How much has RR seat cooled?

Submitted by natesezgoblue on

2 big wins.  Im assuming we start 5-0.  Is he guaranteed to be here next year?

MgoViper

September 12th, 2010 at 7:34 PM ^

"Forget all of this hot-seat nonsense," says Michigan athletic director David Brandon, in his first year on the job. "All I want to see is a team that's on the move and improving. And that's what Rich needs to see and that's what our fans need to see, and that is what we are looking for this season."

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1118926

 

David Brandon says he doesn't agree with you.

Pete99

September 12th, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^

M: What would be a failure in your mind this season?

R: If we're not in the conversation as far as competing for a Big Ten championship and if we're not playing top 25 football by the end of the year.

 

 

 

http://www.freep.com/article/20100829/COL01/8290419/Michigan-coach-Rich-Rodriguez--%5C-I%5C-ve-got-thicker-skin-now.-I%5C-ve-got-alligator-skin%5C-

MgoViper

September 12th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

i was quoting DB, not RR. This thread was started on a commom misconception that RR is on a coaching hot seat. DB debunked that in the Rivals article. Im still trying to figure out what arguement you are trying to make, or even support. Can you help me out here?

 

Edit: Not trying to be mean here, I am just not following you on this reply.

Pete99

September 12th, 2010 at 9:13 PM ^

I wouldn't say that DB was debunking anything. He's probably sick and tired of answering the same question over and over again. DB has repeatedly said that Rich Rodriguez is the head football coach for this season. He has made no commitment beyond that. Rich would not survive another meltdown during conference play this season like we went through last year.

 

 RR knows what he needs to do in order to keep his job. His answer to Albom's question makes that pretty clear.

bouje

September 12th, 2010 at 7:03 PM ^

in many games last year we were outgained and lost the TO margin. this year we are positive in both of those. also uconn is not western and ND without weis>ND with weis.

yes I think that we should not get ahead of ourselves but let's enjoy this.

M-Wolverine

September 12th, 2010 at 7:06 PM ^

But if someone's asking a question that concerns the whole season, it's completely fair to say wait till a lot more season is played. 

If someone is asking how we're doing, and how we'll look for next week, then yes, no reason to buzz-kill.

Mirasola

September 12th, 2010 at 9:07 PM ^

My realistic expectations at this point are not that high. I'm waiting until the MSU/Iowa games until I pass judgment on what's happening to RR. Last year a lot of us didn't notice the state of the defense due to some big early wins and Tate's great performance. All I'm saying is that I'm not letting myself get hyped up again until I see some solid evidence in Big Ten play.

bjk

September 12th, 2010 at 7:50 PM ^

are happy to point out that ND actually outgained in yards (not by enough to park a car in, I don't think, but you know how much this means to them at a time like this), and with a QB out half the game, etc., etc.

I agree that beating ND at home (key phrase RE officials from yesterday's liveblog: "The fix is in") is a step up from beating them in Ann Arbor, ceterus parabus. Although we were equally delirious at this time last year, I think it is early to conclude that this season must therefor turn out like last year's. There is a lot of excitement, improvement, and spirit, and a lot of football left to play; I say take it one game at a time and let RR's seat take care of itself. It's about the team, after all, and we will be here in any event.

stankoniaks

September 12th, 2010 at 10:57 PM ^

I completely agree with you. I don't understand why posters here keep coming on and saying that certain games are locks. Look, in the last two years we have lost to Toledo, Illinois, Purdue, and barely beat Miami (OH) and Indiana. There is no game that is a lock. Sure Bowling Green and Umass should be comfortable wins but we have to be focused and execute the game plan to ensure that. If we look ahead who knows what could happen. This defense has shown lapses at times, and thus no win should be presumed. Conversely, our offense and Denard has been brilliant and shown that it can give any defense fits.

In essence, there are no presumed wins or losses. By Saturday afternoon I hope we are 3-0, working on some of our areas of weakness and prepping for the next week.

