Rich Rod is gone

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Gopher07

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http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/sports/rich-rodriguez-fired-as-michigans-head-football-coach

Sources tell Fox 2 that Rich Rodriguez was fired as head coach of the University of Michigan football team Tuesday.

The decision came just three days after his team suffered the worst bowl loss in school history, a 52-14 trouncing at the hands of Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl.

Fox 2's Ryan Ermanni learned that Michigan Athletic Director David Brangan has informed Rodriguez of his decision to terminate services.

Rodriguez was 15-22 during three seasons in Ann Arbor. He lost a school-record nine games in his debut with the Wolverines two years ago, was 5-7 after starting 4-0 last season and turned a 5-0 start into a 7-5 finish this fall.

The Wolverines were also 1-10 against ranked teams and were 0-3 against rivals Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin during Rodriguezs tenure.

Athletic Director David Brandon would not immediately name a replacement.

Rumors have swirled that Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, a former Wolverine quarterback, and San Diego States Brady Hoke, a former U-M coach, are on the list of possible candidates.

Reports Tuesday said Harbaughs return to Michigan, however, is highly unlikely. He is reportedly deciding on staying at Stanford or pursuing a heading coaching position in the NFL.
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Let the speculation begin. We'll see if there are any legs to Harbaugh-to-Michigan, which has been discussed considerably on this board.
 

Let's poach Justice Hayes from their class. He's from Grand Blanc (which I'm sure Kill is familiar with, having coached at Saginaw Valley State) and has been contacted by us before :)
 

I am starting to get some perspective now that other schools are making their hires. Many here considered Hoke to be a second or third tier hire for Minnesota, and of course the reaction to Kill was less-than-positive overall.

If Michigan ends up with Hoke, the Kill hire is looking better on all fronts. Clearly he is winning people over here in MN based on how he has handled the first month on the job. But, it is also clear most of the names being hashed over here (including by people like ME) were a bit out of scope for a program like ours. Hopefully Kill will take the program to another tier where the next hire will include names closer to reality.
 


Did the person posting that blog entry have English as their second language?
 

Schnauzer said:
I am starting to get some perspective now that other schools are making their hires. Many here considered Hoke to be a second or third tier hire for Minnesota, and of course the reaction to Kill was less-than-positive overall.

If Michigan ends up with Hoke, the Kill hire is looking better on all fronts. Clearly he is winning people over here in MN based on how he has handled the first month on the job. But, it is also clear most of the names being hashed over here (including by people like ME) were a bit out of scope for a program like ours. Hopefully Kill will take the program to another tier where the next hire will include names closer to reality.
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Totally agree with the latter comments about hiring expectations. The names tossed around for the Michigan job - which is clearly a better job than us - are the same or only slightly better than the names we had. With Golden to Miami, if Hoke goes to Michigan, I think we clearly hired at that same approximate level while those 2 programs are programs that certainly should be able to hire much higher profile guys than we are able to hire. It shows just how few top-caliber, can't-miss guys are out there (I count Harbaugh as one of those guys, but it appears from reports that he won't be going to Michigan).

BTW, I think this sets Michigan back a few more years and therefore helps us and increases our chances of getting the Little Brown Jug back (and maybe even making it a real rivalry again). I had expected RichRod to win at Michigan, and I can't say I've been following their program real closely, it seemed they were getting better and I was expecting them to be at or near the top of the division in 2011. Now, who knows, they're starting over. They could be in the wilderness for a few more years at least.
 

Golden Elephant said:
BTW, I think this sets Michigan back a few more years and therefore helps us and increases our chances of getting the Little Brown Jug back (and maybe even making it a real rivalry again). I had expected RichRod to win at Michigan, and I can't say I've been following their program real closely, it seemed they were getting better and I was expecting them to be at or near the top of the division in 2011. Now, who knows, they're starting over. They could be in the wilderness for a few more years at least.
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While I think it is likely that a new hire continues to hold Michigan back it really will depend on the hire. If they get a pro-style offensive coach then the powerful Michigan offense has to be retooled to fit a system it wasn't recruited for. That would be bad for them. But if you get another spread guy (or coach who is comfortable working in elements of the spread consistently) then maybe they aren't hurting as much.

I don't think it will ever be a "real" rivalry because neither fan base has the appropriate level of hatred for each other. It will be a game for a cool trophy and in our case, a game against a team that has historically owned the Gophers. That's plenty to play for right there.
 

There are so many questions associated with this. What are the chances they get another spread guy? Assuming they don't, how will Denard Robinson fit in the new scheme? Etc. etc.
 



Gotta wonder if Denard Robinson comes back now and the defense will still be questionable at best. They definitely take a step back in 2011.

And if they hire Hoke, I'm going to live on the Michigan boards. Their fans think he is so far beneath them, should be fun to watch.
 

Denard staying/going will depend on the next hire. My money is on him transferring though.
 

