A 3-0 start provides a look at the joking, relaxed Rich Rodriguez
It slipped in while he talked about one of his walk-ons receiving a scholarship, Jon Conover.
And in the discussion, Rich Rodriguez mentioned Conover wants to go to law school. Then came the joke, and the possibility that Rodriguez might have moved on from all of the turmoil he faced in the past month.
“I know enough about lawyers now that I think he’d be a great one,” Rodriguez said. “I’d probably be employing him some day.”
Stand-up isn’t in Rodriguez’ future, but then again, Michigan isn’t paying him a bunch of money for that. It is paying him to coach football.
And in that moment, you could see something different out of Rodriguez. He’s able to joke about things now, something that seemed impossible a week ago, a month ago.
Winning helps, of course, where his team is 3-0 entering Big Ten play. It helps, too, that he has a precocious freshman quarterback, Tate Forcier, to lean on.
Off the field, though, has been a litany of distraction. There were allegations of NCAA violations, of which an investigation is still ongoing. There is the lawsuit over a defaulted loan. There was a misstep over the handling of Jonas Mouton’s eventual suspension.
While all this swirled around him, Rodriguez remained steadfast in his focus on football. His team stayed the same way, save for a small pullback during the first half against Eastern Michigan on Saturday - something expected considering the emotion of the first two weeks of the season.
And it has left Michigan in position for yet another Rich Rodriguez second-round turnaround.
Granted, not all of the opponents Michigan has faced have been world beaters. Eastern Michigan is a perennial loser. Western Michigan is proving to not be as good as expected.
Notre Dame, though, was a Top 20 team. And Michigan played with the Irish the entire way, eventually beating them in what could be the best sign Rodriguez has gotten that Year 2 in Ann Arbor will be like Year 2 in Morgantown, Clemson and New Orleans.
Heck, point guard-turned-slot receiver Kelvin Grady is being asked about what it would feel like to play in an NCAA tournament and bowl game in the same 12 months. His answer: “That would be great.” But a month ago, could that question be asked without at least a hint of doubt?
In his other places, though, Rodriguez never had the tumult that surrounded him at Michigan. Weekly, it seemed, there was another scandal, another controversy, another misstep.
As each week passes, though, the focus in Ann Arbor drifts from the off-field issues to football. Which is exactly as Rodriguez would like it.
Even his latest snafu was more football related than anything else. And when he addressed the Mouton suspension, changing his tune from earlier in the week when he said he didn’t see a punch. Instead, he became the non-football actions cop for a day, even saying he saw a play in another Big Ten game he considered sending in.
He explained his stance further, and it was absolutely logical. He doesn’t want to turn anyone in. He doesn’t want to make this his cause.
But he does want everything to be fair, for his team to be treated like everyone else.
“That’s the only thing I want, is let’s just make sure that it’s consistent,” Rodriguez said. “So we’re all, to be fair to our players and everybody else, that’s what you see here, OK, that’s a similar act, that’s a non-football act, that would be a similar type of punishment.”
Off the field, at least, he wants everyone to be equal. On the field, his team is slowly showing Michigan might not be equal to many teams in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines might just be better. A big reason why is the guy who, for a little while at least, could have been a walking distraction.
Michael Rothstein covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
NC Wolverine 20
Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 6:33 a.m.
Time to admit I was wrong about Mouton's situation. Purdue suspended their player who took a cheap shot for 1 Q, just as I suggested RR should have done with Mouton. Undeterred, Delany suspended the Purdue player for a whole game.
dzuck
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 12:57 p.m.
buck1, I agree with your assessment about "wolverine nation". Any true fan will support the program regardless of the coach. I didn't always like Lloyd Carr but I love MICHIGAN. I don't particularly like RR, but I love MICHIGAN. So support MICHIGAN! quit whining about this, that and the other. Our team is 3-0, going into a winnable Big ten conference. They should win eight, maybe nine games and play in a new years day bowl. I'll bet all the alums hating on the program now will be there in sunny Florida with their maize and blue gear proclaiming their undying love for MICHIGAN.
