Fair and balanced complaining about the coaching

Submitted by UMdad on

I am not advocating firing RR (yet), and I am not yelling that the sky is falling in.  However, everyone that puts their fingers in their ears and yells, "the team is young, we are improving, I WILL ACCEPT NO CTITICISM OF RR!" is not paying attention.  I am really getting frustrated by some of the decisions RR and his staff have been making.  We are starting young players, so I can accept that they will have growing pain mistakes, but this is not RR or GERG's second year.  Denard Robinson is an elite talent running and throwing on fake run-then-pass plays, but is a mediocre (AT BEST) pocket passer.  the last two weeks he has asked Robinson to prove to everyone he can drop back and pass.  I also like Vincent Smith, but not running up the middle on a fourth and 1 like last week.  This week, he watches Hopkins have success up the middle, puts in Smith and runs the same play.  Smith gets crushed, fumbles, and the rest is history.  I am not blaming Robisnon or Smith, they are both talented guys doing their best.  I do blame RR for stubbornly putting them in positions to fail instead of playing guys to their strengths.  Add in the decision to punt last week, the fact that our guys apparently don't know that a blocked FG is live, his blowing of Gardner's redshirt to prove a point for two plays, his handling of press conferences and media in general, and the fact that other teams seem to regularly make better second half adjustments than us, and I am starting to feel like we have been outcoached more times than not,  If I turn on RR, it is going to be for his coaching mistakes, not for how many times he loses to MSU or OSU or anyone else for that matter.  If he is making poor coaching decisions now, how likely is that to change when the players are seniors, or will they just cover them up better?  

readyourguard

October 17th, 2010 at 9:55 AM ^

A moratorium?  Why?  People are frustrated and tired of getting our asses kicked by every team even remotely better than us?  Some of them have questions or opinions.  Not all of them have to carry the same "we're young" and "we'd have signed up for 5-2 before the season started" message.

Regardless of how young we are even my freshman cornerbacks know to not let a WR release inside when there's no safety help.  My kicker knows to not kick the ball out of bounds.  My interior linemen on PAT and FG know to not get steam rolled on a kick.  And I, as a JV high school football coach, know you CAN'T DECLINE A DEAD BALL FOUL.

Wolverine318

October 17th, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^

how am I burying my head? Negging does prevent unwarranted posting. Jesus get a grip, we lost to a top15 team with one of the top defenses in the country and almost came back from 21 points down. I am not discouraged about the game, I am actually encouraged. We saw a ton of fight in this team. We don't have numbers on defense to be a top 25 team yet. We will. Our d recruiting is great and our freshman and sophomore are getting valuable experience. 

readyourguard

October 17th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^

I think your ignoring some of problems many of the complainers are having.

  • Our offense scored 7 points in 3 quarters with our starting QB
  • Iowa prepared for  DR and ended up with Tate.  Tate was the recipient of a somewhat complacent defense.
  • Penalties continue to plague us
  • We're making elementary mistakes repeatedly
  • We were encouraged last week after shooting ourselves in the foot vs. MSU.  Yet we shot ourselves in the foot even moreso this game
  • We lost AGAIN AT HOME

People are tired and pissed off.  4 conference wins after 2.3 years is the perfect opportunity for some to vent.  I'm not saying get rid of RR today, but I'll be damned if I'm just gonna sit and tow the company line.

Wolverine318

October 17th, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^

and this hasn't been rehashed ad nauseam last night and this morning on this board...you brought nothing new but same ol whining. I hate our fans. They are so spoiled because of 1997. get over it. Take a walk, go shopping with your wife/girlfriend/fiancee, work on the house, etc. You are pissed and lack perspective based upon our current roster and experience level of the D. 

BillyShears

October 17th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^

Did you honestly expect Michigan to win this game? Iowa will likely be in the top 10 after the new polls are released. They have a fantastic defense and an experienced quarterback. Michigan has neither. If you are frustrated after this game, you need to reevaluate your expectations.

mgoblahhh

October 17th, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^

Every week there are still a lot of mistakes.  I want RR to succeed more than anyone but there comes a time when you have to put emotion aside and look at  what is going on.  Turnovers, penalties and lack of execution all falls on the coach.  The excuse that we don't have enough talent is getting tired and over used.   This is Michigan, every year recruiting wise you finish ahead of MSU,Iowa,Wisconsin, Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, and Illinois . It's been three years and it is time to start beating these teams. 

wolverine1987

October 17th, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^

after MSU, IU. UMASS. You and others were wrong each time. This team has a better QB than last year (not the last two games, but still) and a better o-line. Every other area of the team is either worse (defense) or the same (receivers). And in all the fundamentals--assignments, gap responsibility, tackling, avoiding stupid penalties, certain moments of abject confusion on the field--they haven't improved since last year--at all. With a supposedly encouraging and better team this year we lost by greater margins at home to Iowa and MSU than we lost to them last year on the road. 

