Well, have you had enough of Rich Rod?
by ChicagoWolverine on Nov 27, 2010 4:30 PM CST
Email
PrintI blogged about 3 weeks ago about Rich Rod needing to go and to bring in Jim Harbaugh. Some responders blamed me for not knowing football, some said "stop be so being so negative". I agreed to stay off the blog for three weeks, since then we have beat a lowly talented Purdue team, we allowed an Illinois team to score 60 or more points and today lose to the "Arch Rivals". Well, when you get the head coaching job at Michigan there are a couple of teams that you must beat to be successful. One is "little brother" down the road and the other is the Arch Rival. Last time I checked, we are 0-6 in those games. I don't want to hear anymore of the Bullsh-t about the team is looking better, If we want to maintain our status as the winningest team in college football we have got to do something and quick. A true Michigan Fan would trade a lackluster 7-5 record for a 2 -10 record in which we beat Michigan State and Ohio State. Lets face it the experiment failed! Lets get Jim Harbaugh in here tomorrow and send Rich Rod back to the Big East where he can continue to play "tag" football. All sensable responses are welcome.
Any opinions expressed in Fanposts or Fanshots are not the opinions of Maize n Brew. Peruse at your own risk.
50 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Enough....
…is enough. I am one of the people who was excited when Rodriguez was hired and while the offense has been dynamic at times, you can NOT win in the Big Ten without defense and special teams and we are going in the wrong direction in both of those phases. I would love to see Harbaugh hired and I was very anti-Les Miles a few years ago when all the rumors were swirling but I think I could even get excited with Miles now.
Thank you for your response
Just wanted to thank you for your response. I’m not a Rich Rod hater, I am a Michigan Football Lover
by ChicagoWolverine on Nov 27, 2010 5:59 PM CST up reply actions
I totally agree. I supported Rich Rod and all year I’ve been saying “if we just had a defensive coordinator”. However, I’ve changed my mind. Our offense is nothing without Denard Robinson and the entire team has very little talent. This coach in 3 years has managed to break every record for the negative (bowl streak, losing to rivals, defensively, etc.) What more do people need for proof? I just hope Harbaugh would give it a chance, but I’ve heard some rumors that he has some ill feelings toward the University. Our entire program has fallen and desperately needs a complete overhaul. We are still the winningest program and still have the overall wins record against Ohio State. However, both those accolades are slowly dwindling away. HELP!
WELL SAID!
I totally agree, anybody that wants to keep him must be ohio st fans posing as a Michigan Fan! GO BLUE!
Sorry To Say, But Time To Change
I agree it is time for Rich Rod to go. He has seemed to allow the defense to be forgotten altogether. There are three major parts to the game: offense, defense, and special teams. He has only focused on the offense and it has cost us dearly. Though the offense is fun to watch when it is rollin, like any lead role, it needs it’s supporting cast. 7 -5 really not that good when you start 5 – 0. We have not beat a Big Ten Team that finished with a winning record since he got here. I will say I have supported him and always say you have to give a new coach three years to let them get schemes and players in place. Well sorry time is up.
Your right!
This offense is great when it is rollin, but it exposes the QB to too many hits. Therefore, it is hard to establish consistency because you got Denard in a series, then Forcier. The Big Ten is big midwestern kids playing power football. Not this spread BS.
by ChicagoWolverine on Nov 28, 2010 3:39 AM CST up reply actions
Spread offense bs?
Northwestern and Purdue have been running the spread offense for years and have been very successful. If Northwestern with its lack of top facilities and athletes can win with the spread offense, so can Michigan. I agree with you that Denard is too small to keep running this much, I’d like to see him add 10-15 pounds of muscle in the offseason.
And when is the last time. . . .
