Has Brandon already decided?
I could be wrong, but the message I'm getting from several recent Dave Brandon interviews is that RichRod has done enough to merit another year. Is anyone getting the same idea, reading between the lines?
My hunch is that this has been communicated to the players, too, because I don't see how we get the likes of Dee Hart if it's not pretty clear that RichRod is staying. Mind you, I'm the guy who said we would go 6-6 and RichRod would be retained, anyway--for many of the reasons I think that now: too much invested in putting together a RichRod-style offense, too much evidence next year will be lots better. So maybe I'm looking at this with Rose Bowl-colored glasses? Anyway, the Brandon interviews are here, in Wojo's latest in the DetNews and a very good interview on the Huge Show:
November 21st, 2010 at 1:48 AM ^
I won't defend the Freep, but I bet it's hard to have a smooth transition when the new coach fires all but one of the previous coaches.
November 21st, 2010 at 2:44 AM ^
It is unusual for a new head coach to keep the former staff. Urban Meyer kept one coach from Ron Zook's staff when he hired at Florida. Charlie Weis at ND kept none of Tyrone Willingham's staff, Brian Kelly kept one of Weis' staff, just for a few examples. It just doesn't happen.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
There's a key distinction to be made here. When a coach replaces a guy who has been fired, yes, it's rare for him to retain any of his assistants. That was the case in the three examples you cited. However, when a coach replaces one who has voluntarily stepped down, he often does retain some of his assistants. As I've argued elsewhere, I think RR's biggest mistake was to act as though Carr had been fired when he wasn't. He should have worked to establish more continuity. Not doing so probably led to much of the attrition and poor attitudes among the Carr holdovers.
November 21st, 2010 at 8:43 AM ^
that is normal for a coach to fire the entire fleet of assistants. It happens in business as well as athletics. why should rich have to keep around a bunch of assistants that have the old mindset and may or may not be loyal only to the former head coach.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^
He fired all of Bump's assistants, save two, and brought his own guys. Michigan coaching legends like Gerry Hanlon, Gary Moeller, Larry Smith and Chuck Stobart were all guys whom Bo brought in, over the initial objection of Don Canham, who wanted Bo to mostly adopt all of Bump's former assistants.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:57 PM ^
So, you're saying that Bo retained twice as many as RR did? Frankly, I don't care if a coach fires everyone if he ends up getting the job done. In this instance, however, RR didn't make a lot of friends and oversaw the flight of a number of quality players. So...in retrospect, it seemed to work out just fine for Bo and not at all for RR.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
Bo also had a bunch of players quit on him during his first season. do you remember the story from Bo's Lasting Lessons where a player that just quit pinned a sign below the Those who stay will be champions sign, that read "those who leave will be doctors, lawyers, and leaders of industry." However, Bo had the luxury of higher scholarship limits and a couple future All Americans that stayed.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^
Bo won the Big Ten his first year. He went to the Rose Bowl his first year. In his first six years, he lost 8 games. In RR's first year, he lost 9. There is no comparison between the best coach in Michigan's history and the worst. It's funny though that you'd use Bo as the example of another Michigan coach who had players "quit" on him. I guess good coaches find ways to win, eh?
November 21st, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^
except Bo had All American football players. Rich inherited players that would be career backups/scout team on offense. The comparison between what Rich inherited and Bo inherited is laughable. This is the main point you use to ignore in your crusade to rip apart one of the top coaches in the country. They both had players quit on them, but Bo still had a talent level that would put them in the top top 3 of the Big Ten.
November 21st, 2010 at 9:00 PM ^
A minute ago, you were saying how Bo had players quit too...But now, it's not the same because good players stayed? Dude, get your excuses straight.
Maybe Bo found a way to use the talent that was left behind whereas RR chose...yes, chose...to go a different route. It was his gamble and he owns the resulting record. Maybe if he found a way to keep Mallet, Mario and Adrian would have stayed. With Minor...not a bad force.
