Rich Rodriguez (official thread of last laughs)

[Emperor Brutus]

Looks like there has been a lot of misinformation in this thread.

I think Rich is a great hire for several reasons.

One reason is that he's going to completely revamp the Michigan strength and conditioning program. That is a HUGE thing that cannot be overlooked.

Michigan has the personnel to run the spread in year one. Even if Manningham leaves (which looks likely) there is still enough talent at receiver to run a spread. Adrian Arrington is a fabulous receiver, Greg Mathews is a very good receiver himself. Junior Hemingway, Toney Clemons, and Darryl Stonum are all very talented young receivers. The talent at tight end is also very good with Carson Butler, Martell Webb, Kevin Koger, and Brandon Moore.

As far as Mallett goes, he ran the spread in high school at Texas High. The kid looked more comfortable this year when Michigan had him in the gun and had 4 WR sets. He looked very awkward under-center and muffed, I don't know, 11 or 12 snaps on the year.

As far as Rodriguez' system goes, it's adaptable to the players. PERIOD. Anybody who says otherwise obviously doesn't have a clue. At Glenville State he threw the ball 50-60 times a game. He had a receiver that caught 154 balls in a single season. As the offensive co-ordinator and QB's coach at Tulane he had Shaun King who lead the NCAA in passing efficiency, threw for 3,600 yards and 38 touchdown passes against only 6 interceptions.

Rodriguez is a true innovator on offense. Urban Meyer bases most of his offensive philosophy on Rodriguez. Ask Urban what he thinks of Rich.

Great hire for Michigan. The best realistic hire they could've made period, because Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer were not going to leave their respective cushy situations.

As I said earlier what I found most interesting comparing mobile quarterbacks was how Zook used his backup compared to Dick Rod. Zook recruited a guy that was a more efficient passer though still mobile, Dick Rod didn't. Williams threw 1.9 yards for every yard he ran, his backup threw 2.6 yards for every yard he ran. White threw 1.6 yards for every yard he ran, his backup threw and ran at almost a one to one ratio. Each player played almost an entire game for the starter so it wasn't all mop up time. It looks like the future for Zook's spread will include more passing plays while Dick Rod was gearing up for a similar offense with his next quarterback. Will he do the same at Michigan? Only time will tell.

The point is has Dick Rod had offenses that have thrown that ball before, yes he has, but mainly only out of necessity. So does the most recent evidence show that he was planning on implementing more of a passing game in the future, no it does not. No matter what the reason you can look at it one of too ways.

The first, it really is his offensive philosophy, if this is true then I think Michigan is in trouble because your first string quarterback is going to get hurt in the Big Ten. Don't make excuses either like he didn't have the wide receivers, maybe he didn't have the wide receivers to compete in the Big Ten, but as posters have pointed out numerous times he had the better talent relative to his conference opponents. If he had wanted to throw it more he should have been able to with his athletes when compared to his competition.

The second, he couldn't develop his quarterback, believe it or not I think this is the better option for Michigan and the one their fans should be hoping for. Maybe his quarterback coach at West Virginia was awful, maybe he couldn't teach a quarterback a damn thing. If so he?ll have a better one at Michigan and his future quarterbacks will learn to throw the ball better.

I?m of the opinion from listening to him that it is the former not the latter and that makes me laugh at the thought of what he might come up with at Michigan when his hand isn't forced with a throwing quarterback. Again, I think he can create a dangerous offense at Michigan, but it is dependent on his willingness to adapt and I don?t think recent evidence shows his willingness to do so.

 

[6-1.SUCKIT.]

Just a question here, but how are you going to protect Ryan Mallett and his fumbling problems, when you are losing your best offensive lineman to the NFL and even with him you were 62nd in the country in sacks allowed? Not to mention that if you run a spread that takes away blockers and with Hart gone you don't exactly have a running back with a reputation of picking up blitzers.

