More Fired Coaches = Safer RichRod
It seems pretty clear that our coach next year is going to be Rich Rod or Harbaugh. Dave Brandon (hopefully) isn't foolish enough to fire RR without previously securing the talents of Harbaugh. Right now Harbaugh seems to be a name thrown around for every coaching position, both College and NFL.
This leads me to think that, given the growing list of organizations with current or impending coaching vacancies (Cowboys, Broncos, Vikings, Pitt, Miami, Florida), there are going to be a lot of offers made to Harbaugh, making it less likely DB can lure him over to Michigan.
So for those Rich Rod supporters...it's looking pretty good.
December 8th, 2010 at 5:56 PM ^
This is asinine. Do you believe that Brandon is attempting to instill fear in RR in order to get a better coaching performance? We're talkiing about a head coach at a major college program, not a silly freshman worrying about his next chemistry exam. RR is an adult who has been through the wars. He knows that if he returns, there must be a dramatic change in the defense and special teams.
I'll leave it to someone else to comment on your style, grammar, and syntax.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^
Rodriguez had fear the minute he accepted the job. He knew the legacy and program he was walking into and he made that clear in his introductory press conference: "I know there's great expectations here." "Everybody knows the legend of Bo Schembechler." Sounds like he was in awe of the program from the minute he got here, and his emotion in wanting to stay here is clear (blah blah Josh Groban reference blah).
Michigan is a destination job for many and clearly it was for Rodriguez. I think he's been afraid of tarnishing Michigan's legacy and his own reputation every day, and the fact that fans remind him of that on blogs and in the stadium and the local media is unsupportive is only furthering that fear of losing what he's worked towards. I think that Brandon is smart enough to be aware of that and smart enough not to hurt Rodriguez as a coach or as an employee / coaching candidate.
I'm just not convinced that putting fear into RichRod is a legitimate argument for why Brandon is holding out. I'm not sure that any of us are in a position to judge what his motives are because none of us have a clue.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
The Cowboys are keeping Jason Garrett.
3-1 with Kitna at the helm with 2 of those wins coming in Indy and NY.
Cowboys will be just fine.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:08 PM ^
Purpose. Should have no mispelling here, we are Michigan grads. Also wonder if DB is ducking the issue so he does not have to answer the Gerg question as well. A lot is mentioned about RR returning but I guess Gerg is a lock to leave ?
December 8th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^
If I were Rodriguez, and I really wanted to stay at Michigan, I'd be working on fixing every obvious problem with this coaching staff. I'd also drop my ego and admit my errors from day 1 to Brandon. Then tell him what I am doing to adapt my approach to building this program going forward.Then I'd show him a plan of who is getting fired and who is going to be pursued in the event he keeps me as coach.
If the Harbaugh plan seems to be so damn inviting to Michigan, I'd even crib some of the concepts Stanford has used to become what we have not. A way they recruit? Concepts on defense? Special Teams?
Not sure if he is doing this or not? A big beef people have with Rodriguez is his seeming inability to admit he made mistakes. Whether true or not, if he is not accountable in his approach to this program, it will be his undoing.
One would assume he is. That's what winners do. They don't act like they know everything and keep beating their heads against the wall with no meaningful change in results. It is time for him to work extra extra hard to impress the boss. Make it hard to fire him. If being bowl eligible, loud offensive stats, and having a bunch of starters returning were enough, he'd already be retained.
One thing that I will never buy is that Rich's body of work to date and the fact that he has a lot of returners coming back, should by itself make everyone confident. If I were Brandon, I'd want to see a plan that lets me know that this coach gets where he fucked up and how he is going to change it to adapt to the conference going forward.
Standing firm on blamelessness and excuses like bad luck is a sure ticket out of town.
I hope he is fighting for this job.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:23 PM ^
I think he's probably just sitting on his couch eating Cheetos and watching old episodes of Friends with Rita.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:41 PM ^
Cheetos?
December 8th, 2010 at 6:15 PM ^
that Harbaugh is a coach whore that will go to the best paid job.
This is not true - him enteraining an offer from Dallas would make him crazier than Les Miles.
December 8th, 2010 at 6:20 PM ^
Can we keep RR and take JH's defensive staff. That defense over there is good id take them all
December 8th, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^
...Rich, a little. If Brandon wants to take a chance and give Rich another year or two, he doesn't have to fear it not working out and being stuck with nobody if Harbaugh has gone to the NFL. Because everyone's #1 coaching candidate for the next couple of years is going to be Urban Meyer, who's only 46 himself. In another year or two, if Rich doesn't have us tearing people apart, it could make Urban a target after he's had some time off. And historic program positions don't open up that often, so it might be viable.
December 8th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
and not a RR or JH supporter. Too many sides being taken. Quit pulling for the guy and not the program.
December 8th, 2010 at 7:51 PM ^
I doubt this will matter. If anything, this sends the message to Harbaugh that NFL jobs really aren't that hard to come by. The Michigan job is available far less frequently.