Do you really think that I care about ripping RR (but that was funny how you called him "one of the top coaches in the country")? I care about Michigan football. Nothing more or less. You seem to care more for RR than anything else. That's cool. I follow lots of former Wolverines after they've left A2.
November 21st, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
you completely misread my post. Not surprised at all.
1. Both coaches had players quit.
2. Bo inherited all americans, rich inherited backups. Rch was set back from the beginning. Bo also came in before the scholarship limits.
3. There is a chapter in Bo's Lasting Lessons, titled "scuttle the star system." In this chapter Bo states in order to gain the team's trust and respect, you treat every player the same from the stars to the scout team. Rich did exactly what Bo would have done with Mallett (who was gone the moment Mustain left Arkansas), Boren (fat and lazy, most likely would have had a heart attack with Barwis), Mario and Adrian left for the money. I guess valid reasons are excuses in your version of reality.
excuses, when did valid reasons become excuses. christ you sound like glenn beck.
I care about Michigan football bar none. Rich is the best coach for this program. Too bad you are blindly ignorant in your hate for Rich for you to see the situation Rich was handed.
I follow lots of former wolverines too. I guess that is a new qualification of fandom.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:22 PM ^
Seems to me this indicates someone who is a bigger Rich Rodriguez fan than a Michigan Football fan.
No coach is bigger than The Team.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^
It does seem like some around here are more focused on keeping RR employed than anything. Hey, I want him to win badly, but if he's not the guy, he's not the guy. That's how it goes.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^
Exactly. I really think it's a validation thing. They want so badly to have been right all along, and won't consider any scenario where RR isn't the coach leading us to a BCS title. Although they were also probably the same folks who were saying after he was hired that it was going to happen last year.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:11 AM ^
I think that one goes both ways.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
False. I could care less who is coach. Rich is the best coach for this team right now. I just want him to get a fair shake away from the Harbaugh and Les Miles fan bois.
Nice try with the online psych evaluation Sigmund Freud.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:50 PM ^
Good, cause I support Michigan over Rich. The program is growing is too bad you people are too impatient.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
You might be hearing what you want to hear. DB has been clear that he's waiting until the end of the season. I think his statement that he wants to see our progress against big competition (Wisc/OSU) could indicate the opposite...that RR needs to show a big time win to keep his job. It didn't look like we showed much/any progress today. We'll see how next week shakes out. I can't imagine that RR holds on with another poor showing.
As far as Dee Hart - He very specifically indicated (at the time of his commitment) that he isn't bothered by talk of RR getting fired because he can play in any system.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:34 PM ^
The team got younger and we are still a minimum of two games better than last year. That is progress. Breaking offensive records with a first year starter at QB is progress. Winning games despite having to field a MASH unit is progress.
Our progress is slower than we had hoped, but it is still progress. Gerg will probably have to fall on his sword because of our defensive shortcomings, but hopefully a new DC + a team that is not all freshmen = defensive competence. A competent defense, when combined with this offense with another year under its belt, will win a lot of games and should enable us to compete with anybody.
November 21st, 2010 at 1:04 AM ^
Let dahblue enjoy this Mich loss, he hasn't been able to post for two weeks.
November 21st, 2010 at 1:21 AM ^
You must not be stalking very well. I'll be happy when we compete with and beat good teams. I don't enjoy any Michigan loss, but thanks for making things up. Have a good one.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:10 PM ^
that RR will be back next year.
However, I think I read somewhere that DB will evaluate after the season.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
There are different qualities of a 7-5 season. You have to look at who you beat and how you lost.
Who have we beaten? Seriously, what is our best win? Who is the best team we lost to where we can really say "Boy, that could have gone either way"? I get really depressed when I think about the honest answers to those questions.
Brandon's "it's about a lot more than the record" comment should go both ways for RR's job security.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:22 PM ^
Agreed. And I have gotten the sense that DB is leaning toward getting rid of RR. Other feel the opposite. Funny.