Great question, and the offensive line is the single biggest part of the team that I'm worried about next year. I guess we will just have to see. Rodriguez has built some pretty solid offensive lines at WVU with 2* and 3* recruits. The theory goes that now that he'll be able to land real blue-chip offensive line prospects like Steve Schilling and Justin Boren (who were both 5*'s back in the 2006 class) he should be able to build even better offensive lines.

I'm not unrealistic though. I know that the offensive line is probably going to take the longest time out of all the parts of this team to catch up. First of all they've been coached by a complete incompetent who is not qualified for the position in Andy Moeller. Secondly they've been ruined by a complete garbage S&C program. Michigan's offensive line play has been for the most part terrible outside of two men (Jake Long and Adam Kraus) for the past 2 seasons. I cannot stress enough just how dominant Jake Long has been for that line and how great Mike Hart is at making tough yards appear out of thin air. The line will take about 2 years to come around. Year one it will be a little rough, but by year 2 I fully expect the line to be formidable.

As far as Mallett and his fumbling problems go, he fumbled the ball mostly when he was under-center- he just couldn't get a hold of the snap. There were a couple of reasons for this. One is that he was playing with a left-handed center in Justin Boren, the other is that he played almost exclusively out of the shotgun in a spread offense in high school.

 

[sandgk]

Interesting take by Greg Easterbrook - The Illusion of The Super Coach

We've reached that point in the year when coach mania sets in. At many NFL teams, colleges and even high schools, fans and boosters are demanding: Fire the coach, he's to blame. At other NFL teams, colleges and even high schools, fans and boosters are exclaiming: Hire the astonishing SuperCoach, he will bring instant success.
...
Consider Rodriguez, the latest high-profile walkout. The Charleston, W.Va., Gazette reports that after Rodriguez decided to walk out on West Virginia, he spoke to his players for a mere 10 minutes -- no questions, please! -- before exiting through a side door and heading to the airport for a flight to Michigan. These are players to whom Rodriguez surely made elaborate promises during recruiting. In December 2006, when some recruits were hesitant to sign letters of intent with the Mountaineers owing to rumors that Rodriguez would leave, he reassured them by publicly declaring he would stay at West Virginia "for a very, very long time." The moment there was something in it for him -- a pay increase from $1.9 million at West Virginia to a reported $3 million annual salary at Michigan -- Rodriguez shafted his players. The Detroit Free Press asserts that even before Rodriguez announced he was leaving for Michigan, he called Terrelle Pryor, this fall's most sought-after high school player, and urged Pryor to enroll at Michigan rather than at West Virginia. Immediately after there was something in it for him, Rodriguez shafted his former employer.

And this is the coach Michigan wants! Someone whose word is not bond; someone who, if the Free Press account is accurate, actively tried to double-cross his previous school. Wolverines: If Rodriguez is a fiasco at Michigan, don't say you weren't warned. And the history of selfish coaches suggests that fiasco will come calling. Petrino, Saban, Price, Franchione, Fairbanks, Parcells -- which of these guys did really well after walking out on a commitment for self-serving reasons?

 

[6-1.SUCKIT.]

Interesting take by Greg Easterbrook - The Illusion of The Super Coach

Greg who?

That guy is an idiot that doesn't have all of the facts.

WVU didn't deliver on some of the promises they made to keep him last year. Rich was trying to get pay increases for all of his assistant coaches, a $5 game fee waived for state high school coaches, a side-line pass for his wife, and he wanted the school to let his players keep their school books. The WVU administration shot him down on everyone of those requests.

Bottom line is if the WVU administration hadn't been a bunch of morons Rich Rodriguez would still be the coach there. Not only has Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan in the past year, but John Beilein and their womens soccer coach left as well.

They've got a real big problem in the administration, and the three biggest athletic boosters the school has ever had have come out publicly and trashed the administration and have gone on record saying they are going to withdraw their donations which total in the millions.

Don't blame Rodriguez, blame the WVU administration.