TheOracle6

September 12th, 2010 at 6:59 PM ^

RR will be here next year because Brandon see's the product on the field and knows it's only going to get better, stronger, faster, and more consistent.  Brandon would be stupid to fire RR just to have to start all over again and go through the attrition and everything bad that comes with starting over.  RR has started the year 2-0 and most of us before the season didn't think that would be the case.  I"m so excited about the future it's not even funny.

wildbackdunesman

September 12th, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^

I agree with you.

In 2011, Rod will have 9 starters on offense back, 9 starters on defense back, and his punter and kicker back from a team that is showing a lot of talent and promise this year no matter what our final record is.

To fire Rod when we are turning a corner would be idiotic.  A new coach would probably have a different philosophy and recruit different types of players as well.  Not to mention we would undergo another wave of transfers most likely....setting us back further.

Rod will succeed here...all he requires is our patience through 2011 when I fully expect to be in the thick of the BigTen title race and a top 15 finish.

ElGuapo

September 12th, 2010 at 8:38 PM ^

I think we may be underestimating our accomplishments a bit at this point in the season because of what happened last year.    And because our defense can admittedly be a little scary at times.   But the fact of the matter is that present day Notre Dame and elite level BIg East teams are conservatively comparable to mid level Big 10 teams.   Thus, wins over a well coached UConn team and ND had to atleast be equivalent to a win over a Minny, Purdue, Illinois and possibly little brother.   And that has to bode well for our overall prospect of success in Big 10 play.   Moreover, I don't ever recall Minny, Purdue, Illinois or lil brother hitting like that UConn team hit.  Roy Roundtree might still be shaking out the cobwebs from that bonecrushing hit he took against UConn.  

And we all know that Charlie Weis couldn't coach but he sure could recruit.   That ND team has a high number of players who will playing on Sundays in the years to come.   And to beat that team on the road was no small feat.

I am trying to be conservative but I must admit to being downright giddy over what I have seen of this team this year.   And I believe Monsieur Brandon has to see the direction in which this team is going and has to be gaining more and more confidence in Rich Rod.   

Yes, I think RR's seat is cooling.   Far from cool but cooling.    

 

Search4Meaning

September 12th, 2010 at 9:45 PM ^

What if he "only" beat  PSU and all the other games - but not MSU and OSU?

 

I would hope that an improving product and a winning season might count as well.  Quality wins over MSU, PSU, OSU, Iowa, Wisconsin or a bowl win are icing on the cake.

maizedandconfused

September 12th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^

Just go 12-0 and win the national championship..

I think all we need to swing is one of those two and he stays.. we lose both but he beats Wisc he stays.

I think at this point, with the hype of hte media and whatnot it would take an immense collapse to get him canned.

bluebyyou

September 12th, 2010 at 7:55 PM ^

Obviously, Denard has a skill set Tate can only imagine having, but when we started 4--0 last year, would anyone have thought that RichRod's job could possibly be the subject of debate this year?  Would you have thought we wouldn't get into a bowl game?  

I think in some ways, Denard's early season success almost puts more pressure on RichRod should he not win at least seven or eight.  With Denard's talent, should we stumble significantly, there will be a lot of noise. 

I love winning and the Denard Robinson show is the best I have seen since just about forever.  But there is only so much he can do.  In a few weeks, our competition jumps up another level.   Reread Brian's detailed discussion of our defense and think about the quality of our special teams.

Folks, the jury is still out and they will be deliberating long into the season.  Winning will cure everything, but win we must.  Brandon is no fool, but there is a lot of pressure from a lot of alums with significant checkbooks who are not happy about a lot of things at the moment and most of those folks don't know one tenth of what the people on this blog know about what RichRod inherited.

umchicago

September 12th, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^

correct.  that's why there is no way in hell RR loses his job this year, unless there are some off-the-field transgressions.  it would take a blind person not to see the improvement of this team this year.  2-0 despite having one of the youngest teams in the nation (and youngest in the big 10).

remember, UM struggled last year after Molk got injured and Tate blew out his shoulder.  we would have won another couple games with a healthy Tate, let alone Molk.

BlueintheLou

September 12th, 2010 at 7:02 PM ^

Let's not assume anything these days. We've seen games we easily should have won slip through our fingers too much the past few years to take any game for granted. Let's get through one game at a time, and continue to show the improvements we have seen on a consistent basis.

