You cannot have a lame duck coach and expect a decent recruiting class

I do think it's a possibility that Harbaugh doesn't want to leave Stanford. I believe it was always his dream to go there.

I agree.  Bradon may need to come out and give RRod a vote of confidence

It all boils down to whether DB can find someone this off season. AND we need to see what happens the rest of the season, this could all be a very different conversation with 2 or 3 more wins.  Anything is possible.

 I gotta admit, after what RR has gone through just trying to get accepted here, I'm not sure many coaches would want to take the chance.  Maybe Harbaugh but that is assuming that he would leave Stanford.  You could throw out chizik but the same applies there. Although I would love Gus' aggressive play calling.  I believe you'll see an entirely different team next year and no I didn't say that this pre-season.  Although they are few and far between, there are some positives if you look hard enough.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that most people (on this board!) at the beginning of the season expected Michigan to be a 7, maybe 8-win team this year. With 4 games left, 7-8 wins is still very feasible, and if it happens, that would be progress. Progress is good.

Whoever was doing the color commentary for Joe Buck on Saturday night during Game 3 of the WS made a comment that stuck with me. It went something like: "Coaches need to coach, but it's the players who need to execute." That's a quite obvious statement of how any team needs to operate in order to succeed and, when applied to Michigan, we need to realize that our players (particularly our defense) are simply not at a place where they can execute at a high level. They are young and inexperienced and I argue that there is no amount of coaching that could have enabled them to execute at a high level this season. The only way to fix the problem of our defense is for the coaches to continue coaching and give the young guys time to develop. You say we've had enough time, but I disagree. We have so many freshman on our defense. If in 4 years Christian, Avery, Talbott, Vinopal, Johnson, Robinson, and Black are still not able to execute at a high level, then I would agree that Rodriguez is not a good coach and it would be detrimental to our program to keep him. Only then could you point to our coaching staff and say "It is completely their fault that our defense sucks." Until then, I will continue to support Rodriguez and this team, and will continue to suffer through the labor pains of a young team.

I totally agree, but unfortunately that is the reality.  Win the next 2 games, and I think DB should make a move either way with goodwill high.  But lose the next few games, and maybe it is time for a change just because of the baggage.  Losing on the road to PSU at night isn't horrible, but losing 7 straight games (or even 6 of 7) will leave a stink on the program that might be hard to expunge even with a contract extension.

the Weis example shows that you can. Also, 3 other main points:

1) The season isn't over. We can still beat Illinois and Purdue (let's face it, they are average at best).

2) Which existing coach would leave their job and come to Michigan mid-season? None, it hasn't happened before. This may happen before a bowl, but not during the season.

3) Who would be the interim head coach? The staff (except for GERG) are all RR's guys and would presumably stick with him.

RR isn't magically going to have a defense good enough to win 9 games next year. The D will suck almost as much, and we're going to have a tough schedule.

Talk about lame duck... if someone with a coaching record like Bump Elliot gets 10 years, why is everyone pulling the trigger so early on Rodriguez?  Sometimes, the right set of circumstances comes together and everything falls apart for a while.  Sometimes it's because someone isn't good at coaching, and sometimes, Angry Michigan Every Position Hating God strikes with fury and not only hurts but sends people packing.

Rodriguez has a track record of winning wherever he goes.  Not just some places... everywhere.  We have an offense that is absolutely electric, and isn't just doing that against crap defenses.  We're lighting up the "best" defenses in the Big Ten, a conference known for defenses.  If we can manage to get even a mediocre defense in place, the wins won't just come quickly, they'll be decisive.  If we're dropping 28 points and 500 yards on a good Iowa defense, AND we're dropping 17 points, 350 yards on Sparty with two end zone interceptions, AND we're running around Penn State like they aren't even on the field most of the night, how can you not see this turning out well when the defense gets to mediocre?  And it will get to mediocre with time.

And the scariest part is that when the defense gets to mediocre, and TOP balances out more like it should, the points we will score will continue to go up from where we are now.  Think about that.  We dropped 31 on Penn State this past weekend, made it look easy, and had the ball for a full quarter less than they did.

Just stop panicking.  It will turn around.  I'm sorry, but as it stands, Harbaugh just is not the answer.  And to bring him in now blasts another nuclear bomb in the program as it will take years to get Harbaugh-type players in here (one of which is NOT Denard).  And those who are complaining now might not be complaining or making things miserable then, but there's always plenty of people who will take your place.  It won't get any easier, and people only get less patient.  To throw in the towel after year three or four is Notre Dame to a tee.  To let coaches develop and be given ample time to prove themselves is Michigan.  Need I remind you that we're the same school that kept Tommy Amaker for SIX years.  SIX!

Our coach deserves our support.  He isn't Dantonio.  He isn't Tressel.  He isn't Hope, or Bielema, or Zook, or Saban, or any other number of villainous coaches you complain about on here incessantly.  He deserves your support and mine.  And he should be given enough time to recruit without the axe swinging above his head so that we can see what this system can really be and how far it can take us.

Grasping at straws.  Despite the awful performance at M RR has a much better track record and has won more big games than Harbaugh.  As much as we suck I think a change would bring on another 2-4 year decline unless the HC runs a similar offense to RR.  I'm as unhappy as anyone but I say let's give him more time.  We're crying like a bunch of idiot talk radio callers.

IF you believe in him give him a four year extension (with a zero dollar buyout clause if you need) ...

(bold & italics added)

My brain is beginning to hurt.

Virtually everybody is in agreement that RR deserves to at least finish out 2011

Virtually everybody?  What posts are you reading?  I think I speak for a fair number of fans when I say that RR has the next four games to earn another year.  If we lose out, he needs to go.  If he wins one more, he's on the bubble.