *Floyd (Jr.), Talbott (So.), Hollowell (Fr./R.S.), Brown (Fr./R.S.)
SPECIAL TEAMS: 6 returning starters (no one graduates)
KO: *Gibbons (So.), Broekhuizen (So.)
PK: *Gibbons (So.), Broekhuizen (So.)
P: *Hagerup (So.), Broekhuizen (So.)
LS: *Pomarico (Sr.), Glanda (So.)
KR: *Stonum (Sr.), Odoms (Sr.), Robinson (Jr.), Gallon (So.)
PR: *Gallon (So.), Odoms (Sr.), Robinson (Jr.)
September 5th, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
He's back.
September 5th, 2010 at 8:27 PM ^
"Good Gawd!!! Is that Blueadams music???"
September 5th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^
One of the great things I noticed is that fans and media are once again talking about "style points" after this victory. This game might end up being seen as one of the turning points of RR's tenure at Michigan: the game that got a lot of Michigan people and national media off his back.
The same media who have had so much fun vilifying RR the last few years will celebrate his "comeback" with the same fervor they have shown while criticizing him. The down side of modern journalism is that the media attack like the proverbial pack of wild dogs whenever they find a "flaw" in a public figure. The upside is that they "attack" good stories the same way.
In other words, the same media that tried to turn RR into a pariah will soon direct their efforts toward turning him into a beloved icon with no hesitiation whatsoever. I can't wait.
September 5th, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
I wish I could just keep my mouth (keyboard) quiet, but............would it be alright if we get into the Big 10 season before talking about next year's NT contention?
I hate to be the parent who crashes the high school party in the basement (forgive me for turning on the lights and interupting your make-out session), but can I remind you we started 4-0 last year behind impressive play of our first year starting QB?
September 5th, 2010 at 5:00 PM ^
as well as a ban of who are coach will be next year if coach Rod doesn't get the right number of wins, or talk about Tate transfers (he's with the team this year) or who will QB next year. It's football season, let's talk about this year.
September 5th, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^
I was complaining to my wife about how unfairly RR has been treated since he got here. (it was brought up cause I made the mistake of listening to Caputo on 97.1 talk about how many wins, and "fans" calling in with who our next coach will be. I was so sick of this talk since we hadn't even played the first game of the year. In the stands, before the game, I had to hear fans claiming that this will be a great year cause either we win, or we get rid of Coach Rod. My guess is, that these are the same fans who wanted Lloyd gone. Besides loving the fact that we won, I am equally glad that we won't have to hear who the next coach will be talk for at least this week. Great win for Michigan, and an even greater win for RR. I agree, Hail Rodriguez.