TomVH: Dispelling Craig Roh Transfer Rumors

Submitted by TomVH on

There has been a rumor running around that Craig Roh has been unhappy, and was looking to transfer. He loves Michigan, and doesn't want to transfer. I spoke with someone I trust about this, and they told me that the rumor is not true. My source told me that Craig has been concerned with his position switch to linebacker, and believes he is much more effective as a defensive end.

Craig actually vocalized his concern about his position to the coaches after the Penn State game, and my source says that he has been playing much more on the defensive line during practice this week.

I just wanted to make sure anyone that heard this rumor knew that it wasn't true, and that Craig isn't transferring. I am glad that he vocalized his concern, because I think it's safe to say that most of the fan base feels the same way. We'll see how it affects anything going forward, or if there are any changes made scheme wise for the rest of the season. I hope everyone knows by now that I wouldn't post this if I thought it to be a rumor, or that I would tell you if it was.

Comments

joeyb

November 4th, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^

This is the second time I have heard a player is telling the defensive coaches how best to utilize their skills. It's sad that it's come to this.

InRodWeTrust333

November 4th, 2010 at 11:20 PM ^

 My source told me that Craig has been concerned with his position switch to linebacker, and believes he is much more effective as a defensive end.

Amazing how a player knows where he is effective yet they keep playing him out of position. I think I speak for just about everyone when I say I hope he stays at end from here on out.

mejunglechop

November 4th, 2010 at 11:24 PM ^

I never thought I'd see the day where Michigan players are telling the coaches how they should be utilized and I'd be happy about it.

And the coaches are actually listening. I'm not sure if that makes it worse or better.

Blue in Seattle

November 5th, 2010 at 8:47 AM ^

is that our lack of LB is so severe we're trying to make excellent DE's play LB.

I think everyone forgot that 2009 PSU went up against the Magical Brandon Graham as our defensive line and still gashed us by dumping easy passes to tight ends.

Now we've switched our whining to "why are the coaches so stupid as to put our best players in a huge position of need"  yes it's unfortunate that they were hoping Roh could play average at LB and help us balance the defense out to be average overall, but to think that Roh liked playing in an unfamiliar position from the beginning is also naive.  But he agreed because it was best for the team.  Now that we see there is no hope, yes of course these same intelligent players and coaches are saying, "damn it didn't work, let's put people where they are best and just pray from here on out on this season and start looking to the next.

MEZman

November 4th, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^

Well if letting the defensive coaches know where and how they should be playing worked for Demens and Roh maybe it's time for the secondary to speak up?

MEZman

November 5th, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^

Well I think it's too late for that one... maybe next year. I was thinking more something like "coach we need to play man-to-man because I have no idea WTF a zone is nor do I understand the concept of dropping into one and staying in it."

eth2

November 4th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^

I've been impressed with the maturity of this guy since day one.   He's earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his work ethic and attitude (The Team, The Team, The Team).    A real Michigan Man for certain.

Glad to know the coaches have responded to Craig's concerns.  He definitely seems more comfortable and makes more plays from the end position.

 

 

VinnieMac25

November 4th, 2010 at 11:29 PM ^

I must say, let the players coach the defense.  Even just for a quarter.  Like Basketball pick-up games were you just run around, pass and shoot.  Now Craig "Death" Roh will be unleashed.  MM heal that ankle, so you two can split scheelhasse in two!

TheMadGrasser

November 5th, 2010 at 12:09 AM ^

I saw it on the ESPN board (very reliable /s) so take it with a fist full of salt. I hadn't seen it until today and I mentioned that someone said he wasn't happy at LB and was weighing his options. I'm just glad this person was wrong and glad they moved Craig back to DE where he is effective.

It is disturbing though that RR seems to be calling the defensive shots now, according to the poster above who spoke with a player...

GoBlueBrooklyn

November 4th, 2010 at 11:32 PM ^

we have defensive ends? I thought we played a nose and two tackles. That pass rush off the edge has been extraordinary without a DE; why fix what isn't broken? *cough*

It is sad to me that everyday fans can look at this train wreck and see the problems, the players can see the problems, but the coaches seem incapable of the same. What planet IS THIS?!?!

maizedandconfused

November 4th, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^

I dont think there is much the everyday fan can look at on this defense to fix.. is Roh ineffective as a LB? Sure. Do we have a legitimate option to replace him without some serious finger crossing?