When is the last time that Northwestern or Purdue won anything?
by ChicagoWolverine on Nov 28, 2010 1:57 PM CST up reply actions
I think you're missing the point
If Northwestern, with their neglect of their athletic facilities, an be somewhat successful running a spread offense, Michigan with an average defense can and will be dominant.
by helloooonoonan on Nov 28, 2010 2:01 PM CST up reply actions
Purdue and Northwestern shared the Big Ten title in 2000 and Ohio State enjoyed a lot of success with Troy Smith at quarterback and running a spread offense. If you’re trying to say that a spread offense won’t be able to win Big Ten championships or challenge for national titles, that argument’s not going to hold water. If you want to believe that spread offense isn’t a “real” offense and only a pro-style offense will succeed at Michigan, that’s certainly your right, but it’s not a fact that can be proven. I find it interesting that you’re trashing our offensive scheme, when it’s our defensive scheme that is holding the program back.
Spread BS?
Total offense: 501 ypg; 6th in the country, 1st in the conference
Rushing offense: 251 ypg, 11th in the country, 1st in the conference
Scoring offense: 34 ppg, 23rd in the country, 3rd in the conference
Yeah, that’s some real “spread BS.” Blame the defense, not the offense.
give me the yards and points he put up against good Big Ten teams. those inflated numbers dont mean shit.
by d_ronii on Nov 29, 2010 11:48 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Here's some "inflated numbers" for you
vs MSU: 377 total yards, 162 rushing yards (4.8 YPC), 17 points
vs Iowa: 522 total yards, 187 rushing yards (4.5 YPC), 28 points
vs PSU: 423 total yards, 233 rushing yards (5.5 YPC), 31 points
vs Wisconsin: 442 total yards, 168 rushing yards (4.7 YPC), 28 points
vs OSU: 352 total yards, 182 rushing yards (4.4 YPC), 7 points
That’s an average of 423 total yards per game, which would be 32nd in the country. The 186 rushing yards per game would be 27th in the country. And these are just the games we lost.
They are only averaging 22.2 points per game in those losses (90-something in the nation), but we’re already aware that this is due to turnovers (12 giveaways in the 5 losses alone, more than Wisconsin and Iowa have all season) and bad special teams play (2/5 field goals), not the offense’s ability to move the football.
The defense’s propensity to give up more scores than a MSU sorority girl is why Michigan lost those games. No amount of Power-I football is going to overcome giving up 195 points in 5 games.
by Rob Rogacki on Nov 29, 2010 12:33 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
You ask for sensible responses.
Your post is nonsensical. The only solution you offer is to bring in Harbaugh. That’s it? That’s Plan A? Do you even have a Plan B? What if Harbaugh is just a rental. His history has shown that he’s likely not going to be loyal to UM. My connection to UM is more than W-L’s. I really like the kids that play for this team and they wouldn’t be here without RR. I love the University for everything other than football.
I’m sorry your all butt-hurt because the team went 7-5 and that you think the winningest program shit is in Jeopardy!… but wait, ND is sitting at 7-5 and Texas just went 5-7. Jump off the bandwagon and the highest building you can find, because you’re doing more harm than good.
Sensible Responses
Mr or Ms Sensible Response. If you read the post it said University of Michigan Football, not ND, Texas. Second of all nobody was speaking of do you like the kids or not, this was simply about winning and losing. If you think that 7-5 is a good record and you are beating UConn, UMass, then quit wasting your time responding. Michigan Football did not get the lore of one of the preminent teams in college football, by beating up on Western Michigan, Bowling Green and the like. Go and get on Ohio States blog, they will love you over there! By the way, don’t you just love the Michigan Drama Team, they’re great!!!!!!!
by ChicagoWolverine on Nov 28, 2010 3:32 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
0-6 against msu and osu is not acceptable
You don’t beat your rivals, then you’re gone. End of story. I could understand if we were competitive but we are not even a threat after 3 years. Get out of here with that player morale over winning crap.
by d_ronii on Nov 29, 2010 11:59 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Good one
This year when trying to recruit Defensive players we will just tell the other recruits that if they come to Michigan they will be great kids and the fans will love rooting for them. You probably won’t win, but at least people will like you.
100% agree
It’s time a fro a Michigan Man ….
I love the line about the failed experiment, that in the fewest words explains the last 3 years.
