Thursday Stick in the Eye: Current FEI rankings
October 9th, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
Youth! Freshman and sophomores! Development! Or something.
October 10th, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^
Can we not rewrite history on RichRod? He's a good coach who didn't do well here. Hiring him was a mistake and firing him was the right thing to do.
October 10th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
Hiring him was not a mistake, treating him like shit was a mistake. Supporting him because he was the coach at the University of Michigan was the right thing to do.
October 9th, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 6:52 PM ^
Speve Sharik?
October 9th, 2014 at 6:54 PM ^
He lets everything through the five hole?
October 9th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
My mom sent me a photo of a starbucks cup that had "Phteven" written on it. Turns out, the customer told the barrista their name was "Stephen with a ph."
October 9th, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
was the only coach to put Michigan on probation. I also appreciated his relentless pursuit of sketchy recruits to further sully the program.
Seems like that all was forgotten since his team is off to a 5-0 start.
October 9th, 2014 at 6:58 PM ^
Are an idiot.
October 9th, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
I agree; he is an idiot. Exactly the kind of idiot that was the cause of why we are in our current situation.
October 9th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^
You're getting what you deserve. I just wish you hadn't dragged me along for the ride.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:55 AM ^
THIS ^^^^^
October 9th, 2014 at 7:26 PM ^
No, he really didn't. Especially when the best replacement available was apparently Brady Hoke. You could have waited one year and either things would have worked out fine with Rodriguez or we could have gone after Hoke (almost certainly still available), Urban Meyer, Todd Graham, Gus Malzahn, Kevin Sumlin, Mike Leach, Hugh Freeze, or Jim Mora, Jr. (just going off the list of guys that got hired that year by other programs).
Instead we're in the shitter and Arizona is in the top-10 with a freshman QB and RB.
October 9th, 2014 at 7:33 PM ^
I don't believe Hoke was the best available at the time. He may have been Dave Brandon's number one option, but that hardly made him the best available. Most of those guys would have been available when they hired Hoke as well, in addition to the numerous Les Miles rumors and making an actual run at Jim Harbaugh.
Hoke needs to be fired, Dave Brandon made a poor choice in hiring him. Whether or not you believed Rich Rod deserved another year, waiting for better coaching candidates was not a reason to give him a fourth year, just like its not a reason to give Hoke another year.
October 9th, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
If you can make a case that the team will be good next year, you don't dump Hoke for just anybody. A comparison has to happen. While I don't particularly believe we're destined for a B1G title next year, I would still rather take a chance that I'm wrong about Hoke than bring in someone with a much less impressive resume (Ron English comes to mind as a comparison that fits in the same way Hoke did with respect to RR).
Dumping RR to get Harbaugh or a guy like Gruden is a much different decision than dumping him for Hoke. In the same respect, Hoke shouldn't be dumped when most of his starters are returning (even if it is later in the process and there are no Denard-like signs for high hopes) for just anybody.
October 9th, 2014 at 10:10 PM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^
None. But if you dump Hoke for another Hoke or an even lesser version (is that even possible?) youre just elongating the nightmare.
If there is noone out there even equal to hoke, then you keep Hoke as highly unfortunate as that is.
Harbaughs or bust. That's just where we are as a program due to silver hairs being silver hairs (see : the jackass that said "all RR did was bring sanctions" above).
October 10th, 2014 at 2:00 AM ^
Well, in this case a major improvement for Hoke could be 6-6 in Year 5 from 3-9 (gulp) this year.
October 9th, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
Yeah, he really did.
October 9th, 2014 at 7:58 PM ^
You were super pissed off that Michigan wasn't good at football and couldn't fathom it had anything to do with anyone but the head coach. You have been proven wrong. Dramatically and demonstrably.
Continuing to mouth off like you were right just because dumbass Dave Brandon agreed with you (Looks like he knows what he's doing, right?) is the most absurd kind of stupidity I've ever encountered in my life. The retard pills this fanbase took regarding Rich Rodriguez will apparently continue to plague us for years, if not decades, to come.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:16 PM ^
You're right, it was someone else who fielded the nation's 109th best defense in his third year and lost by 30 to OSU while scoring 7 points. My mistake.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^
He had losing seasons at Stanford his first two years and was 9th in the Pac-10 in defense in year three when the offense carried him to a mediocre record.
Boy I bet they're glad they fired that loser. It would never have gotten better because it was bad that one time. Returning starters and empty depth chart be damned, because Baloo is fucking pissed!
