Why Rich Rodriguez was Fired.
I'm convinced after witnessing the state of the board the last few weeks that we've all completely lost our minds, myself included. I've read every possible dissertation on why Rich Rodriguez should have kept his job and how upset many people are that he got fired and how the program is now nuclear fucked instead of just fucked. It's been written all over the media that Michigan never supported Rich Rodriguez etc etc etc. It almost looked like an "abusive spouse" effect in that we wanted to love him so bad but the relationship was nothing but destructive. I decided that in spite of all the bullshit that's been written and said, we need to put aside the emotional attachment and loyalty to take a good hard look at what has transpired.
Ladies and gentlemen, after painstaking research I present to you the honest to god reason why Rich Rodriguez was fired as head coach. In the 131 year history of Michigan Football, Rich Rodriguez ranks as follows among head coaches at Michigan:
Lowest overall winning percentage
1. Rich Rodriguez (.405)
2. Frank Crawford/Mike Murphy (co-head coaches in 1891) (.444)
3. Bump Elliott (.547)
4. Elton Wieman (.594)
5. Harry Kipke (.632)
Lowest Big Ten winning percentage
1. Rich Rodriguez (.250)
2. Bump Elliott (.485)
3. Elton Wieman (.500)
4. Harry Kipke (.560)
5. Langdon Lea (.600)
0-6 vs OSU + MSU
Worst Bowl Loss in the History of the Program
Only Head Coach to be charged with Major NCAA Violations during his tenure**
There's no ifs ands or buts. Now, you may like him as a man and he certainly tried hard. I believe him wholeheartedly when he says the University never got cheated out of a day of his pay. All of us can also agree that the turmoil of a coaching change is undesirable. However, anyone with a sense of reason knows that this isn't good enough for Michigan. Simply put, this is the worst that the program has ever been in its entire history. While a huge pain in the ass, Dave Brandon had to make this move and the writing was written in bold covering every inch of the wall.
I rest my case.
And also fuck haterz.
** I understand many of us believe this may not have been deserved or of his doing. Whether you'd like to include it as his fault or not, I think the point made stands.
January 8th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
Umm, yeah. Thanks for this fresh information.Never really looked at it this way. /s
January 8th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
RR did not win as much as he lost
January 8th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
For me, that's a big deal. If he went 7-6 a second time, I would have said, yes, he's gone. But dont you think he had a legit chance at winning 9 games next year? There's a difference between winning 7 then 5 then 3 games and the reverse. Denard is going to be even better next season, and the defense will be one year older. I still think he should have gotten a fourth year because of the trajectory. Every year this team did get better. (I know the defense got worse, but you can't argue against the fact that 2010 michigan >>> 2009 michigan >>> 2008 michigan.)
Also, MSU, OSU and WISC were all top 10 teams this season, that's rare and surely next year would have been an easier conference schedule.
Anyways, water under the bridge.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
RR did not win as much as he lost
January 8th, 2011 at 4:05 PM ^
RR cost the university $12.5 million in his 3 year tenure. I would say that he got fired because, with only 15 wins he was getting $833,333.33 per win. 2 years ago when FL won the NC game Meyer only got $357,142 per win. Same thing with Bama last year. Seems like a pretty costly deal we had with him.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:07 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 4:14 PM ^
Cool story bro.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
And is one year too soon to fire an AD?
January 9th, 2011 at 2:18 AM ^
OMG LETS FIRE DAVE BRANDON IT'S ALL HIS FAULT. OMG OMG OMG.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
i think that's the first time i've seen that point. obvious to me. i was all for another year, but the job was getting way too toxic.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
I agree with OP. RR was fired because he didn't win enough.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:48 PM ^
but that's a sunk cost. and with one of the youngest teams in the country, it should be obvious to any buffoon that the team was improving overall (not as much as i or most would like tho) and would be better in 2011.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:19 PM ^
This is why Rich was fired ultimately. He hired Greg Robinson, he stayed loyal to the defensive staff, he was INSISTENT on playing the 3-3-5 and it cost him his job.