If I hear that we need a “Michigan Man” one more time I am going to barf.
by Pinchy The Lobster on Nov 28, 2010 2:15 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
I agree with Pinchy
Mainly because I am curious what a “Michigan Man” is?
Bo made the term up if I’m not mistaken in regards to the U of M basketball team in 1989, correct?
Bo himself was a player at Miami of Ohio under coach Woody Hayes and then later an assistant there under Woody Hayes. Bo then went to assist Woody Hayes at TOSU before becoming the head coach at Miami of Ohio himself . He then came to Michigan.
So when demanding a “Michigan Man” would Bo himself have met you standards?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but when Michigan began the search that lead to the hiring of Rich Rod, wasn’t the name most people wanted Les Miles, who was keenly aware of the fact that Michigan’s head coaching position was open and yet he still signed a new contract with LSU. Is that a “Michigan Man”? Or is publicly berating your alma mater’s academic standards what it takes to be a “Michigan Man” ?
Please, for the love of God, explain to me what a “Michigan Man” is? Because I grew up loving Michigan football, I’ve spent lots and lots of money to see them in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and go to their pep rallys in Santa Monica and even went to Disney Land to see the team there. But I graduated from WMU, so I suppose if I were a nationally renowned coach with a pretty good track record, I probably shouldn’t considered for the job at U of M because I am not a “Michigan Man”.
Michigan Man, Defined
You’ll be forgiven for not understanding the “Michigan Man” term, since the media generally has gotten this very wrong. To listen to many commentators, this is as simple as finding someone who went to school at Michigan. But that would be a silly requirement for a head coaching position, and it obviously would have excluded Bo, the quentissential “Michigan Man.” The term does mean something, though, even if it is not the xenophobic, exclusionary concept that many commentators think it is.
In a nutshell, a Michigan Man is someone who believes “the Leaders and Best” is more than a slogan, and more than mere aspiration. He believes that universities are not fungible, and that Michigan really is qualitatively different from other places. He works constantly, in every way, to be a “leader” and the “best” and expects that from others at Michigan. He recognizes that Michigan is more than a football team and takes equal pride in the reputation of the business school, law school, music school, etc. And he believes that Michigan’s leadership in each of these areas is essential to the fabric of the place. He wins (because that’s what being the “best” means), but he insists, always, on winning fairly, with dignity, and with honor. He is both supremely modern in his openness to new ideas, and thoroughly traditional in his understanding that the new ideas are often inferior to time-tested methods. And he is a friend, mentor, father, mother, brother, or sister to Michigan Men everywhere.
In answer to your specific questions, I believe Les Miles showed that he was a Michigan Man by staying at LSU under the very bizarre circumstances he faced. He believed that his duty to his team required that he sacrifice what he apparently really wanted. A Michigan Man makes those sacrifices.
“[P]ublicly breating your alma mater’s academic standards” is quite obviously not “what it takes” to be a Michigan Man. But having those standards is essential, and does not prevent someone from being a Michigan Man. I believe Harbaugh would insist on those standards at Michigan, and that’s a good thing.
For what it’s worth, I think Coach Rodriguez is well on his way to becoming a Michigan Man, and that he understands the university’s drive to be great. That’s not a comment on whether or not he should stay, but rather on whether an outsider can come to learn and love the place, and to adopt its guiding principles as his own. That’s what Bo did, and Coach Rod may do it as well.
Michigan Man / Bama Man
As a lifelong Crimson Tide fan with family ties to Mich. I feel your pain, but I won’t pretend to know what is best for your great program. I know what it is to suffer through years of subpar seasons, thinking this year is “the year” only to be disappointed again. When coach Bryant retired we had to have one of the “Bears boys”, which we got,three times, and one “Bama man”. Three of the four were failures at best and led us to wander in the college football “desert” for many years. Where your coach went to school isn’t the most important thing to consider, make sure you get the right man. That being said I am so glad RR changed his mind or we would be going through what you are instead of UM. I hope to see your program get turned around soon, and start beating tosu on a regular basis. Good luck on the future of your great program. A fan from afar.
patience is needed
Michigan football is near and dear to my heart. It has not been easy watching the last few years. That being said the trouble started years before richrod got here. (I’m sure you all know the appalchain state debacle). Lloyd Carr was no genius against Ohio State with a full roster of his players as seniors.
