TomVH: Dee Hart Update

Submitted by TomVH on

Chris Hays from the Orlando Sentinel posted this article after talking to Demetrius Hart. The article says that Demetrius plans on staying committed to Michigan as long as Rich Rodriguez is the head coach. The shocker is this. If Rich Rodriguez is fired, Demetrius says he will end up at Florida, not Alabama.

I spoke with Chris about the article, and he felt that Demetrius was being genuine. He, along with everyone else, isn't sure what Demetrius will do but said Demetrius told him he will stay if Rich Rodriguez does too. He told Chris Hays tonight that Alabama is out, and it's all about the spread offense for him. Demetrius is also no longer enrolling early, according to Chris and the article.

mgoblue52

December 7th, 2010 at 12:45 AM ^

In Rod We Trust.  It seems like we always over-emphasize the bowl games, but gosh... a bowl win would make it so much harder to fire him.

Thanks Tom VH for your great updates, as usual.

nickb

December 7th, 2010 at 12:17 PM ^

Michigan is not in disparate need of a running back. It needs good defensive players. Good running backs out of high school are a dime a dozen. Certainly good quarterbacks can make a difference and are coveted. Not the same for running backs.

If Hart decides to go to Florida god bless him. I doubt he will be missed at Michigan.

myrtlebeachmai…

December 7th, 2010 at 9:12 AM ^

DB's job is to initiate a performance review every year on his coaches.  He's not going to do it until their season's done.  He has never said once that he is waiting to make a decision on RR.  That's all been us/media.  He HAS said he's not ready to do his review yet. 

Even once his review is done, there's still only a decision IF he thinks change is necessary.  Should he do the review and not feel head coach change is necessary, there will NEVER be a decision.  In essence, we're all waiting around anxiously for nothing.

Like it or not, DB is not "wasting" time, whether it's "convenient" for others or not.  He certainly should not be encouraged to make "hasty" decisions at his level.

michgoblue

December 7th, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^

This reasoning is naive.  In the corporate world, this would make sense.  But we are not in the corporate world - we are a major college football program that is covered extensively by the local and national press.

This press coverage is followed by recruits, fans, alum and donors.  While in the corporate world, failing to make public the result of a performance review would be ordinary and would not harm the company, that mentality does not apply to D1 college football.

Failing to announce his "decision" can only further hurt recruiting, and likely donations.  Recruiting is the lifeblood of our team - this should be obvious after the past three years and the "Decimated Defense" Diary that has made its way around this blog a million times.  Donations are equally important, because they pay for the facilities that allow us to recruit, they allow us to apy coaches anough to keep them and they allow us to do more to market our brand (which again dovetails into recruiting).

As for making a "hasty" decision, I do not think that anyone on this board - including those that, like me, have become frustrated with DB's timetable - wants that.  But DB has had a full season to evaluate RR.  He has seen the results of the past three seasons, witness the level of progress, met with the players, met with the coaches, spoken with former players and alum.  To me, making a decision at this point would not be hasty, it would be timely.  Most other ADs don't seem to have trouble making this decision after the close of the regular season. 

So, in summary, I just don't get why you (and I am not singling you out) are treating DB's decision -and that is what it is - as an ordinary corporate performance review.  It is not.  This "decision" will largely shape the future of our program.

One note:  I have seen this theory in many of these threads:  DB is waiting to make his announcement because he wants Harbaugh and does not want to put Harbaugh in a Les Miles type situation where he has to choose between the M job and his team on the eve of a huge game.  If this is his reasoning - agree or disagree with the decision - then this would justify his delay.  If this is not, and he is just going to keep RR, then in my mind just get on with it and let's restore some sanity to our program.

Blue in Seattle

December 9th, 2010 at 11:08 PM ^

Brandon never stated there would be a "firing decision".  He has merely stuck to his story that he reviews coaches performance at the end of the season.

On top of that, he's stated multiple times since February that Rich Rodriguez is the coach of Michigan, and specifically in response to the NCAA violations he has stated, "Rich Rodriguez will be the coach."  Despite this direct and clear statement, the question is asked over an over.

I don't notice any other AD's around the country issuing press releases to confirm that indeed their coaches are staying.  So is is hardly standard practice in Division 1 football that Head Coaches must be confirmed annual in a press release.

