Yesterday, following their sixth straight loss to Ohio State and seventh straight Big Ten loss this season, Martin staunchly reiterated his confidence in Rodriguez.
"Rich Rodriguez is our coach," Martin said according to AnnArbor.com. "I and the administration fully support him, and you'll see him in the future... He'll be here next year, no question."
So it appears that, for the 2010 season, Rodriguez has found a safe house in Ann Arbor.
However, the fact that he's 8-16 overall... handed the program it's first back-to-back losing seasons since 1962-1963... became the first head coach in UM history to lose his first two games against Ohio State... does not bode well for his longterm future if he can't turn it around immediately, starting in 2010.
As there will be a new AD in place by the time next season rolls around -- an AD not beholden to Rodriguez -- it would behoove the current coach to, ya know, make a bowl game. And beat their arch rivals.
Michigan would be foolish not to give him at least one more year. The guy's trying to completely overhaul the way Big Te(leve)n teams play football.
Given that "three yards and a cloud of dust" has been the mantra in the Big Te(leve)n for decades, a three year turn time should be assumed.
Fire him now, and you run the risk of basically starting over from scratch just when the transition is complete. Last year was 3-9, this year was 5-7. That's improvement. Next year might be 7-5. You don't tear down and re-build a program like Michigan overnight.
overratedgators,
I would think that style of play would produce less than a .500 record vs. the SEC in bowl games over the last 6-7 years, wouldn't you? I think UM proved the "old" style worked just fine when they beat UF in a de facto home game less than 24 months ago.
RichRod has destroyed one of the best programs in the nation while trying to copy the SEC model. You see every week on the field the negatives in recruiting athletes as opposed to football players. The thing Rebels don't realize is that football above the Mason-Dixon often isn't played in ideal conditions and you need to be able to mold your team to be able grind it out. A 4.3 40 doesn't matter when it's raining, 40 degrees and muddy. Plus, what elite skill position players will want to go to UM? Their pro-style offense produced countless 1st-rounders and Pro Bowlers. Now, they'll get undersized, scatback-type players at QB, RB and WR. Progress? I think not.
BrownsTown,
Valid points, and I acknowledge that the "old" Wolverines did shove a new Heisman up a certain star quarterback's virginal ass two years ago. Indeed, that little gem makes me grin everytime I think about it - especially when I go back and read stuff like this:
http://www.orangeandbluehue.com/2007/12/02/oh-hell-yes-gators-draw-michigan-in-capital-one-bowl/
But I also think the style of play must evolve. For all the BcS's faults, it has succeeded in nationalizing the game. Conference championships don't matter like they used to; it's all about performance on the national stage. And in the BcS bowl era, the Big Te(leve)n's win percentage (0.421) comes up sadly low, beating out only the ACC (0.182), and Notre Dame. Considering the Big Te(leve)n is blessed with an automatic BcS bid every year, that's a big sign that the strategies that work within the conference just don't work so well against other competition.
Something's gotta give, or the Big Te(leve)n is doomed to be a national joke for years to come. Don't get me wrong, I love the Big Te(leve)n, but that's why I'm trying to be honestly critical - because the first step to oblivion is a failure of intellectual honesty.
says a lot about michigan...this guy has ethical issues up the kazoo
as a Buckeye fan i'm very happy to hear this:)
As a Michigan fan I'm also very happy to hear this. Without a freshman QB throwing five passes (while mostly not pressured) directly into the arms of OSU secondary and not learning how to tuck the ball...ever...and fumbling in the endzone, I'd say Michigan had more than enough chances to win yesterday. OSU did nothing in particular to win that game except not let Pryor throw. Michigan's freshman were just being freshman and they still hung in there.
89 underclassmen, including 2 true freshman QBs (Tate & Denard), a freshman RB (Vincent Smith), 1 true freshman WR (Roundtree), 3 sophomore WRs (Hemingway, Stonum, Odoms), no major losses off the O-line, and Devin Gardner on the way...looks like a defensive coordinator's nightmare in the making.
The defense is on a 3rd defensive coordinator in 4 years. They really pulled it together against OSU. Some more practice with GERG plus filling the void Lloyd decided to ignore in the secondary should mean instant improvement. Once we get some non-walk-ons in the secondary, this team will be a serious contender.
RR was brought in to tear down and rebuild Michigan football...not to carry the torch to more mediocrity. He's preparing for championships and will achieve success, but unfortunately a complete overhaul takes more than 2 seasons. He's not perfect and deserves a fair share of criticism, but a firing would be the most foolish move ever. I promise, Lloyd would have gone 5-7 last year and maybe 6-6 this year, with a pair of blowouts to OSU. Pear Bryant deserves to lose his job right now. Rich Rodriguez, however, has at least shown promise and deserves AT LEAST one more year.
losers
Dear Bill Martin,
Your wisdom does not go un-appreciated. Much thanks,
Columbus.