Richrod gets one more year (at least) to prove himself. His first full recruting class is only in its sophmore year. So much pressure has been put on this program from fans yelling for change (“fire ron english” “win now or your fired” “change the defense” “change it back” “fire greg robinson”)
let’s see what he can do with a junior class and a healthier, hopefully, defense. If he doesn’t produce a nine win or better season next year then i’ll be there with you asking for a change. But for now let’s leave it alone and see what they can do in the coming season. i respect your right to want a change, so if you can’t root for richrod try supporting the team by not attacking them and the coach after each misstep.
GO BLUE
by supmat on Nov 28, 2010 8:03 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
I agree
The offense is finally rolling and will only be better and more consistent next season. Bring in another coordinator who hopefully has a clue and let him assemble his own defensive staff, not inherit all of the defensive assistants that Rodriguez brought with him from West Virginia.
by BSU_Alum07 on Nov 28, 2010 10:53 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Great response
Let’s not forget a few things:
1. While RichRod was found responsible for breaking NCAA rules, it was the equivalent of jaywalking and something that even our bitter rivals say everyone does. In every other aspect of his job, he has conducted himself like a true Michigan man. Look no further than our secondary for proof of that. How much better would the pass defense be with Boubacar Cissoko at corner? While many of you have jumped all over him for trying to give a good kid like Demar Dorsey a second chance (who proved to be academically ineligible) what about Lloyd Carr? You need look no further than Mario Manningham and Johnny Sears to see the blatant double standard employed by the man that seemingly did no wrong.
2. While Rodriguez has made a few missteps in regards to tradition (#1 jersey, etc.), Some much needed and long overdue changes have been made to make us more attractive to high profile recruits, such as a modern offense and night games.
3. I know some of you are tired of hearing this, but the cupboard was absolutely barren when Rodriguez got here. It would not have mattered who was the coach during that first year, the absolute lack of talent from anyone not named Brandon Graham, Steve Schilling, or Donovan Warren was painfully clear. Since then, we have a record setting QB with a younger one with arguably more talent waiting in the wings (Devin Gardner), a solid offensive line, a stable of talented young receivers, the #1 and #3 all-purpose backs coming in next year, some promising young talent on the D-Line, a handful of coveted corners and safeties already committed, and the possibility of adding the #1 DT and another very stout LB. If it hadn’t been for injuries, disciplinary issues, and eligibility requirements that weren’t met (Dorsey), the secondary would already be above average.
4. Please stop with the “Big 10 is power football” argument. That is the #1 reason the Big 10 rarely has a National Champ. Every time we got in a bowl against a faster team we would be embarrassed. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, and that’s what the great teams like Pete Carroll’s USC teams figured out. You need size and strength up front and speed everywhere else. Gone are the days of 68 brutes and 2 burners on a roster. Times have changed and you need to adjust. This argument is just as tired as the “we need a Michigan Man” statement. If the passion Rodriguez has shown to turn this program around doesn’t make him a Michigan Man I truly don’t know what you’re looking for. BTW, even when Lloyd was successful against the traditional rivals, he’d always lose to a stinker like Purdue or Northwestern.
5. Harbaugh, in my opinion, burned every bridge he had here with his comments a few years back. He can rot on the West Coast in front of 25,000 before jumping ship to coach the Vikings for all I care. Besides, would a true Michigan Man clamor for the Michigan State job the way he did?
Regardless of which side you’re on, I ask that you recognize that this team is a mediocre defense away from a 10 win season, a change to someone other than a spread coach will mean massive defections and another 3 years of misery, and that Rodriguez wants more than anyone to turn this thing around. They’re a young team and will only get better.
by helloooonoonan on Nov 28, 2010 11:02 AM CST up reply actions
Progress?
