New/Old thoughts on RR

Submitted by Louisville Wolverine on

So I was sick this weekend and decided to watch the WVU v. Oklahoma bowl game from a couple years ago and a few things stood out. (Disclaimer: I know RR didn't coach the game but that was his team/program so I think my observations are still relevant.)

First, setting aside the fact that WVU was playing with a lot of emotion due to RR moving on to Michigan, I still think the defense played really well. They were very aggressive and looked very strong - the legendary Barwis-effect at work. Very disciplined. I was impressed.
Second, I realized that the offense is very balanced when run properly. I think this was lost on our young QB's this past year. Pat White's primary responsibility was not to 'make plays' on his own but to make sound decisions and distribute the football. And it is within this context that he became so dangerous. He knew to wait until the defense had almost forgotten about him and then the opportunity for a huge run would be available to him. Also, the successful run-game really opened up the possibility of catching the defense off guard on the pass for some big gains.
All in all, it was refreshing to watch a team coached by RR that was playing well in a three phases of the game and reminded me why Michigan hired him in the first place.
The Wolverines can be really good under RR - I hope he's around long enough for us to see it.

WichitanWolverine

March 2nd, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^

Seriously though, alot of people get frustrated with the team and forget that RR was brought in for a reason. He might not have been the first choice of our AD but he did have a ton of a success with a nationally obscure WVU program. Hopefully once this painful transitional period is over, everyone will again see why we brought him in.

pee on freep

March 3rd, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^

I think Dave Brandon's business sense is advanced enough to recognize the need for a successful program in this high states money market. I think he sees that the UM Football Program must have a big time winning coach, who can maintain the high's and has tread the lows. RR is this coach. He is a big time commodity that a big time business needs. I think DB will be above the factions and RR will lead us to NC's in the next decade.
Go Blue!

JC3

March 2nd, 2010 at 9:34 PM ^

If you like the offense now.. imagine it with a junior/senior Tate or a Devin Gardner running it. It can be much more explosive than we saw last year.

They call it the spread'n'shread for a reason. :)

Trust the Process

March 2nd, 2010 at 9:42 PM ^

I think everyone has been patiently waiting for RR's offense to see its full potential here at UM. Hopefully we will start to see it in year three. Spring game will be fun to watch.

charliebauman

March 2nd, 2010 at 9:47 PM ^

I originally wanted Miles. But when that fell through I thought RR was a great hire. I had no idea it would be this difficult. I was expecting all the Michigan fanbase to be excited and supportive of RR. And I wasn't expecting the free press to go on a witch hunt. I never imagined Michigan would struggle like this.

I'm still supportive of RR and I do believe he is a good coach. But if he's gone after this year that means the three years that he was here was nothing but a wasted three years. And what coach would even want to come to Michigan after seeing the way RR got harassed?

Eyebrowse

March 4th, 2010 at 8:46 PM ^

That is one of my own fears that I have silently been living with. If RR get's fired after this season for any reason short of serious NCAA violations (not the kind currently pending), what coach in their right mind would want to come to UofM after this three years? I know, it's UofM. I know, it's tradition. But I would wager a fair number of good coaches are going to overlook the job simply for the sake of their own sanity and stress levels. This anti-RR faction has completely torpedoed (sp?) UofM (not just RR and the team) with their insane holy war on RR's tenure. They should be ashamed, but alas, they feel themselves justified.

Having said all of this, I am optimistic about this years team. My hope is that the naysayers begin looking at the long-term and see that the progress we will see this season is not only the right direction but puts us back in striking distance of a National Championship.

chunkums

March 2nd, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^

If you want to really get a boner, read about his time as OC at Clemson. We obviously do not have Pat white at the moment, so it may look something more like this:

http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rodriguez_rich00.html

"Rodriguez has truly brought Clemson's offense to the 21st century. The attack that features multiple wide receivers, yet yields a productive rushing game, averaged 404 yards a game last year, nearly a 100-yard per game improvement over the previous season. The 1999 offense was just the third in Clemson history to average at least 400 yards per game."

And my favorite part:

"What was most impressive and telling about the system is demonstrated in a review of the individual records. Two different quarterbacks with totally different styles of play, Brandon Streeter and Woodrow Dantzler, had performances of at least 350 yards of total offense. Dantzler's 435-yard game at Maryland broke a 52-year-old record, while Streeter's 366 yards of total offense against Virginia ranks third best in school history"

A throw-first quarterback like Tate can do just fine in this offense. Just because Pat White ran as much as he did does not mean it is all Rodriguez knows how to do.

Also, lets not forget about his Tulane offense, which averaged over 200 yards rushing and 300 yards passing per game in one year.

Louisville Wolverine

March 2nd, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^

Pat White's lack of running in the game was what was so striking. The assumption was that White ran every third play, but he really didn't run all that often, at least not designed runs. A pass play would open up a huge lane and he would take off but generally he was handing off or passing until the option yielded an openign for a big gain.

Maize_and_Drew

March 2nd, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^

West Virginia was pretty explosive on offense last year, but let's give credit where credit is due.

Bill Stewart is still riding Rich Rod's wave in Morgantown. Most of the skill players for WVU last year were guys that Rich Rod recruited, and WVU is still running an offense that is very similar to the one Rodriguez brought to West Virginia.

We'll see how Stewart does this year with his own players + Noel Devine.

Braylon1

March 2nd, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^

People just need to be patient. I fully believe that RR will have Michigan hitting on all cylinders when we get a little older, when the numbers are evened out on the roster, and he gets a little more talent on this team.

Guys like DG, MRob, JTurner, Cambell, etc are no joke. Michigan may be young, but we have some serious talent waiting in the wings.

Devin Gardner and his supporting cast are going to be light years ahead of Steven Threet and the 2008 squad. Can't wait to see this team improve going forward.