 

[EidoloN]

with the whole hiring of RR, im willing to bet that this changes the whole B10, i see a much "faster" conference now, especially after what the buckeyes have done the last couple years, illinois this year and for the next couple years and now scum will be looking at faster recruits......now they will be saying "B10 speed/spread"!

 

[BrutusMaximus]

If I wanted to get nasty I'd join in the crowd ragging the guys wife. All I did was call him a douche nozzle.

Where did all this PC toward the scUMers come from? They hired a guy with blemishes and we are taking them to task for it. They are our hated rival, its kind of what people do to their rivals on a message board last time I checked.

I fucking hate scUM, I hate their arrogant ass fans and now I hate the hillbilly they hired because he is their coach(I thought he was completely incompetent before they hired him btw). A couple of decent scUM posters on this board aren't going to change my mind on any of that.

Man, its like we've got a bunch of Herbie's on here all of a sudden. Anyone feeling all warm and fuzzy toward those cocksuckers because we've been winning needs to think long and hard about how they acted during the Cooper years.

If we won 50 in a row I personally couldn't wait to rub that 51st one in their faces.

Ok I could care less if you hate him, his wife, his dog, his gerbil, whatever. But the fact is if everybody just joins every thread and starts dropping random flaming comments, then you have chaos, am I wrong? Geesh, decaf dude.

 

[6-1.SUCKIT.]

If I wanted to get nasty I'd join in the crowd ragging the guys wife. All I did was call him a douche nozzle.

Where did all this PC toward the scUMers come from? They hired a guy with blemishes and we are taking them to task for it. They are our hated rival, its kind of what people do to their rivals on a message board last time I checked.

I fucking hate scUM, I hate their arrogant ass fans and now I hate the hillbilly they hired because he is their coach(I thought he was completely incompetent before they hired him btw). A couple of decent scUM posters on this board aren't going to change my mind on any of that.

Man, its like we've got a bunch of Herbie's on here all of a sudden. Anyone feeling all warm and fuzzy toward those cocksuckers because we've been winning needs to think long and hard about how they acted during the Cooper years.

If we won 50 in a row I personally couldn't wait to rub that 51st one in their faces.

I swear to god I think some Ohio State fans actually hate Michigan more than they like Ohio State.

 

[WolverineTX]

So is it true he actually hasn't signed a contract with Michigan yet....

Yes, to the best of my knowledge. Shouldn't be long, though.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Yes, to the best of my knowledge. Shouldn't be long, though.

In that case, should he be recruiting TP to Michigan? I'm not trying to be a smart ass.... just wondering if that's a recruiting violation. I have heard that RR isn't the most .... how do we say... up and up recruiter out there, and this may be a sign of that. Contrast with Carr.

 

[covtowntiger7]

I think Rodriguez is total phony, regardless of what people think he will soon find out there is a big difference between Louisville and Ohio St. I read earlier where someone on this forum said he would be able to step right in and run his offense. NO, NO, NO! Mallet is no Pat White and Hart isn't the same "kind" of player as Slaton. He is going to have trouble at first but after a couple of years of recruiting who knows. For some reason when a coach transfers he becomes the coach to play for. Stick it to him a couple years and maybe you will keep the upperhand.

 

[WolverineTX]

In that case, should he be recruiting TP to Michigan? I'm not trying to be a smart ass.... just wondering if that's a recruiting violation. I have heard that RR isn't the most .... how do we say... up and up recruiter out there, and this may be a sign of that. Contrast with Carr.

My knowledge of recruiting is quite poor, let alone all the accompanying legalities, so I have no room to comment on the minutiae.

The reports that Pryor was contacted by RR before anyone else (assuming they're accurate) indeed do bother me. I'm at a loss to explain how you ethically rectify that situation when you're still on the old employer's payroll. I earnestly hope that's not a sign of things to come.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I think Rodriguez is total phony, regardless of what people think he will soon find out there is a big difference between Louisville and Ohio St. I read earlier where someone on this forum said he would be able to step right in and run his offense. NO, NO, NO! Mallet is no Pat White and Hart isn't the same "kind" of player as Slaton. He is going to have trouble at first but after a couple of years of recruiting who knows. For some reason when a coach transfers he becomes the coach to play for. Stick it to him a couple years and maybe you will keep the upperhand.