So in my estimation you are the one being naive.  Because after months of examples where the media makes up their stories the way they want, ignoring the direct answers to their questions, you actually believe that if David Brandon said yet again, "Coach Rodriguez is the coach at Michigan." then suddenly all of this media story creation will go away.

But probably there is nothing that will convince you that a decision doesn't exist, any more than the media could be convinced by someone directly answering their questions.

 

 

Beavis

December 7th, 2010 at 9:47 AM ^

I have only been working full time for about 4 years now, but I have survived two layoffs and not survived another (everybody in the group let go post acquisition). 

I'll tell you one thing I know - a boss should know whether or not he's going to fire someone before his performance review is complete.  DBis holding all the cards, waiting to see the last data point of the season before sitting down with Rich.  I do not think he's waiting to either keep or fire Rich, as that decision has likely already been made (and it's "keep" btw).  He's just sitting around, gathering more information on where to be hard on Rich, and where to give the man some wiggle room (if there is any left to be given). 

I think by waiting it also gives David a loophole in his decision to keep RR, whereby if we are blown out and embarassed on ESPN2, he could fire him if a "more worthy" candidate is out there. 

This is all my opinion.  I have no insider knowledge, other than David is a business man and I am one too. 

ChalmersE

December 7th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^

between giving a performance review and deciding whether to retain someone.  You can tell someone they've had an average year so no bonus, but you've still got a job.  If all we were talking about reviewing the coach's performance, DB could say I'll review his performance, critique some things and discuss how I expect improvement in the future.  If he did, then all this angst would end.  The fact that he hasn't done something like that speaks volumes to me.

Beavis

December 7th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^

First of all, let me say my post above was meandering and made little sense to me when I read it again.  I suck.

Second of all, I think the reason why DB hasn't said anything is because, in the case we are blown out (by 5+ TD's - totally arbitrary) and a certain coach is available and willing to come to AA - he'll can RR. 

Chances of this happening?  I believe them to be very, very slim.  However, cue up the "so you're saying there is a chance?" guy. 

TomVH

December 7th, 2010 at 12:49 AM ^

Yes, I do. Alabama is just as logged jam. He would fit in way better with Florida's offense, since he wouldn't at all as a running back at Alabama.

Cheech

December 7th, 2010 at 1:07 AM ^

Because grammar on an internet board determines a Michigan Grad? Do you guys love the program or do you love Michigan. The experiment failed. 

Like Bo said, you idiots know who Bo is right? Its about the TEAM. No man is more important than the team NO COACH is more important than the team. This team is struggling with this new style. Time to get back to what we do well.

BigBlue02

December 7th, 2010 at 2:21 AM ^

You are a tool.

I do like how you said the offense gets a majority of their yardage against nobody....as if the season weren't over and we hadn't already played everyone we were going to play in the B10.

Again, you are a tool.

GoBlue007

December 7th, 2010 at 3:50 AM ^

Time to get back to what we do well - Which is lose to App St?  Like many of us on this board - it was probably the worst day of our lives...but it personified that the Michigan old guard which had worked in the past was over and we had to prepare for the future.  We'll always treasure our past and its our DNA but its not going to work moving forward. Not sure if RR is the right guy.  Sometimes, like after IL, I hope he is and sometimes, like after tOSU, I hope that he is not.  Time will tell - Jany 4th, after Stanford's Bowl we should find out. 

Maize and Blue…

December 7th, 2010 at 6:31 AM ^

LCs last couple of year's recruiting is what failed.  RR has had two recruiting class and picked up a couple kids at the end of LC's last class, notably Odoms and Roundtree.  If you can determine that he has failed despite having recruited nothing but freshman and sophomores and has almost the whole returning you should be an AD preferable at another school.

Yes, I know who Bo is and I also know he would have kicked JH's ass for his comments about the program and academics if he were still alive. 

Bluemandew

December 7th, 2010 at 7:42 AM ^

I don't agree with cheech. But I am  sick of hearing people bag on Loyd Carr like he knew his last recruiting classes would leave for grade reasons get hurt and transfer. Allso sooner or later this program becomes Rich Rods and we can't blame Loyd anymore for what is going on. I can't wait for this to happen. As it will mean Rich Rod is still here and people will have to stop bitching about a man who has given more to this university than any of us ever will.