It's not whining, it's objective watching of a team that is in trouble and is not meaningfully improved overall from last year. It is NOT a season that is lost yet (8 wins are still possible) or worthy of a fire RR blast. But to dismiss it as whining is a dickish move and a way to avoid discussing an unpleasant fact. If you don't want to engage in that discussion great--just don't disparage those that do.

Wolverine318

October 17th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^

still whining like a spoiled baby, That is what America has become a nation of whiners. God forbid we look at our roster realistically based upon the experience level. God forbid we look back at our own history and see how fortunate we were in a period of 85 scholarship limit. Get over yourselves and quit the whining. The lack of whining was the only thing I preferred about my undergrad's fans over Michigan's. Michigan fans are so spoiled and arrogant they fail to see there were clear signs of failure to develop talent on our rosters in both Rich Rod and Lloyd Carr tenures, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  

but whatever you can keep creating the same thread over and over again rehashing the same points over and over again. It is madness. The mods need to clean up the board. 

Wolverine318

October 17th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^

where was I wrong? When the three previous threads are about the same thing.

Thanks for whining about my whining about whining

please mods clean this shit up. mgoblog is turning into the whinefest that is the Fort on rivals.com. At least with the point system we don't have trolls like mlive. 

readyourguard

October 17th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^

In every thread that someone has complained about yesterday's game, you have simply replied "Mods please clean this shit up."

Do you have anything substantive to contribute or are you just going to call everybody a whiner because they're criticizing YOUR team?  Hey pal, plenty of us here are alumni.  You don't have exclusivity to your fandom and we have every right to demand more from our team as you do at defending it.

wolverine1987

October 17th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^

Seriously. I haven't created one of the posts you disparage. but to disparage criticism and negative discussion after two negative games, is not only being a dick, but is actually demonstrating your ignorance of football. Criticism, as long as its not OMG FIRE EVERYONE ARRGGH, is not only legitimate, it is a necessary component of a Michigan football board where its very nature is pro and con discussion of Michigan Football. If you don't recognize that simple fact, just stay out on your lawn and keep yelling at the kids and dogs. Or, and this would be GREAT, go create your own blog where after losses no one gets to say anything other than "we are young. Let's be patient. I am encouraged. UMASS is better than half the teams in the BCS. Iowa is top 15."

James Burrill Angell

October 17th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^

Losing is never positive but there were some encouraging signs. Yes, we just lost to two top 15 teams in a row, granted they were at home, and we had some guys dinged up.

The past is the past. The reality is that record-wise, we're exactly where we were last year. Won all four of our non-conf plus Indiana, lost to Iowa and MSU. The reality, completely regardless of what I or any of you think, is that very likely (1) David Brandon isn't going to accept another 5-7 season, particularly if he has an out in RR's contract when the NCAA finally rules (2) the three easiest games left on the schedule are our next three. After our much needed bye week, we're really going to find out what this team is all about. Penn State with an anemic offense led by a true freshman QB and a very banged up defense is beatable. Illinois, despite playing better than most assumed, is a home game, against a freshman QB with an inexperienced offense and is beatable. Purdue, although a road game, wasn't a good game going into the season and then they lost their top three offensive weapon and is beatable. We've talked about measuring sticks. To me, a REALISTIC measuring stick is how we do against the next three teams.

At the outset of the season many talked about 7 or 8 wins needed to show some improvement and beating SOME Big Ten teams. Penn State, Illinois and Purdue are those teams. Iowa and, as hard as it is to admit MSU, along with Wiscy and OSU are the cream of the crop this year. We all know we're young, the issues with the defense and all the redundant issues raised in the postings that Wolverine 318 has been mentioning are simply our current reality. Now its time to heal, get the team in order for two weeks, and then sit down and watch the next three weeks which will likely determine the outcome of the season. The team is ENTIRELY capable of winning all three of these games and being 8-2 going into the Wisconsin game and having written a ticket to a bowl game.

Lets just sit back the next four weeks and see what happens. After Purdue we'll likely know a lot more about where this team really is.

fab5

October 17th, 2010 at 10:43 AM ^

Maybe Michigan will hire you for the next coach... You're a successful jv coach and seem to know more than coach rod... Get your jv staff together and start recruiting jv players and get this team going again... I know jv coaches know a hell of alot more than someone that has been coaching division 1 football for 20 years.

spider

October 17th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^

But folks like the darthvader guy will never listen to this. I have seen the same crap for three years, and I no longer state the obvious. This board does not want to acknowledge that this isn't working, and that rr has not taken care of the defensive side of the ball at all. It is easier to say we make mistakes when the competition gets better. Why don;t we make those mistakes against lesser temas. Because they are lesser! Anyone can figure that out.

