Pondering what might have been for Rich Rodriguez, Les Miles
What would have happened if Rich Rodriguez's West Virginia team actually beat Pittsburgh on the night of Dec. 1, 2007?
That's the question Stewart Mandel of SI.com ponders in his mailbag today.
Rich Rodriguez, on the day he was introduced as Michigan's coach.
Ann Arbor News file photo
Had West Virginia won, Rodriguez would have played for the national championship a month later. A Mountaineers victory might have also kept the Les Miles-coached LSU squad out of the championship game.
Instead, West Virginia lost a game it should have won, triggering a chain reaction of events that left Miles with a lucrative contract extension in Baton Rouge, and Rodriguez on the sidelines in Ann Arbor.
Now, both coaches are exposed to the harsh and fickle realities of college football, Mandel writes.
That's where we'll kick off today's meandering. Here's a look at the rest of today's cant-miss reads:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
- Dave Birkett, AnnArbor.com: Rich Rodriguez has one more year to get it right.
- Big Ten Network: Video highlights from the Michigan-Ohio State game.
- Jason Gay, Wall Street Journal: Let's merge Notre Dame and Michigan.
- Gregg Doyel, CBSsports.com: Rich Rodriguez should stop calling out Lloyd Carr.
- Greg Dooley, MVictors.com: That was a home game for Ohio State.
- Brian Cook, mgoblog.com: An interview with recruit Tony Grimes.
- The Associated Press: No changes in the BCS top seven.
- Michael Rothstein, AnnArbor.com: Beilein sees teaching tools in slow start.
- Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Trio could take pressure of DeShawn Sims.
- Dylan Burkhardt, umhoops.com: Michigan suffers a 'painful performance.'
- Peter King, SI.com: Worst teams produce best game of the NFL season.
- Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: Matthew Stafford shows true grit beating Browns.
- Alan Schwarz, New York Times: NFL will shift its concussion policy.
- The Associated Press: Kangaroo tries to drown dog, attacks owner.
Comments
uminks
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 10:22 p.m.
Yeah, I'm sure if Miles was coach we would have close to the same record and some fans would be ripping on him. Miles may be washed up due to his age! If RR doesn't work out I would go after Meyer then Harbaugh.
azwolverine
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 9:17 p.m.
Why not Miles? Because he won a National title and CRUSHED OSU? Because he blew ONE GAME in his career at LSU amid many games that his ballsy play calling won? Because he stood up like a man and took accountability for blowing the game? He sounds exactly like what I want. That said, it's a LOT late for this article since what happened already happened. They've got Miles, we've got RR. By the way, not everyone calling for RR's head wanted Lloyd out. I'm calling for RR's head and I supported Lloyd to the bitter end. Why? Because in my mind, Lloyd EARNED my support. He came in during a tough period after Moeller was fired, steadied the ship, and whipped OSU. Then he derailed their NC hopes in year two. By year three, he won a National Title. That, to me, was his golden ticket. Any fan who can run a winning coach, an honest coach with integrity, out of a job after what Lloyd did is a turncoat, imo. RR hasn't earned nearly that yet and has turned us into losers, imo.
truebluefan
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 6:04 p.m.
People seriously want Les Miles to coach Michigan after what transpired last season and this season? REALLY?! Based on what I've seen, I think there are some VERY valid reasons Lloyd Carr (as rumor has it) did not want him at Michigan.
KeepingItReal
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 3:19 p.m.
I don't know why we continue to build these coaches up to mythtical proportion. The bottom line. If they don't have the players, they don't win the game, no matter how brilliant they are suppose to be as a coach. U's Current situation serves as a good example. I look forward to the day when the players realize how much power they truly have and take the game back from the snake oil salesman.
SECfan
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 3:06 p.m.
Les Miles is over his head in the SEC at LSU. LSU gets the majority of the D-1 players in Louisiana, but many key players come from East Texas and Florida. Les seeemed to have a minus touch in recruiting, but he may have ended that Saturday against Ole Miss on national TV. The state of Louisiana would swap him for RR Today.... I would have in 2007.
GoBlueinAL
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 2:41 p.m.
For all those Les Miles believers he is not a great coach!! And not much of a good recruiter! He has no choice but to recruit decent talent being the only top D1 school in Louisiana. He inherited a national champioships team from Nick Saban and has done nothing since those players have departed. I dont know why some UM fans think he is the saviour to this program. The answer is not LES MILES!!!!
holden
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 2:12 p.m.
I think at this point, this kind of speculation is irrelevant. Even if Rich left and we asked Les to come, I doubt that he would come. What incentive would he have to come. LSU will be national contenders again within the next couple years. Why would he want to come to this nightmare?
beegym
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 12:40 p.m.
The schools and teams that I have watched for the last 22 years include Micigan, MSU, OSU< Notre Dame, and Detroit Lions U. I am reminded of the saying, "Be carefull what you wish for." Well, we got it. I don't know why U of M selected RR. I do know selecting the right person begins with selecting people who have integrity. Lloyd Carr, C. Weiss, Gerry Faust, Mark Dantonio, John Copper, Bob Davie were ment with integrity. RR did not follow the rules put down by the University to guide and protect its student athletes. I assume he is a fine coach or he never would have been employed as a coach. The rules are easy...just read them and you two years to read them. I cannot buy opps as an answer. If your in the Big Ten you follow the Big Ten.
Legend
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 11:59 a.m.
Folks, it's not who he hired it's how Bill Martin went about it. He preached integrity and thorough due process. He claimed that he didn't want to talk to Les before he got permission but went behind the backs of both the Rutgers and WVU AD department to try and snag their coaches. It was confirmed this weekend by Chris Landry on Fox Sports Radio (he was hired as a consultant by Michigan in the '07 coaching search), that Les wanted to come to Michigan but Martin and the Powers that be didn't want anything to do with him and basically used the voicemail/sailing trip as a cover and publicly made it look like they attempted to reach out, even though they had no intentions of ever bringing him here. Bill Martin is a financial wizard and he has brought our a facilities into the 21st century but a football man, he is not. The Nike, WJR and RR deals should have shown us that.
ohiowolverine
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 11:32 a.m.
Tru2Blu, The ones doing all the crying out for RR's head are probably the same ones who wanted LC's head. They think because we're Michigan that we are suspose to win evey game no matter what. I for one like the new offence that RR brought in. It's exciting to watch and once the players get more time running it I think Michigan will be unstopable. Next year with the same D cord. I also think the D will look alot better. I've been a fan for over 50 years and I know the Wolverines will once again be feared on the field. GO BLUE!!