I think the main problem is we have lost 2 starting CBs. Defensive schemes, ALL of them, require at least modest CB coverage in a man-man set. Not much you can do with a blitz package if you have 3 seconds to get the QB on the dirt..

JClay

November 4th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^

Glad to hear he isn't consider a transfer, but disturbed that he feels the need to go to the coaches and tell them how he can be most effective. There is something SERIOUSLY wrong on the defensive end of the ball, and it isn't all based on youth.

stevefisher

November 4th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^

I was at Score Keepers on the Saturday night after we lost to Iowa, standing in line to take a leak.  A back up member of the Michigan offense was in line and we got to talking as we waited.

I expressed frustration at our defensive effort against Iowa, particularly Greg Robinson.  The player said that it wasn't GERG.  He said Coach Rod was running the whole program and making the decisions, no one else.  He was supportive of Coach Rod, but also frustrated at our lack of changing schemes on defense.

Not trying to throw fuel on the fire.  If Roh is unhappy, clearly something is wrong not just at the DC level.

shorts

November 5th, 2010 at 1:07 AM ^

This is interesting yet confusing because it's clear that GERG is calling the plays on defense and signaling adjustments from the sideline. And RichRod has said that he spends a large majority of his time working with the offense, so I don't really see how this is possible (maybe the player is referring to RR "ordering" a 3-3-5?).

All I know is that GERG is either doing a crappy job of calling a defensive game or, if he really doesn't understand the 3-3-5 and is being forced to run it anyway, he should tell Rodriguez that he's going to run what he wants or quit. Because continuing to do what he's doing is going to get him fired, so what's the difference?

Magnus

November 5th, 2010 at 6:36 AM ^

I don't know how much more evidence is needed before people figure out that this 3-3-5 is NOT Greg Robinson's idea.  It might have been his idea to put Roh at LB in the 3-3-5, but the base scheme of this defense comes from Rodriguez and his WVU cronies.

I think Greg Robinson needs to go after the season, but mainly because he's clearly not compatible with the rest of the defensive staff (and Rodriguez).  Rodriguez forced the 3-3-5 on Shafer, and instead of learning from his mistake the first time, he gave Robinson 12 games (instead of, like, 8 games) before he forced the 3-3-5 on his DC.

Aequitas

November 9th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^

"he should tell Rodriguez that he's going to run what he wants or quit. Because continuing to do what he's doing is going to get him fired, so what's the difference?"

My one knock on our coach continues to be this insistence on using a 3-3-5.  This is two different DC's now that have been "forced" to run a system that they've not used prior to being here.  I'm not sold on the fact that either DC is "turrible" if allowed to teach their systems to decent players.  Anyone NOT named Castille is going to look like crap if asked to come in, without his own position coaches, and run some bastard system that he doesn't already run.

I hope this scheme isn't the achilles heel that keeps Rodriguez from getting a decent defense going and having success at Michigan....

uminks

November 4th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^

I don't blame him!  Playing Craig at LB is not working out.  If the coaches can't figure this one out then I'm glad Craig told the coaches where he would play best.  I hope he also told them to play the 4-3 for the remainder of the year and stop this horrible 3-5 scheme which gets no pressure on the QB and and causes wide open running lanes for opposing RBs!

mgoblue0970

November 5th, 2010 at 12:06 AM ^

I was thinking the same thing... furthermore, if the secondary is so young and inexperienced as the coaches like to say all the time, wouldn't it make sense to try and pressure the QB more?

If they could ever rush more than 3 or 4, it seems like some of the pressure could be taken off the DBs by forcing the QB to get rid of the ball earlier.  Or a mistake.  When was the last time Michigan had an interception?

When GERG does blitz, it always seems like it's of the delayed variety and the offiense seems to pick it up.

bing24

November 4th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^

I find it very disturbing that the player has to bring this to the coaches attention when I can obviously see this is a bad fit on my couch 10 beers deep! Roh is way to stiff for LB, DE is his home & he should stay there...