I think the key thing here is how fast the program can return to Big Ten contention. Can the Wolverines become competitive more quickly with Rich Rod or with another coach? With a new coach, Harbaugh, Miles, or someone else not yet on the radar, there’s no way to be terribly certain. On the other hand, Rich Rod has a track record in Ann Arbor so we can make an educated guess.
In his favor, U-M beat everyone they were supposed to beat this year, i.e. no Appalachian State debacles. The offense has steadily improved from year to year as has the overall record. If RR were to be replaced, some of the recruits would likely decommit and some of the current players would transfer. If the new coach imposed a traditional scheme, there would be a learning curve that could set the program back a season or so.
On the other side, the defense has gotten worse each year, the special teams are abysmal, and the offense does a better job moving the ball than scoring points (1st in B10 in yards, 3rd in points). Is there any reason to believe that the undersized defensive players will be more effective in future seasons? They’ll be a year older but I don’t think they’ll be adding 40 lbs of muscle during the off season.
On balance, I would argue that Rich Rod should be let go. During Saturday’s telecast it was mentioned that U-M is 0-11 against conference teams who have winning Big Ten records over RR’s 3-year reign. To me this speaks of lack of execution: untimely penalties, kickoffs out of bounds, dropped balls, missed tackles etc. At some point over the last three seasons, the team should have beaten someone they weren’t expected to beat.
by Collegeville on Nov 29, 2010 8:41 AM CST up reply actions
Have you forgotten our win against Wisconsin in 2008 when they were ranked #9 in the country? Nobody thought that we were going to win that game, especially since we had the suckfest that was Threet and Sheridan platooning at QB.
Your argument that the offense only racks up yards and not points isn’t that convincing to me. If we were 1st in the B10 in yards and 6th or lower in points, then I would agree with you, but not with us 3rd in points.
The question that Dave Brandon will have to answer is whether he believes that given another year, will Rich Rodriguez turn around the defense enough for Michigan to win 8-10 games? If the answer is no, then you might as well replace him now and deal with the fact that the next head coach will have to rebuild the defense and possibly have a lot of players on offense that don’t necessarily fit his scheme.
Yes, the 2008 Wisconsin game was a big upset. Of course, that team wound up at 3-5 for the year so they underachieved a bit. Still, it was probably Rich Rod’s best win. It’s unfortunate that this year’s team didn’t at least knock off a mediocre Penn State squad.
You have a point about the offense as they would have had more points if the team could kick field goals. Most B10 teams had 15 or so FGs and we had four.
Latest ESPN update looks like Brandon plans to follow through with his earlier comments and wait until after the bowl game to make any announcement. I can’t see this as being too good for recruiting since the incoming players can’t be sure if RR is going to be around. Supposedly, Harbaugh will be in town because the 1985 team is being honored. That should be an absolute circus.
by Collegeville on Nov 29, 2010 1:02 PM CST up reply actions
Latest ESPN update looks like Brandon plans to follow through with his earlier comments and wait until after the bowl game to make any announcement.
I can’t imagine that he would wait to fire RR and begin his coaching search after the bowl season. That’s just asking for a lost season on the recruiting trail.
Brandon sticking to his plan to wait until after the bowl game means to me that Rich will probably be brought back, with a new defensive coordinator and assistants. Waiting to fire him only hurts our recruiting efforts and the ability for the new coach to persuade Denard and other players who might not want to play in a non-spread offense to stick around. That being said, I wish that Brandon would either fire Rich this week and give him the opportunity to coach the bowl game or state unequivocally that Rich will be back with staff changes.
I disagree with your first point. There is NO WAY Harbaugh, Miles, or another non-spread coach has more than 5 wins next year with this roster. As for RR’s track record, he has gone from 3 wins to 5 and now 7 with a bowl pending, nothing new if you look at his past coaching appointments.