Instead, they get frustrated that we shoot our selves in the foot, but of course they can see all our players becomign all americans in a fw more games.

 

Sorry, but it has been this way for three years now.....

rickiew04

October 17th, 2010 at 2:04 PM ^

Posters like wolverine318 really lead to the demise of this forum. Wolverine318 is idiotic and makes me sick. Why are so many people so willing to accept mediocrity from what is supposed to be a top tier program? This topic was calling it like it is and poses some 100% accurate and indiputable facts about the current and future states of our football program. wolverine318, you sir have failed. as a die hard Michigan fan, i dont want to be associated with you or other so called Michigan fans who think like you. while you are content with being Northwestern and losing to OSU and MSU, i on the other hand want national championships and to beat our rivals.

DGDestroys

October 17th, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^

I don't think that I agree with a lot of your post (which is fine, you have laid out some good points), but this really mystifies me.

his handling of press conferences and media in general

Is there a specific incident or something to which you're referring that I'm simply forgetting? Personally, I think he does an excellent job with the media, he comes across as a really likeable guy who works well with the reporters and columnists despite the nasty things they say about him

UMdad

October 17th, 2010 at 9:40 AM ^

Specifically the way he handled the Dorsey questions, his getting angry at the press conferense this summer, etc.  I just feel that he doesn't come across as dominating the press conference as much as I would like him to.  I sometimes get teh impression that the media guys walk into the room thinking they are going to be able to get whatever out of him they want.

blueheron

October 17th, 2010 at 9:51 AM ^

Why would they bother trying to get him to say things when they can lie with impunity (see hard-hitting investigation of MAJOR violations by the leading Detroit tabloid)?

Still, I agree that more poise on RichRod's part would be pleasant.  Hard to come down on him too hard, though, given the way he's been treated by the local press (in contrast to Saint Dantonio) ...

blueheron

October 17th, 2010 at 9:48 AM ^

This is closer to reasonable criticism of the RichRod regime than most posts (not saying much, of course), but:

* "Denard Robinson is an elite talent running and throwing on fake run-then-pass plays, but is a mediocre (AT BEST) pocket passer."  That was his seventh game as a starter.  In an Iowa sort of universe he'd be a redshirt freshman.  What does this have to do with RichRod?  What do you propose to do?

* "I also like Vincent Smith, but not running up the middle on a fourth and 1 like last week."  Fair enough ... on the surface, I don't get this, either.  Anyone care to speculate on RichRod's attachment to this guy (Smith)?  Is he the only one who doesn't @#$% up plays and fumble in practice?

* "... fact that our guys apparently don't know that a blocked FG is live ..."  Looks bad, yeah, but I think we need more data.

* "... blowing of Gardner's redshirt to prove a point ..."  That's one explanation, but it seems somewhat emotional to me.  (Not saying it isn't grounded in reality ...)  It's hard to project to 2014, isn't it?  If Gardner proves to be All-World (or whatever), he'll leave before 2014.  This also assumes that Michigan will fail to recruit any reasonable quarterbacks in '11/'12.  Hasn't been a problem yet ...

* "... handling of press conferences and media in general ..."  What are your complaints?  This is pretty vague.

* "... fact that other teams seem to regularly make better second half adjustments than us ..."  Examples, please?  I'm open to the general idea.

* "... I am starting to feel like we have been outcoached more times than not ..."  Sorry, but this isn't MLive.  FEELING is no good here.  Examples, please.  As with the prior point, I'm open to the idea.

umich1

October 17th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^

And, this is more of a lighthearted, half sarcastic thing.  And yes, its about his beloved Lion King quote.

He keeps on quoting the Lion King - about "it doesn't matter, its in the past."

Please everybody, do yourself a favor, and watch this youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykbx-yzFgBo

For the love of God, every two year old should know that scene is about learning from the past.  If he wants to quote Lion King, good for him.  But at least catch the deeper message rather than taking it at face value!

So the next time a member of the media draws a comparison from last year to this year, and asks RichRod how the team can learn from last year...you understand why I'll be in the corner of a room somewhere, beating my head against a wall.

Don

October 17th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^

Are you freaking kidding? Do you have any idea how idiotic that statement is? Do you have the slightest recollection of Bo Schembechler at press conferences? Do you know that Bo physically shoved a Michigan Daily reporter in 1979? Do you remember Lloyd Carr at press conferences angrily calling out reporters present in the room? Do you remember LC being a dick to on-field sideline reporters, and having to apologize for his comments afterwards?

If you want to criticize the product on the field, have at it—there's plenty to criticize. But there is not a single press conference that RR has had since he's been here during which he has exhibited behavior that is remotely out-of-line or untoward. If you think that merely "getting angry" at a presser is somehow beneath the historical standards of Michigan coaches, you're just plain ignorant.