I believe in DB and hope he notices that we have become Minnesota and Purdue and Illinois, expect more, and make the right decision. Nothing he has said in an interview makes me feel like he has decided to keep RR.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
for the logical thinking that is obvious in his interview. And logical thinking points to progress. May not be as fast as you like it, but I guess all I can tell you is tough shit.
Minnesota=Michigan?! Srsly?!
Your illogical comments makes me to believe the opposite of what you say. Yay! RR is coming back!
November 20th, 2010 at 11:02 PM ^
You seem to have your mind made up - and have been making it abundantly clear today that you expect RR to be gone - so I'll respect it, even if I think you are way off. But Minny, Purdue, and Illinois are nowhere near where UM has been or will be, even if you hate RR and want to see him gone. UM has improved by 2 wins each of the past 2 years, and may very well win 1-2 more games this year. That's progress, and I think Brandon sees it. He knows far more about the program than anyone here, and I trust that he'll make the right decision. I suspect that will be to keep RR provided some changes are made to his staff, and I fully expect this team to take another leap forward next year.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:50 PM ^
I'm not going to argue with anything you wrote. The thing that makes me mad about this 2 win per year argument, is that part of the negativity associated with RR is the fact that he lost multiple games in his first 2 years that he probably should have won (Toledo, Purdue twice, Illinois, possibly others). The point is, you are essentially rewarding him for losing games he shouldn't have lost by giving him credit for improving. We still havent beat a top level conference opponent, and really haven't been very close.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:15 PM ^
If Brandon has already decided to keep the coach, he would be publicly endorsing him this week -- to rally the troops for OSU. That would be the smart and fairly obvious play. He'd have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Brandon's continued silence suggests that he isn't fully committed to RR.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:23 PM ^
THANK you.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
I've thought this same thing for the past 3 weeks. I'll take it one step further and say that Brandon's silence is deafening.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:31 PM ^
he feels he doesn't have to do that because he still has another year in his contract and there is no reason to make a rash decision that could have profound effects on the culture of Michiagn football. For F's sakes, ND gave Charlie Fupa 5! So if another coach doesn't come in and win a B10 championship in three years regardless of signs pointing to progress, they should be fired? We would then be worse than ND, and I don't even want to be compared to those guys let alone be worse.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:37 PM ^
That's a valid point, but then again, it's Brandon's first year, so we don't really know how he operates. All we can go on is what he's said - that he'll evaluate RR at the end of the season. (I'm curious to know if that means after OSU or after the bowl.)
November 20th, 2010 at 10:41 PM ^
if he has repeatedly said he makes the decision at year's end. Meanwhile, he's making lots of noises of support. Could be, as a poster below suggests, that he's pretty cagey--and I accept that he reserves the right to take a decision based on all the available evidence at a moment of his choosing (e.g. one of Harbaugh's people calls, says he wants out at Standford and wants out now. . .) But all that being the case I still think that he's making strong noises of support.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:53 PM ^
If you think the players need to "rally" around RR for the OSU game and that would be accomplished by Brandon publicly saying RR is coming back (he might very well have told them privately), then I don't know what to say to you. This is one of the biggest rivalries in sport, and the players will be up for it. These players like this coach, and they play hard for him. They might not play well, but at no point this season did I see one player who wasn't 100% in for this team and this coaching staff.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
How would you be able to see that a player isn't 100% for the team/staff? From a distance it can be hard to tell. I don't think anyone expected Emilien to bolt after one week, for instance.