I’m not going to waste my time debating his role in the special teams disaster they currently face, considering the fact that a scholarship kicker in Brandon Gibbons can’t make anything past a fucking extra point. To hold him responsible for the kicking game is lazy as a small amount of research sheds light on the true causes. As for the defense, I agree that it isn’t anywhere near what it should be. However, I think I addressed that earlier and I do think that they are young and will improve. Will Craig Roh enter the season weighing 275? No, but maybe former 5* recruit William Campbell will finally live up to his potential giving the defensive line a much needed boost. Maybe Cameron Gordon, who couldn’t cover me in the secondary, puts on another 10-15 pounds and becomes a speedy, sure-tackling linebacker.
This is what building a program looks like. Like it or not, you experience growing pains that don’t necessarily show up in dynasty mode on NCAA 11. We can either be like Notre Dame and refuse to acknowledge the severity of the situation or we can suck it up and let the man do what he has done at EVERY STOP IN HIS CAREER. One more year and we’re back to where we’re accustomed to seeing this team.
by helloooonoonan on Nov 29, 2010 4:03 PM CST up reply actions
You’re probably right in that a new coach would be a step backward next year. However, would a new coach be better than Rich Rod in three years? Impossible to say. The reason I don’t have confidence is that too many of Michigan’s problems boil down to execution. Even fundamentals such as tackling and shedding blocks seem to be a problem. Too often the players seem to be confused on defense and don’t know the coverage scheme. Maybe this is totally Greg Robinson’s fault but Rich Rod hired him and is ultimately responsible..
I think he’s reached his level of incompetence. At WVU, his team finished 2nd in his second year and 1st in his third. At U-M, he’s finished 9th, 10th, and 7th.
In any case, you may get your wish and see him return next year since the university owes him $4M ($2.5M if they wait until 1/1/11 to pull the plug).
by Collegeville on Nov 29, 2010 10:24 PM CST up reply actions
I agree, but
I think the execution problems are a product of being so young. Denard gets too aggressive in the red zone, some of the emergency starters in the secondary aren’t executing tackles, etc. The defensive issues are all pretty common for non-superstar level players. However, with the exception of maybe Kovacs and Gordon, I think all of them can and will be very good players. As for Greg Robinson, I completely agree that this is RichRod’s fault. This is the one issue I can’t and won’t defend. He was awful last year and should have been terminated then. You’re right, as terrible as Robinson is, he is RR’s choice. Also, the progression you highlight from WVU is a little different than the current situation. He had much more in place there then he did here and that was the single greatest turnaround based solely on wins and loses in big east history. I think his Glenville State numbers are a little more telling, where I believe he won 1,4,6, and then 10. Trust me, if they bring him back and he doesn’t lead the team to 10 wins next year I’ll be right there with you, but I think it’s way too soon to pull the plug on a total rebuild job.
by helloooonoonan on Nov 30, 2010 6:42 AM CST up reply actions
Rich Rod has put together the best Big East team in the Big ten
No more of this nonsense
by d_ronii on Nov 29, 2010 12:03 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Jim Harbaugh?
Thursday, August 02, 2007Harbaugh’s Michigan Comments Still Sting
They are not about to forget Jim Harbaugh for the swipe he took three months ago at his former school.
“He’s not a Michigan man,” Wolverine running back Mike Hart, right, told Angelique S. Chengelis of the Detroit News. “I wish he had never played here, but it is what it is.”
Harbaugh, in his first year as Stanford coach, told the San Francisco Chronicle in May: “Michigan is a good school and I got a good education there, but the athletic department has ways to get borderline guys in, and when they’re in, they steer them to courses in sports communications. They’re adulated when they’re playing, but when they get out, the people who adulated them won’t hire them.”
Jamie Morris, one of Harbaugh’s teammates, used to consider the former quarterback a close friend. Today, they no longer speak.
“We’ve dissolved our friendship,” Morris said.
Morris, who works in the Michigan athletic development department, said he talked to Harbaugh shortly after the comments were printed.
“I said, ‘Jim, here’s my question for you — do you really believe the comments you said, or are you saying them to make you look good?’
