Adios Rich Rodriguez

[MWM]

I think Miles would listen. He's got as big an ego as anyone out there and he could be the hero riding in on a white horse to rescue the sinking ship and return them to the days of Schembechler. He's got a good team coming back next year and is assembling a good recruiting class, so I can see why he would want to stay. But I don't think it's unreasonable to think he'd listen. Everyone has their dream job. Some guys are strong enough to resist the temptation (see Urban Meyer and Notre Dame), but most aren't.

I also know Peterson from Boise State has pretty much said he plans to stay there, but I'd definitely make the call and try to see if there's anything that could be done to sway him. It's a longshot, but if Harbaugh isn't interested, he would be a huge hire. Same for the guy from TCU, although I doubt he's gonig anywhere either.

The other guy, another big time longshot, would be Dan Mullen. He's probably not interested in leaving, but I think some assume he's an SEC guy. He's from Pennsylvania and was with Urban Meyer for a long time, so he's not like Muschamp who was clearly an SEC guy. He's got MSU on the right path, but he's always going to be recruiting uphill down there against the likes of Alabama, LSU, and Florida. He's much more likely to get big-time athletes at Michigan than at Mississippi St. MSU's not a bad job, but they're never going to be a consistent SEC powerhouse, IMO. He has a much better chance at playing for a national championship at Michigan than MSU. His offensive style would fit Denard Robinson, so he wouldn't need to completely retool the offense.

[dabvu2498]

Petersen has coached one year east of the Rocky Mountains and does most of his good work in California. Not to say that this couldn't work.

I think Patterson would be a great hire. Not sexy, but I think he fits the mold at Michigan.

[Red Leader]

What a freaking mess! Its being reported on several UM boards that no decision on Rodriguez has been made, and one won't be made until tomorrow. I can hardly believe they can bring him back at this point.

Reports that Rich Rodriguez has been fired are premature. TheWolverine.com has learned that no decision on the Michigan head coach's future will come until tomorrow.

The players' meeting that had been scheduled for tonight at 7:00 p.m. has been delayed until tomorrow at 4:00.

Maybe the delay is a response they received from Harbaugh's agent? I've heard many people say that if Harbaugh wasn't the man hired for this job, they would rather UM bring Rodriguez back for another year rather than hire a Brady Hoke-type just to make a change.

For me, I let him go. Immediately. You look at UM's Big Ten record over the last 3 years. Look at their record vs OSU and Michigan St. Look at ending the consecutive bowl streak. Look at UM's record vs ranked teams over the last 3 years. Look at the coach that brought NCAA sanctions to the school for the first time ever. Look at that coach and tell him to get the hell out of Ann Arbor.

[Sea Ray]

What a freaking mess! Its being reported on several UM boards that no decision on Rodriguez has been made, and one won't be made until tomorrow. I can hardly believe they can bring him back at this point.



Maybe the delay is a response they received from Harbaugh's agent? I've heard many people say that if Harbaugh wasn't the man hired for this job, they would rather UM bring Rodriguez back for another year rather than hire a Brady Hoke-type just to make a change.

For me, I let him go. Immediately. You look at UM's Big Ten record over the last 3 years. Look at their record vs OSU and Michigan St. Look at ending the consecutive bowl streak. Look at UM's record vs ranked teams over the last 3 years. Look at the coach that brought NCAA sanctions to the school for the first time ever. Look at that coach and tell him to get the hell out of Ann Arbor.

That makes no sense. If Harbaugh doesn't come this year he sure ain't comin' next year. Either way Richrod has to go

[Razor Shines]

Is he standing outside the Michigan AD's office with a boombox playing this:

YouTube - Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up (Video)

[Red Leader]

Seriously, where's Ashton Kutcher?? I'm still waiting for someone to post on the boards that all of the UM fans got PUNK'D today.

Just get rid of him already. He has absolutely no argument for being given more time in his current position. As Roy said, he's in way over his head and was from the moment he took this job. The relationship just didn't work out. I still think he's a good coach, he's just not a good coach for Michigan. A coach needs to be brought in that is going to return to a Pro-Style offense with a massive o-line and a swarming defense. I know its going to take time to turn the program back around and head in that direction. I realize we may lose Denard Robinson as we attempt to do that. There definitely aren't sunny days ahead in Ann Arbor, but why continue to delay the inevitable? It needs to be done and the sooner you start the better, IMO.

[WVRed]

Seriously, where's Ashton Kutcher?? I'm still waiting for someone to post on the boards that all of the UM fans got PUNK'D today.

Just get rid of him already. He has absolutely no argument for being given more time in his current position. As Roy said, he's in way over his head and was from the moment he took this job. The relationship just didn't work out. I still think he's a good coach, he's just not a good coach for Michigan. A coach needs to be brought in that is going to return to a Pro-Style offense with a massive o-line and a swarming defense. I know its going to take time to turn the program back around and head in that direction. I realize we may lose Denard Robinson as we attempt to do that. There definitely aren't sunny days ahead in Ann Arbor, but why continue to delay the inevitable? It needs to be done and the sooner you start the better, IMO.