November 21st, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
When Brandon says, "It's not simply about wins and losses" most people interpret this to mean he supports RR. But what he could be saying is that even if Michigan wins 7 or 8 games, and the AD doesn't like what is going on behind the scenes of Michigan football, things could call for a change.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:26 PM ^
I'm surprised to keep seeing this. Doesn't anyone remember Dave Brandon going on a media blitz to soften up the blow for us when they moved the OSU game to mid season? The guy is a business man who manages his product and expectations. He knows that silence speaks volume, so he has to say and do the right things to avoid any sort of lame duck scenarios. This is his only option. He's left himself more than enough wiggle room to go either way with this decision.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:40 PM ^
Will be here through 2011, and likely at least finish his contract through 2012.
3-9
5-7
7-5 (8-4?)
There's improvement. Is it enough? Well, probably not, judging by most fans. But are things bad enough to warrant a coaching change, another transition period, recruits leaving, etc.?
Some coaches peak very quickly before falling into a period of mediocrity (Mack Brown and Texas, Urban Meyer and Florida). Others, like Rodriguez, get their mediocrity out at the beginning.
It's just too early.
I'm just glad I am not the one making decisions.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
I wouldn't write off Brown and Meyer just yet. They are each going through one mediocre season. It's way too early to assume they won't return their programs to the elite. Given the way they each recruit, I'd be surprised if it didn't happen.
As for RR "getting his mediocrity out at the beginning," I hope that's true. My underlying fear is that he needs Casteel (or someone similar) to be his right-hand man to truly achieve big things, and that he might not get him here.
November 21st, 2010 at 1:02 AM ^
I'm betting a lot of fans would argue that Mack Brown would have hit the road along time ago without Muschamp as his DC...it's not a sign of weakness to have good coordinators as a head coach. It's a necessity in this day and age and the mark of a good head coach.
RR will be back next year and the decision he makes as to who his DC is will go along way in deciding what kind of a future he has at Michigan (and maybe beyond).
November 21st, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
Really? Who's your example for a superior coach, then? I'm with you on the rest of your post, but there must be better examples of coaches who peaked then settled into mediocrity. Let's wait and see how they do next year to see what sort of trend they establish post Tebow and McCoy.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
November 20th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
they are going to beat us soundly.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:58 PM ^
Yes, 6 or 7 wins was predicted. Who ever said the prediction total was acceptable though? If I thought team x was gonna suck so bad they would only win 1 game and it came true, does that mean "yeah, we met expectations, extend the coaches contract!!!" ?
November 20th, 2010 at 11:13 PM ^
I'm just not sure as a fan how you can find this acceptable.. Progress? Well, yah it sure is a pretty offense. You beat the teams you should, ND, UMass, Indiana, Illinois, UConn, BG, 3OT to Illinois and Purdue. All teams with .500 and lower records. Against stiff competition, in year 3 of a regime, I would expect errr...Competitiveness? You got housed by MSU, Iowa, PSU (With a walkon QB), and Wisconsin.
Even though you would never say it, you are expecting a loss against OSU next week. Much like this week, according to some recent posters (Hindsight is 20-20). Expecting losses is the last thing I would expect to hear from you guys.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:17 PM ^
...Waste your time trolling this blog, giving an opinion no one cares about.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
see my reply to the post just above you.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:31 PM ^
Even if he does want to make a move, I wonder if the business aspect of him will shell out the dough. Just wondering, I really don't know.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:32 PM ^
Untrue. Brandon will and must voice an opinion on RR, either now or immediately after the season. We just don't know what he'll say. So, given that he has to say something, why wait till later? The sooner he voices support, the more he stabilizes (somewhat) a fragile situation. He doesn't want everyone -- fans, players, recruits -- constantly wondering and speculating and gossiping. I'm sure he would have loved to say, in recent weeks, "I have complete confidence in Rich, and expect great things from him next season." But he didn't say it. Because he wasn't sure.
Also, I seriously doubt he's done a "silent commit" type deal with Richrod. Because, again, why would he? If RR is his man, there's no reason to keep it under wraps.
November 20th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
sounds like crazy talk.
If you want to know what the meaning of the word is... is, ask that dude that monica blew, because he said "it depends."
I hope that clears things up.