HBOilers and Republiwhatever... Your buckeyes own Michigan lately... but how bout your national performance. Yep, hang your red and silver hat on that, good flop job.
Tressels regime has been a national failure of epidemic proportions and made the Big Ten a laughing stock. These were supposed to be your years to put up and show up, not flop after your Michigan winning hoopla. Try making the Big Ten proud for a change, at least one year, please?
Keep folding under the big stage pressure as we've all come to expect, then acting like you've done something by beating us. It won't last long and we'll finish the job where you obviously are uncapable and incompetent.
Your wisdom and performance do not go unappreciated.
Michigan
QVIST,
UM finished LAST in the Big Ten while giving up the most points. LAST. Tied with Indiana LAST.
Carr would have finished better then 5-7/6-6 because all of that talent would not have walked out the door. Do you think a Ryan Mallet-led team would have gone 5-7 or 6-6? The guy is a future 1st-rounder.
Far be it for me to stop a rival program from committing suicide, but I think it's foolish to change their identity and I know that Buckeye Nation would never buy into that happening in Columbus. Even with one of the most athletic QBs in college, OSU still runs a lot of pro-style offensive packages.
Dear OSU,
First off, let me apologize for once again wasting your time. It was good of you to make the drive up from Columbus, even though the outcome was pretty much a given.I am sorry we actually made you drive the length the field a couple of times, after handing you that first touchdown. I immediately talked to my team about being selfish hosts, and I'm pleased that they responded with the additional possessions for you. Finally, I want to thank each and every of you and your coaching staff for not running up the score and making this look like one of our best defensive efforts of the year (wink wink). I owe you one.You know, I hear that in years past, the team I now coach would actually try to score more points than the visiting team. Frankly, I find it appalling. Rest assured, that such a lack of sportsmanship and consideration will never be tolerated as long as I am the coach at Michigan. So, hope you all enjoyed our little exercise as much as we did. You're nice boys and you're always welcome. Say, Coach Tressel, how 'bout some golf while the weather is still nice? Call me. My calendar is free.
Sincerely, Rich
RR needs to go, plain and simple, Billy Martin is a schlep as well, he'll continue to say RR is the man at the helm next year,but there is no way in hell the boosters will allow this to happen.
Les Miles will come home next season
BrownsTown:
I understand that they finished last while allowing the most points; however, this can be mostly attributed to the fact that Michigan has been starting freshmen and walk-ons on defense while shuffling through defensive coordinators on a yearly basis.
You're telling me that Lloyd Carr, who went 9-4 in 2007 (including a loss to App. State) with a squad full of future NFL players in Chad Henne, Mario Manningham, Jake Long, Mike Hart, Adrian Arrington, Tim Jamison, Terrance Taylor, Brandon Graham, Morgan Trent, Jamar Adams and Donovan Warren (among others) would have done better with Ryan Mallett, maybe Manningham, Arrington, Graham and Warren in 2007? Not really. Their defense was decimated by that senior class and Carr's total abandon for recruiting secondary in his last couple years. Ron English was a terrible DC who could not figure out the spread, which led to a humiliating loss to a 1-AA school followed by a home blowout to Oregon.
And if you didn't hear, the entire WR corps HATED Ryan Mallett. He was an egotistical dick at Michigan and Manningham wouldn't even talk to him at times. He turned his act around when he sat a year out after the transfer. He's a great player--don't get me wrong, but his big head hurt him at Michigan while he was there.
Terrelle Pryor is a physical freak who has the decision-making ability of a boot. He doesn't know how to use himself, and Tressel doesn't know how to, either. He rarely calls the zone read (which works very well for OSU) and neutralizes Pryor's legs by running him out of the I constantly. It's baffling.
I know they're down right now and in an odd situation, but at least Michigan is making an attempt to overcome the mediocrity that is the Big Ten. Go ahead--let Tressel stay there and be an OMG SERIUZ B10 CHAMNSHIP CONTENDAR forever without sniffing another NC. Buckeye fans will soon find out that Tressel is becoming Lloyd Carr and will continue blowing it in bowls and losing to teams like Purdue until he fizzles out. I love Coach Carr, but it's the truth.
Hey BrownsTown,
Freshmen and walk-ons? Really? That's how you explain away epic levels of impotence? So it's okay that RR has tainted your program on and off the field? It's alright if they go 1-7 and finish LAST in an average Big Ten? Check out your defensive recruits for this year too. Is it alright that your defense next year is going to average 150pds? I guess I'd bag on Tressel and Carr too, because January bowl games every year sure do get boring. Enjoy watching RR wipe his a** with your program. Go Green.