BlockM

September 12th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^

Let's wait for a few more games. Another B10 performance like last year and he's still probably gone. We still need to win at least 5 more games, IME.

Vasav

September 12th, 2010 at 7:08 PM ^

UMass is a good team - take this one game at a time. His seat has cooled but a loss next week will heat it up considerably - and the week after against Bowling Green is the same situation, and the week after against Indiana, and the week after against MSU.

It makes me nervous to assume wins, ever - especially after the last few years. And his seat will heat and cool from week to week. Let's enjoy the win and not worry about his job until the end of the year.

GBOD79

September 12th, 2010 at 7:09 PM ^

I personally dont think the seat has been as hot as it has been made out to be. The national talking heads like to create drama to drive ratings. We have improved from year one to year two and it appears we have improved year two to year three. Mr. Brandon has seen this and is not going to take the team backwards by firing a man who is not only a great coach, but also a great representative of the university. 

In short, I think the "hot seat" meme is pretty stupid. We drastically changed our offense, it was never going to be a smooth transition. 

bjk

September 12th, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^

The reason for the predictable and completely uninformative "hot seat" talk is that it catches people's attention the same way an ambulance by the side of the highway does, only in this case it's probably a fake ambulance.

The people who indulge it are desperate for attention and too callow or unseasoned to care if one-time readers ever come back for repeat hits. Every one of these "hot seat" pieces reads exactly the same, with exactly the same lack of solid information. Meh.

Edit. I refer to the "official" pieces by "professional journalists" when I make the above remarks.

Giff4484

September 12th, 2010 at 7:13 PM ^

We should all know better. I agree one game at a time, for all we know UCONN & ND can be bad teams or great teams.
Let's let it play out. I want Rich Rod to be our coach and he will be. But every game is important for us.

bleedzblue

September 12th, 2010 at 7:12 PM ^

I don't think its cooled down myself. We have won the first two games so people just aren't talking about. But make no mistake, his seat is still pretty warm. I agree with everyone who says let's wait till at least the halfway point. Or if we get to 8 wins in our first 9 games then I believe RR has nothing to worry about. I'm in the crowd of RR should be back next year no matter what, but I'm not Dave Bandon. /s

Trader Jack

September 12th, 2010 at 10:33 PM ^

I guess my point is that it's foolish to even try to asses after 2 games whether his seat is hot or cold. He could win the next 10 games or he could lose the next 10 games; nobody knows. So right now it doesn't really matter if he's on the hot seat or not. Until we know how the rest of the season plays out, it's stupid to even speculate.

mejunglechop

September 12th, 2010 at 7:31 PM ^

Given the wins, the probability that Rodriguez stays is obviously higher than it was at the beginning of the season. But if he fucks up and we end up staying home at the end of the year he's still totally fired.

Don

September 12th, 2010 at 7:36 PM ^

and then the bandwagoners will be jumping to their death, the mass media wolves will be calling for his neck again, and the blogging buzzards will be circling waiting for the carcass.

MichFan1997

September 12th, 2010 at 7:39 PM ^

I just hope we make it through this year so that everything I believe about his ability is true. I honestly think this is the man to do this job. Just be patient. We are so close guys. We are so close. If he's here in two years, this will be a POWERHOUSE.

PinballPete

September 12th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^

It really depends on how hot you considered it before the season. IME, shit was hot. After the UConn game it went Lukewarm with a record setting performance. Right now it has gone to Lukecool.

Ask this question in about a month if/when any hammer gets dropped by the NCAA. Then ask again after the season, when his contract will have one year remaining (when you would normally discuss a new contract, no?)

doughboy

September 12th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^

In listening to and reading Brandon, it seems that he is interested in many things when it comes to RR not just wins and losses.  Some of those things include improvement and team continuity (my words).  I feel that even with a small sampling of two games, albeit important ones, RR demonstrated that the team has improved over last year and the team has become more solidified with the coaches and each other.  Obviously, this is much easier when we win, but there seems to be a sense of purpose and direction with everyone working towards the same goals this year versus last.