I doubt he'll be much worried about how Mike Hart compares to Steve Slaton since Hart's a Senior and NFL hopeful.

 

[sandgk]

Greg who?

That guy is an idiot that doesn't have all of the facts.

Frankly I posted that as much because of the thesis - that there is too great of a cult of personality these days about coaches. But, in relation to Rodriguez, apparently some facts need to be reiterated here.

WVU didn't deliver on some of the promises they made to keep him last year.

First things first, the last contract was signed September 9, 2007 - this year, not last. And now here comes the litany ...

Rich was trying to get pay increases for all of his assistant coaches,

He got that done - the school ponied up. Check your facts.

a $5 game fee waived for state high school coaches,

Over this you leave a school? If he felt that deeply about it then pay for the tickets and leave them at will call yourself - he was on a $1.8 Million salary wasn't he?

a side-line pass for his wife,

Must resist urge to post earlier picture again in this thread.

and he wanted the school to let his players keep their school books.

So that the players might then sell the same. Now, what that means of course is that the books were given to the players for free. Thus, if they sell them is that perhaps an NCAA violation? Or is it common practice at, say, UM to give the players the books and let them sell them to gain extra cash?
(Spill the beans, you know we have UM's best interests at heart here, you've said so yourself earlier in this thread. )

The WVU administration shot him down on everyone of those requests.

No, really, so all that talk from Pastilong about trying to meet him on matters large and small (the earlier cited offences being the small matters) was just that, talk? After all, he couldn't have had something else in mind could he, like say the $8 Million in study facility and locker-room improvements that was already - as promised - either completed (study facility) or underway, (locker-rooms)?

Bottom line is if the WVU administration hadn't been a bunch of morons Rich Rodriguez would still be the coach there.

Bottom line might be what the WVU admins were looking at but in a different way.

Not only has Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan in the past year, but John Beilein

How's that working out for you BTW, loved the match-up against your past coach, Harvard of the MidWest loses to Harvard.

and their womens soccer coach left as well.

I'm sure the entire state was in shock over the elevation of their women's soccer coach. That is really just an ironic twist in my view.

They've got a real big problem in the administration,

Yeah - well maybe they had - but now don't. The problem they had was acquiescing to his demands last year. They should have let RR be Alabama's problem, instead of the Big 10's.

and the three biggest athletic boosters the school has ever had have come out publicly and trashed the administration and have gone on record saying they are going to withdraw their donations which total in the millions.

Great character witnesses. Such upstanding supporters of their Alma Mater those fellows are. You do realize that there are others contributors who support WVU and it's athletics, yet have the opposite view? You know, the type of view that says one man is not larger than the institution.
In fact, these rich but misguided individuals were actually the source for all those reports of the heinous offenses of not letting students sell books given them as part of their grant, or the $5 tickets that RR himself wouldn't pony up. Gosh, if only the list were endless. :tongue2:

Don't blame Rodriguez, blame the WVU administration.

I know that is directed at the writer of the article, but no - let's actually mete out to Rodriguez a portion of the blame suited to how he did things.

(Going for the job - so you do not misunderstand me - I have no problem with. As for the manner of the pursuit and all that surrounded the chase, it is frankly beneath contempt. TSUN has a tiger by the tail - watch out - one day, who knows how soon, it will turn around and bite you).

 

[Jaxbuck]

I swear to god I think some Ohio State fans actually hate Michigan more than they like Ohio State.

Coming from a scUM fan trolling an OSU board.

As DBB would say, the irony processor on my PC just exploded.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Coming from a scUM fan trolling an OSU board.

As DBB would say, the irony processor on my PC just exploded.

Oswho is not a troll. I know him from RP and will vouch for his "legit poster" status.