Denard got interviewed after the bowl game. Here is what he said after the bowl game:
Speaking to the press following the bowl game, quarterback Denard Robinson was asked point-blank if he would be playing for the Wolverines if Rodriguez is dismissed.

“No response,” Robinson said according to the Detroit News.

“That’s my coach, that’s who recruited me,” Robinson said when asked how he would feel if RichRod were canned. “That’s it.”
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Isn't hiring Hoke the equivalent to the Gophers hiring Marc Trestman, a guy who coached at the school but is under-qualified to be head coach of that school?
 



goldengophers said:
Isn't hiring Hoke the equivalent to the Gophers hiring Marc Trestman, a guy who coached at the school but is under-qualified to be head coach of that school?
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Trestman never coached here.
 


I predict Harbaugh goes to the NFL, and Michigan hires Hoke. Much gnashing-of-teeth follows from the Michigan faithful, but Hoke ultimately turns out to be a pretty solid hire.

However, the world ends in December 2012.
 

I thought that with the Gophers snooping around Hoke San Diego was able to sign him to an extension for a hefty sum. Am I wrong? If i am right i guess the Gophers helped themselves out if Michigan has to pay more and/or go elsewhere. Would Mullen be an option for them or has he signed a new contract as well with Miami and us sniffing around?
 

Mullen signed a huge (for them) contract with Mississippi State, $2.65 mil for the next four years. I'm guessing Michigan will go with Hoke, or one other big non-AQ guys (Petersen, Patterson).
 

gophernut said:
I thought that with the Gophers snooping around Hoke San Diego was able to sign him to an extension for a hefty sum. Am I wrong? If i am right i guess the Gophers helped themselves out if Michigan has to pay more and/or go elsewhere. Would Mullen be an option for them or has he signed a new contract as well with Miami and us sniffing around?
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Mullen could run the spread...
 

I can't see Patterson going anywhere. He's lost 1 game in two years, just won the rose bowl and he's moving to a new conference next year and could hypothetically compete in the NC next year at TCU.
 

Gopher07 said:
Denard staying/going will depend on the next hire. My money is on him transferring though.
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Why would he sit out a year after having one of the greatest QB seasons (as a runner and passer combined) ever?

That's just stupid.
 

I am starting to think we are seeing the unraveling of Michigan as a Big Ten Power. Rich Rod could their Joe Salem. Hopefully they hire a Wacker/Brewster.

Stranger things have happened.
 

highwayman said:
Why would he sit out a year after having one of the greatest QB seasons (as a runner and passer combined) ever?

That's just stupid.
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Gonna bring in some bball crossover here. Devoe leaving in the middle of his junior year to transfer doesn't make sense either. Who said emotional decisions by young guys have to make sense.

Also, if they bring in a pro-style guy he isn't going to put up those ridiculous numbers anymore. Because he would pretty much suck (by comparison) if put into that kind of system.
 

Winnipegopher said:
I am starting to think we are seeing the unraveling of Michigan as a Big Ten Power. Rich Rod could their Joe Salem. Hopefully they hire a Wacker/Brewster.

Stranger things have happened.
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Nah. We're just seeing their worst stretch in...well...maybe ever. I don't expect it to last.
 

I will repeat what I have said in previous threads...A big name coach is not the frikking answer.
 


GoAUpher said:
Nah. We're just seeing their worst stretch in...well...maybe ever. I don't expect it to last.
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I'm sure we thought that in the 70s...then the 80s hit. Then the 90s hit haha. With the resources Michigan has, I assume they won't have a problem bouncing back assuming their next hire is solid.
 

Monty519 said:
I'm sure we thought that in the 70s...then the 80s hit. Then the 90s hit haha. With the resources Michigan has, I assume they won't have a problem bouncing back assuming their next hire is solid.
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Yea, basically it comes down to the fact that there is too much money and institutional demand/support at Michigan to ever drop to our post 1960's levels for long. I suppose they could become Notre Dame and become consistently mediocre (by their standards). But I still can't see that either.
 

What is the Hoke and Mullen buyout numbers?
 

GoAUpher said:
Nah. We're just seeing their worst stretch in...well...maybe ever. I don't expect it to last.
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Michigan fans like to pretend it didn't happen, but they were pretty mediocre-to-terrible in the decade between Oosterbaan and Schembechler, under Bump Elliott (1959-1968). Hell, they were actually even pretty bad under Oosterbaan once all of Crisler's recruits had graduated. In the 13 seasons from 1951-1963, Michigan was 62-51-4 (42-41-4). They played in zero Rose Bowls during those years, which remains by far their longest drought.

To me, it makes zero sense to install a guy whom you know is going to have growing pains, only to fire him after 3 years when he was just getting the ball rolling. Michigan will wish it had kept DickRod after spending the next 3 years adjusting to the new coach.
 

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