One difference between Hoke and Rodriguez that I find encouraging
While none of us know exactly what happened in meetings or conversations between RR and Mallett and between Hoke and Denard, my sense is that it was something like this.
RR - Ryan Mallett you are one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the country. I don't really see how you will fit in the offense I intend to run, even though I have no one else available to me that can run it. I hope you stick around, but if you decide to leave I will understand.
Hoke - Denard Robinson you are one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and have dilithium speed. I would be a fool not to find a way to take advantage of your skill set and experience, even though I have Devin Gardner (and nobody else) to work with. If you leave Michigan you would have to sit out a year and you would not get the value of a Michigan degree. The team needs you, I need you, please give me a chance to find a way for us to be successful together.
January 13th, 2011 at 3:57 PM ^
an on camera interview where Rich Rod was asked point blank about Mallett within weeks of him excepting the job at Michigan. RR replied that he had tried to convince Mallett to stay on three different occasions, and that this was enough to convince RR that he didn't want to be here. I also seem to remember the general part of Michigan fandom who always reply with something along the lines of "I only care about players who want to play for Michigan", rallying around him for this, at least momentarily. Dollars to donuts that those same fans are the same ones claiming he ran off Mallett because he didnt' want to adapt now.
I can accept the new hire. I can hope that he'll work out. I'm not going to sit here idly and watch while people make up shit and post rationalize things in an effort to convince themselves that the ship has righted itself and everything is going to be okay.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
That was one of my favorite Coach Rod moments. I really wanted Les Miles back in '07 but that "I only talk about players that play for Michigan" comment did help ME rally around him.
January 13th, 2011 at 3:59 PM ^
OMG I CANT BELIEVE WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT MALLET GETTING RUN OFT
There are several quotes from Rodriguez out there that he met with and talked to Mallet several times. The one that sticks out in my memory is Rodriguez saying something like "You can only ask them to stay so many times." I think he said he had 3 meetings with the kid and after that it was quite obvious Mallet was leaving so he didn't waste any more time trying to get him to stay.
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU EVEN RUN A 5STAR QB OUT OF TOWN. INSANITY. Plus didn't haven't we hashed and rehashed the fact that RR had prolific passing offenses with Shaun King, etc. etc.
Holy hell people let it go.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:25 PM ^
You are completely right about this.
But, we'll see this thread 6500 more times, along with "What's a Michigan Man" 9300 more times, and just for good measure, "The Cupboard was Bare" at least 45 bagillion times--especially if Hoke is successful.
ZOWIE would that drive the Rodriguez crowd completely bonkers.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
When I read your title, I clicked on this anticipating something neg-worthy. You did not disappoint.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
Very nice! Way to make up the scenarios in your head, escpecially when you have no friggin clue if this is actually how it went down. I guess I just don't see the point to the imaginary dialogue. We don't know for sure what RR said to Mallett whatsoever, and who knows how Hoke is convinving Denard to stay. I'm new to posting but have been a reader for years and I just don't get the point of an OP with your pretend dialogue that you created and is probably way off from how it went happened, we probably just got dumber for reading it.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:16 PM ^
God, this "Coach Rod ran off Ryan Mallett" meme is so old and tired. NO ONE knows what happened there so can we finally just let it go.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
does anyone remember shaun king of tulane? he only led the nation in passing and really wasnt a running quarterback. he also went on to play for the bucs in the nfl and did ok as their starter. well, guess who shaun kings quarterback coach was...thats right...it was rr. ryan mallett could have stayed if he wanted to. rr is smart enough to take a pure passer like mallett and run an offense...hence shaun king. so dont tell me that rr ran anyone off...there was no one with talent to run off. just see the nfl draft classes of lc's jr.'s & sr.'s recruiting classes that rr had when he got here...only 5 nfl draft picks rr's first two years...only 1 was a 1st round pick...bg, 1 punter in the 4th and the rest were low draft picks. the only difference between rr and bh is bh is a "MM" and 80lbs heavier. thats it. they both are not wine & cheese arrogant michigan pedigree.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
rdlwolverine (devil figure on left shoulder): I am bored. I need to make an MGoBlog post about Hoke vs RR like everyone else did...but all good subjects are used...
rdlwolverine (angel figure on right shoulder): don't do it man
rdlwolverine (devil figure on left shoulder): How about: "Toliet Paper Preferences: RR-Charmin Hoke-Scotts"? No... "A comparsion on coaching hairstyles"... hmmm..
rdlwolverine (angel figure on right shoulder): please stop
rdlwolverine (devil figure on left shoulder): I know! "Mythical QB conversations that never took place!"
Angel vanishes
January 13th, 2011 at 4:18 PM ^
That was probably the worst assumption ever. To think RR didn't want Mallett is idiotic.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:34 PM ^
Mallett probably heard that RR was truly from WV and what the law down here regarding farm animals over 50lbs and legality issues was..... At least that was the rumor down here. You also gotta remember that Pat White pretty much lucked into his situation with a pro style QB injury at WVU that Nehlen had recruited? I wish I had that luck!
January 13th, 2011 at 4:39 PM ^
fact that RR did indeed try to keep Mallet AND that Mallet was already unhappy at M and Lloyd threw transfer papers at him and was rumored to actually really not like him and perhaps realy wanted him to transfer...
Remember also that M was a distant second choice to Arkansas in his mind and the only reason he didn't go there was because he did not want to ride pine behind Mustain for 2-3 years....then Mustain transferred to USC and voila!
Perfect example of the 'all the evidence says A', therefore I will listen to rabble rabble and convince myself of B....as long as it vilifies RR, it is good with me.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
that sounds about right.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:48 PM ^
I find it hard to believe the rumors that Mallett wasn't liked by his teammates, or that he somehow absolutely hated Michigan.
Two months after he transferred, he rolled into Dance Marathon at 3AM with Mike Hart, Adrian Arrington, and a whole mess of other football players. And looked perfectly happy and at ease with the guys.
I will say, though, that I used to see him around in the West Quad cafeteria a lot the semester he enrolled early, and dude even looked miserably cold indoors. Big puffy jacket with fur hood never came off.
January 13th, 2011 at 4:56 PM ^
Sports Illustrated had a piece on college transfers and how it affected the players. Ryan Mallet was one of the few that did ok. When asked about his departure from Michigan, Mallet had nothing bad to say about the school; or Rodriguez. It was Mallets mother who started the whole "Coach ran off my baby"
January 13th, 2011 at 5:34 PM ^
I attended the last fantasy camp hosted by Carr and his assistants. He told all of us that Mallett wanted to leave Michigan before his freshman year. He was homesick and missed his friends. Lloyd had Mr. and Mrs. Mallett come up from Texarkana to talk him out of leaving.