If the defense was even MIDDLE OF THE ROAD this year, his job would have been preserved and a complete vote of confidence would have been given. We also would have won a few games we lost (Iowa, PSU) and been far closer in the others.
The defense killed his coaching career - he will hire a philosophically in tune defensive coordinator next time and leave him alone to recruit the players he wants. If he doesn't he will run into the same problems he ran into here - the problems that Casteel basically helped cover up.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:50 PM ^
also add in the bad kickers and fumbling kick returners.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:26 PM ^
read the front page and consider the budget RR likley had to work with in finding a DC.
that level of salary does not attract A-level coaching candidates, sorry, just true
January 8th, 2011 at 4:20 PM ^
Those are excellent points, of course. Happy Jack.
To be fair, I don't comdemn David Brandon for possibly canning him because of the possible threat to the university's brand equity - a threat that has apparently materialized, given the results from the All-American Game.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^
Lets just start this off at RR getting here people like you just hated him from the get go and made his time here complete hell, why do you think no coaches have stepped up wanting this job? because of people like you they seen how certain michigan fans treated him and want no part of it, guys like you gave all michigan fans bad names.
Lets look at the problems on defense these are the players that have been drafted since Carr left that he recruited.
2010 NFL
Rd. 1 - Brandon Graham, DE, Philadelphia Eagles (13)
Rd. 5 - Zoltan Mesko, P, New England Patriots (150)
Rd. 7 - Stevie Brown, S, Oakland Raiders (251)
2009 NFL
Rd. 4 - Terrance Taylor, DT, Indianapolis Colts (136)
Rd. 6 - Morgan Trent, CB, Cincinnati Bengals (179)
And we can add mike martine will be drafted and obi will be drafted this year if hes lucky. Do you see the problem with this list? its a joke Carr is the one to blame for michigans struggles. And if you notice there is not one offensive player on this list.
Lets look at Carrs career at michigan we won one NC and lost all BCS games Hart and Henne are two of the greatest players we have ever had at their postions and neither of them ever beat OSU.
So my conclusion is every michigan fan that acts like you should go play in traffic somewhere or go be a state fan and p.s we just lost two great players on defense and the army AA player of the year cause RR was fired thats awesome.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 7:28 PM ^
Obi's not a WR
January 8th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
English motherfucker?
January 8th, 2011 at 5:29 PM ^
Carr deserves a lot of blame. Take a look at the class lists for 2004, 2005 and 2006 (i.e. the upper-classmen for RR's tenure) and you will notice a major lack of numbers at crucial positions and a major lack of talent overall, no matter what the class was ranked at the time. This is on Carr and that can't be denied just b/c (whoopty-do) we had 5 players from the Carr era drafted over the last few years.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^
This is a very good point and would defend general underperformance to M's usual standards. But, I must ask, how many players did Toledo send to the draft in that same span? Northwestern? Purdue? All of these teams kicked our butts. The RR era was not just bad, it was inexplicably and unjustifiably bad.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:37 AM ^
...you're forgetting that RR's first season, he had the following on defense:
1.) Terrence Taylor
2.) Brandon Graham
3.) Tim Jamison
4.) Donovan Warren
5.) Stevie Brown
6.) Brandon Harrison
7.) Charles Stewart
8.) Morgan Trent
9.) Will Johnson
10.) John Thompson
11.) Jonas Mouton
12.) Austin Panter
....I don't know about many of you but there's some pretty darn good football players on that defense right there....I'm quite sure that most of them played key roles on the 06 defense. I don't think the "Blame Carr" campaign holds water.
January 9th, 2011 at 2:25 AM ^
I noticed none of the other shit talkers here had anything to say so I thought I would. This is why RR is being held responsible. There was talent on these teams and he couldn't win with it. You're all diluting the facts if you can't see this. Thanks for this post making it painfully obvious especially as it refers to the defense.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^
Does is occur to anyone that DB is now getting a chance to walk in RR's shoes for awhile ???
January 8th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
that miserable winning percentage was, in the main, RichRod's fault, or that it couldn't over time be raised (concept!) then I wouldn't have argued he had another year coming.