October 9th, 2014 at 8:26 PM ^
Jim Harbaugh took over a 1-11 team that had lost 8 games by 20 or more points the prevous year. By his third year, the team was 8-5 (6-3 in conference) with losses of 7, 10, 5, 6, and 4 points. Stanford's scoring defense had improved from 106th to 62nd, and their scoring offense improved from 118th to 10th. The fact that you're even attempting to make the comparison is laughable.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:32 PM ^
Michigan was fine then and we're fine now. Taking away Henne/Hart/Long/Manningham/Arrington/Adams/Crable/Mallett/Boren/etc. off a team that lost to Appalachian State is a recipe for unending success. Can't believe DickRod fucked that all up!
Don't stop believin'! The Hokester is about to turn the corner and Arizona is headed for the mountain. I just know it!
Honestly, what would have to happen (Arizona in the national title game? Rose Bowl appearance?) for you to realize that Michigan was the problem in that relationship? And please explain, how was a 4-8 Arizona team that lost Nike Foles to the NFL, its leading rusher, and its top three receivers in so much better shape than Michigan was when Rodriguez got here?
October 9th, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
Now that your Harbaugh comparison was embarassingly destroyed, I see you've moved on to the "yeah, well, Hoke sucks too!" argument. For once, I agree. Hoke does suck.
The reason Rich Rod is succeeding (and I use that term loosely given his 10-10 conference record) is because he brought a competent defensive coordinator with him this time. End of story. He was too stupid to do that at Michigan, and he paid for it by getting his ass canned.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
Harbaugh's team sucked for two years and was mediocre for one. So was Rodriguez's here. You claim some matter of degree means RichRod's team wasn't going to be good a year later when Harbaugh's became a powerhouse. Yet a coach you claim sucks coached that team and they won a BCS bowl. I.E. they were pretty good.
How did that happen? And I'm sure you predicted it would happen at the time like I did. And you predicted Arizona would be in the top ten, but that it would only be because of Casteel, right? You haven't just continued to argue against the guy no matter what the facts on the ground suggest, certainly? An expert prognosticator like you?
October 9th, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
Sure, if you completely ignore the metrics, both teams were bad for two years and mediocre for one. Just forget about the incredible upward trends in one coach and the middling or hugely negative trends in the other, and it all looks the same.
And yes, when Rich Rod went to Arizona and brought Casteel, I guessed he would have a decent team that could routinely go 8-4 or 9-3 and do okay in the PAC 12 with some horrific blowouts and a couple great games each year. So far, that's exactly what has happened. One week after needing a hail mary to beat Cal, he takes down Oregon and people shit their pants. This is what Rich Rod does.
There is really no point in contining to argue this. If you honestly believe that an 8-5 year with a 6-3 conference record and very close losses is equivalent to a 7-6 year with a 3-5 conference record filled with blowouts and a defense that gave up 34, 38, 41, 65, 16, 48, 37, and 52 over its last 8 games, there isn't much I can do to help you.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:03 AM ^
If you dont think RR is a great coach who knows exactly what he is doing you are a fucking moron.
3 years is not enough to evaluate a coach. Had we kept RR we may very well have been playing for a NC in his 2011 instead of a sugar bowl.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:26 PM ^
I'm sure we can clear this up mr. 20/20 hindsight: Just re-post your PupleStuff post from Jan. 2011 praising RR and arguing that he continue as Head Ball Coach...after the 38 point bowl game loss. While you're searching for that "proof post" of yours, we can chew on this: Worst season in UM history; ends longest bowl game streak in the nation; oh, and ends his fine career with the worst bowl game loss in UM history. Found it? I know we already did. Hoke may deserve no better, but please stop the I told You all bs.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:36 PM ^
I don't know if you lurked before 2013 or had another account or if you've only been around here a year or so. Anyway, there were more than a few people here who wanted RR to stay and believed we would win 10+ games in 2011.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^
Where is M-Wolverine when I need him?
October 10th, 2014 at 1:00 AM ^
As far as M-Wolverine, I don't make a habit of speaking for other people, but I can tell you 100% he'd confirm you were pro-RR at that time.
He'd also 100% be arguing some of your posts here, but that's neither here nor there and isn't even what anyone else is arguing right now.
October 10th, 2014 at 11:25 AM ^
I remember PurpleStuff saying all of those same things back when RRod was fired.....verbatim.
October 9th, 2014 at 10:09 PM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
You must have failed history. In 2012 AZ finished the season 5-2, including wins over USC and in a bowl game. In 2013 AZ finished the season 4-3, including wins over Oregon and in a bowl game. In 2012, when they played ASU in Tucson, they lost by 7.