“He said, ‘I believe them.’ And I said, ‘Would you have said it if [former coach] Bo [Schembechler] was alive?’ He said, ’That’s not the point.’ And I said, ’That’s exactly the point. You didn’t hurt Michigan, you hurt your coach, and you hurt the guys you played with. These are the teammates you turned your back on.’ "
Then it became heated.
“We said, ’We’re not friends anymore,’ " Morris said. " ‘You lose my number, I lose yours.’ "
by supmat on Nov 28, 2010 8:12 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
this is exactly why harbaugh should not come to michigan
but rich rod should be gone regardless. he’s not a michigan man and has caused controversy himself, ranging from the west virginia buyout to poor seasons. we’ve given him time to get his people in, and he’s done a shitty job anyway.
Nope.
Nope.
Frank, Bill, Gustave, Bill, Fielding, George, Tad, Harry, Fritz, Bennie, Bump, Bo, Gary, Lloyd, and Rich are all excellent names for assorted children and pets.
by Remember Bo on Nov 28, 2010 11:14 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Jim Harbaugh
is an older, grayer version of Justin Boren. I don’t want him anywhere near this program.
by Rob Rogacki on Nov 28, 2010 5:01 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Nope
I love Rich Rod. I love all of his players. I love the excitement his offense brings. Yeah, they made quite a few mistakes they weren’t able to overcome in the last couple games of the year, but they are exciting as hell to watch and are set up for a huge run next year. 19 starters return. 19! Not to mention getting Woolfolk back in the secondary. Rich Rod has the exact same record as Harbaugh through his first 3 years so I don’t get why you all think Jim is so fantastically awesome. Give Rich a chance. He’s a genuinely good guy whose system has worked EVERYWHERE HES EVER GONE. One more year, please, and hopefully a lot more after that.
As for the defense,
Like I said, all the starters return and a huge turnaround of a defense is not unprecedented. We started 8 freshman in most games this year. As much as I dislike Greg Robinson, it would be hard for anyone to be successful with that much youth. Also, the guy never coached a 3-3-5 defense in his life so putting him in that situation was wrong of Rich Rod, but that’s not exactly a reason to fire the guy. I’d prefer to bring in a new DC and run a 4-3 since we have better personnel for that but regardless, there is not much harm in giving Rich one more year.
Thanks for this
Both of these posts are great
by helloooonoonan on Nov 29, 2010 4:05 PM CST up reply actions
RR Must Go
RR and WVU are still subject to a pending charge by the NCAA, which will likely result in more Major Violations admitted by RIch Rod. But also, those charges are more serious than the UM ones, for one charge: that Rich Rod committed a KNOWING violation, because (as the NCAA specifically alleges) RR’s WVU Compliance people told him about having too many coaches, and he just KEPT ON doing it. Very bad. Ugly result. See discussion at brewonsouthu.wordpress.com
Defense wins championships
And good coaching. If you look across any conference or in the NFL you will find teams that consistently win or at least compete have great coaching staffs. They make the proper adjustments in the second half, they manage the clock correctly and they find a way to get the job done. We haven’t seen this from RR in 3 years.
I will agree that this year was probably one of the most exciting and yet frustrating years to watch U of M football. I shouldn’t have a sinking feeling in my stomach the moment “Little Brother” stopped us on offense in the first half that we lost the game. I shouldn’t be able to count on both hands how many 3 and outs we had this year on defense. Ok to be fair, I might have to use a foot but still its ridiculous. 3 and 2 or, 3 and 22, we lost. Time and time again.
Is the defense the coaches fault? Some argue yes, some say no. I say yes. Week after week I read quotes saying “we have simplified the defense for the kids to understand it better”. Really? If 19 year old kids need it simplified for them then how do you stop the opposing offensive coordinators from picking you apart? Maybe they didn’t change a thing and they just said that to try and calm the uprising. It just made me more upset.
If we bring in a new coach does Denard lose his speed? Nope. Do we still have a future star in the waiting with Devon? Yep. We won’t lose offense with a new coach. We may not score 50+ points but we might do better than 7-5.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