These are facts, too:
He won 3, 5, then 7 games. His offense was #2-5 in the country. He had the first QB to run and throw for 1500 yards. Next year he had everyone coming back. WE HAD NO ONE IN PLACE TO TAKE HIS SPOT, IN JANUARY.
Next year RichRod would have had no excuses, and--if he failed--he should be let go.
THE CHANCES WERE STRONG FOR A WINNING SEASON, CONTENDING IN THE B10.
Brandon made the situation worse.
Thanks for your input.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:45 PM ^
his offense was #2-5 in YARDAGE. how did they play against the UW, OSU, MSU, and MSU? Glad you're happy with putting up 700 yards on Bowling Green. That really demonstrates progress. What proof do you have that the defense would get significantly better than wishful thinking? A bunch of low rated recruits coming back?
You're all drinking the kool- aid man. Look at it for what it is.
I support ANY coach that comes to Michigan. The first Michigan teams I saw were Moellers so I don't give a shit about all that. I want Michigan to succeed and Rodriguez wasn't the guy. The responses to this thread only prove why I posted it.
Look at it as SIMPLE as you can. He didn't do a good job.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:01 PM ^
adduce facts. To say I'm drinking kool-aid (tired cliche) doesn't get us too far, does it?
My point is that there are issues beyond his W-L record, including how his firing affects the program, what you're left with, immediate and future possibilities. You're saying that all that matters is W-L and you want a medal for smart thinking? Not.
Anybody that tells me, in effect, to stop thinking and accept some dumb fact they've tossed out as the end of the conversation gets no respect from me. Have another Budweiser.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:06 PM ^
I'm saying your point is weak, biased, and stupid. Drink some more kool-aid with your maize colored glasses on.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:17 PM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
I responded with a reasoned answer. He told me to "go drink another budweiser."
where's your critique of that?
oh and did you miss all the responses from my post the last 2 pages?
i never said the problem is with anybody else. i stated my opinion.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:21 PM ^
You are right on Happy Jack,even though the majority won't like seeing the truth and neg you to death but like you said "Oh well". We beat 7 shi--- teams and had a ton of yardage against some of the cupcakes on the schedule.Then when we play a quality opponent the offense suddenly bogs down.I can't believe (after 3 seasons of this shi -) people are still defending RR.Don' feel sorry for him, he just took home 10 million dollars for a lousy 15 wins(vs. garbage).And when we lose its the same response, either "We are young and inexperienced" or "we just didn't execute".Defense was the worst ever and special teams, that looked more like special olympics. Bottom line is winning and when you lose your last 3 games by 88 points, you are along way from winning.Against good teams anyway.
January 8th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
amen brother.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:25 AM ^
...i'm tired of hearing the 6th best offense. We couldn't do anything against quality competition. The players didn't fight for him. DB even stated that his talks with current players helped him immensely in the decision. That's saying something right there. The feeling is RR was a great guy....far from a great coach. Let's just hope we get someone who can take what we have offensively and sprinkle in some toughness.
January 9th, 2011 at 2:31 AM ^
i agree wholeheartedly. and yet there's still no response to this from the MgoBlog elite. Seems they're happier trashing people than responding to fair arguments.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:47 PM ^
double post
January 8th, 2011 at 5:02 PM ^
double neg
January 8th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^
I like it.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
Well OP, it looks like you lost a couple hundred points pretty quickly!
January 8th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^
good thing they don't matter!
January 8th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
elven warriers and rcmb it seems.
FuManBlue, keep your spirits up, I think you'll be free sooner than you might have thought!
January 8th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
Remember the good old days? Back when there were only 4 monster threads per day and we didn't get crazy posts? *sigh*
January 8th, 2011 at 4:50 PM ^
what's really redundant is how everyone replies with the same response and they all think they're witty and funny.
OMG i'm broke in MGoWorld
you can all go back to doing this now:
January 8th, 2011 at 5:24 PM ^
Everyone responds with the same comments because your argument was so patently myopic that it could be easily refuted.
For someone who claims to not give much of a crap about how he/she is perceived on this site, you sure do goad people on.