October 10th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
Just for the record, RR wanted Casteel to come to Michigan. THe AD did not. Because UM doesn't pay their coordinators that much.. because this is Michigan fergodsakes.
Of course now they do because they are attempting to support the current coach. Too bad he is really bad at coaching where the last one was actually very good at it.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:16 PM ^
Rod's teams got blown out consistently worse than this team has. There were mulitple 2014 Notre Dame dumpster fires during his three years including against OSU (who Hoke at least beat and lost to by 1 point). Any good team decisively shut down RR's amazing genious offense, which only seemed ingenious against the Bowling Greens, UMASSs, and Illinois of the world. He recruited poorly by Michigan standards as well. In his 4th year we would not have magically turned into what Arizona is today.
Not defending Hoke but for fucks sake have some perspective.
October 9th, 2014 at 8:22 PM ^
One guy inherited a terrible team (Threet/Sheridan, Ferrara starting on the offensive line, etc.) and a broken program (no secondary players left by year three).
One guy inherited a Sugar Bowl winning team.
By year four one guy had the program set up for success but got booted because 3-9 is unacceptable.
By year four one guy has us at 2-4.
No one is saying Rodriguez had good teams here. Jim Harbaugh had two shitty seasons at Stanford and lost to WAKE FOREST in year three, with a defense that was statistically terrible. People with intelligence do realize that those teams looked nothing like his future teams would when guys like Lewan, Denard, Roundtree, Fitz, Gallon, etc. became upperclassmen and we weren't at a huge personnel deficit on defense. Instead of waiting one offseason to find out, you were mad about losing. As a result the program is where it is.
October 9th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
if RR had gotten and done well in year 4? Would that hole in the OLine recruiting have miraculously fixed itself? RR was set up for the same drop that Hoke had.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:07 PM ^
One of BWC or Q-Wash would have been on offense, Jake Fisher (who was committed initially to UM before Dave Brandon told him he had no idea who his coach would be) would have been a multi-year starter just like he has been at Oregon, and we almost certainly go heavy on o-linemen in the 2012 class.
2012 your line is Lewan, Omameh, Schofield, BWC, Barnum/Mealer/Fisher (better than what we had, and playing in the same system that suits their skillset)
2013 is Lewan, Schofield, Fisher, probably Miller at center, and the best of the RS freshmen from 2012 class
2014 can't be any worse than 2-4 can it?
An intentional one year hole in the 2010 class (created by excellent prior recruiting of three future NFL draft picks in 2009 class and an immediate need for defense) was exacerbated by Dave Brandon's bullshit (killing the 2011 recruiting class for over a year by not supporting his head coach) and Hoke's lack of familiarity with the roster.
And maybe Josh Furman is still here instead of racking up more TFL and sacks than any Michigan player at Oklahoma State.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:08 AM ^
BWC and Q-Wash...no telling how that might have worked out and the same with Mealer/Barnum/Miller. Would RR have left Schofield at guard?...who knows...but that would have left us pretty weak at 2 OLine positions (we could argue better coaching, I suppose).
Would Denard have made it through the beatings he was taking and would Devin have been serviceable running RRs full offense (I don't recall him ever looking great when RR was still her,e though we know he has great athleticism....he still seems to struggle with the read option, in my opinion. To me he seems to predetermine what he is going to do pre-snap instead of reading it as I've seen him give it several times when the DE is crashing hard)?
I certainly felt at the time RR needed to move on, and I was a supporter until the Miss St game, though I would have been fine if he had stayed. I would love to see Hoke win out and turn the corner, but I have serious doubts. I think the program is much better off acknowledging its mistakes (not necessarily publicly) making the needed changes and moving forward. The Leaders and Best should not be looking back on past failures and get stuck in what might have been.
RR has learned from his time at UM, that is good. RR has moved on from UM, that is good. RR has found success, that is good. UM needs to do the same.
October 10th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
Devin Gardner was a true freshman in RR's last year. He should have redshirted but, because RR was disciplining Tate Forcier, DG played backup in a few games at the start of the season. He was then injured, ultimately being granted a medical redshirt.
RR has a proven history of developing QBs: Shaun King, Woody Dantzler, Pat White, Denard Robinson and the guys he's working with at AZ. Devin Gardner is probably the individual who has suffered the most from RR's firing.
October 11th, 2014 at 4:00 AM ^
They both suck(ed). Why do the Rodriguez supporters always play the Hoke card? Nobody, I mean NOBODY is arguing that Hoke is a good coach.