This alone could be the reason a Jim Harbaugh wouldn't jump on this. Weeding out the players that don't fit for a job that may take five years to fully rebuild instead of three (which is what fans would likely give).

On a completely unrelated note, and I'm kinda wondering what some rational WVU fans would think about this assumption, but I kinda wonder if the loss to Pitt was the breaking point for Rodriguez. It just seems like ever since "13-9" he hasn't been the same person. I just think the guy has some issues to sort out and needs to do so before returning to coaching.

[15fan]

I kinda wonder if the loss to Pitt was the breaking point for Rodriguez. It just seems like ever since "13-9" he hasn't been the same person.

That loss was as big of a red flag as there could have been. All Rich Rod had to do was beat a really bad Pitt team, coached by Dave Wannstedt, in Morgantown, and the Mountaineers likely would have ended up in the national title game. It was an epic choke job.

[Slyder]

On a completely unrelated note, and I'm kinda wondering what some rational WVU fans would think about this assumption, but I kinda wonder if the loss to Pitt was the breaking point for Rodriguez. It just seems like ever since "13-9" he hasn't been the same person. I just think the guy has some issues to sort out and needs to do so before returning to coaching.

Everything from that point went downhill. Rodriguez's problem at Michigan I believe is he never had full support. At WVU he could have had a bad rebuilding year and still be looked upon as a favorite son and WVU still in lockstep with him, at Michigan he didnt have that. From the time he got there, there seems to have been a section of Michigan alumni that never liked him. Whether it be over the way he drug Michigan through the WVU buyout case or whatever.

Teams used that against him in recruiting and he was out of his recruiting base. It was nothing for WVU to go into Alabama (Pat White), Florida, Georgia, and the south and land some pretty big fish. I just don't think in this day you can go to places like that and get people to go to Michigan to play football. The perception of the big 10 is big power football while they could stay closer to home and play in a conference that is as much about speed as they are size in the SEC.

Don't get me wrong Rich made plenty of mistakes to cook his own goose but from the start he was a flashy headliner pick that got all the coverage Michigan wanted but then when you looked at the fit was like trying to take Barry Larkin and turn him into Tyrone Wheatley.

Although there was one job that I doubt he got looked at but could make some real interesting fit that I saw. I think Cryami would love him.

[MWM]

There may have been some external factors involved in his failure in Ann Arbor, but if you watched the team play it was obvious they were poorly coached. He might be a good X & O guy, but there's more to coaching than that.

[Slyder]

There may have been some external factors involved in his failure in Ann Arbor, but if you watched the team play it was obvious they were poorly coached. He might be a good X & O guy, but there's more to coaching than that.

I will admit that I did not see them play. It just seemed like for all intesive purposes UM besides immediately after the announcement never seemed to get behind him and that support vanished after the AD "retired".

[Red Leader]

The Fox channel that broke the story is now saying that they reported that "the decision" to fire Rich Rodriguez had been finalized and that is what they reported (B.S.), and that they didn't report that Rich Rodriguez had already been fired (B.S.2). Whatever.

From everything I've read tonight, they are correct, the decision to fire Rich Rodriguez has been made and the reasons for carrying the announcement over until tomorrow is 1) because they are still negotiating a buyout and whether this will be a firing or a resignation (what difference does it make?), and 2) so Rich Rod has more time to prepare what he is going to tell his players and potentially any immediately affected coaches.

So, long story short, RichRod will be officially not be the Michigan coach tomorrow. It is believed that a replacement coach will be named less than 24 hours after that announcement is made. Rumor still has it that it could be Les Miles, Brady Hoke, or even still Jim Harbaugh, although the latter is considered very unlikely, but it's not completely dead yet.

[Red Leader]

It is now official. Rich Rodriguez and his staff have been fired.

Still trying to figure out who all that "staff" includes. I hope it is not everyone or Michigan's recruiting class might as well just take a bye this year. I'm hoping at least RB coach Fred Jackson is retained, or will be brought back by whoever the new coach is.

[Red Leader]

For those interested there is a press conference by UM's AD Dave Brandon on ESPN at 12:30 today to discuss "the state of the program".

I'm not sure whether Dave Mason's "We Just Disagree" will be played in the background.

My guess is that if RichRod and his 'entire' staff were let go, which is what was reported, that they already have a replacement either named or lined up.
That's the only way it makes sense to completely clean house.
It also tells me that the new coach being brought in will not be running the super-awesome slot ninja spread n shred offense.
That is good news on one hand. On the other hand, holy Moses are there going to be some mass-exodus transfers.
This ship is going to be like the Titanic to turn around, not a speed cruiser.

[WVRed]

I'm not sure whether Dave Mason's "We Just Disagree" will be played in the background.

Maybe "You Raise Me Up"