J rodz
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 12:39 p.m.
If ND had won that game..would we even be talking about this? My guess in not, which makes Weiss the only "child" in this event by whining his way to the BCS and being rooted on by individuals masquerading "Michigan Man" values for mere dislike of the guy. Get over it.
tater
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 12:09 p.m.
Mouton's suspension was a joke. The ND player did more than Mouton did, but wasn't suspended. I guess Mouton was baited by a master. RR did the right thing in Mouton's case; it was the Big Ten that dropped the ball.
HailToASquared
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 11:20 a.m.
All that matters is that Michigan is 3-0 and that the Rodriguez and the team all seem to be on the same page. Focused on football. they're winning and getting along. what the offense is exciting too.. I figured it would improve but to the extent that it has. The stable of running backs and the two QB's who don't play like freshman bring different aspects to the position and are playing better than anybody could expect. Speed has been key. Last year having a mix of freshman (some recruit by Carr some buy Rodriguez)/Very Bad QB's/and some older players who had been playing tradition lloyd carr ball for 2-3 year was what held them back.. it was doomed from the start.
81wolverine
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 10:28 a.m.
I say let Coach Rodriguez run the team and quit second-guessing him on internal issues between him and his players. The Big Ten's suspension of Mouton was a joke considering that worse incidents than that one happen in most Big Ten games and you almost NEVER see them take any action. I saw an EMU player strike a Michigan player at the end of one play - no penalty, no suspensions (so far), and no Witch-hunt by the media attacking Coach English. Let's move on.
jeremy
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 10:27 a.m.
so how do wolverine fans feel about the fact that there are alumni members stating they hope michigan goes 0-12 and run richrod out of town. This tidbit was shared yesterday on wtka's afternoon show.......what the heck is wrong with wolverine nation??? Lloyd was right in how he dealt with the press and i am sure it is why he resigned. He didnt want to deal with it anymore....As a buckeye i send my sympathy to richrod as no coach should have to go through what he is going through in ann arbor...
J rodz
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 9:14 a.m.
Its been a witch hunt since day 1 and the saga continues. The fact that the first assumption is presumed guilt worries me because it is the same approach to any situation that involves RR. At this point, if i were RR, i'd be extremely defensive about any issues involving his personal and football life. But the funny thing is that the media has created this environment by dragging him through the coals for the last 20 odd months. All of sudden, they expect a more polished response when he senses another attack on his team. Are u expecting anything different? Do you sincerely expect politeness when you don't give him the same respect? Put yourself in his shoes and maybe you will understand the coaches actions.
NC Wolverine 20
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 6:12 a.m.
Y'all are mighty defensive about this issue. Perhaps that absurd hatchet-job by the FREEP still has everyone on edge. I agree that RR could have handled it internally and that he need not have publicly revealed Mouton's punishment. However, he first claimed there was no punch and then clearly stated that there would be NO punishment at all. IMHO, that was not the best way to handle the situation.
HailToASquared
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 2:26 a.m.
NC Wolverine 20 is Michael Rothstein's Alt account
Black&Tan
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 11:23 p.m.
...and kudos to Rothstein for commenting on posts. We don't agree on the issues, but it's a classy touch.
Black&Tan
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 11:20 p.m.
"Disgraceful"? Because he refused to bite on the comments from a bloviating losing coach trying to save his job? Did you actually watch "the punch" in full speed? Mouton's movement as he was standing up looked more like an excited hand motion. When was the last time you saw football players throw punches to the head when wearing their helmets? Do your really think he'd risk breaking his hand on an ill-placed punch or, at best, risk cutting it open on the chin strap? Would it kill anyone to give him the benefit of the doubt or allow his coach to show support for his team in doing so? Where were all of you when Breaston's leg almost got snapped in two? BTW, RR is the most polished and media friendly coach since Bump Elliot -- although the media demands for him were far less. Lloyd treated the press like RR should be treating them. Given the welcome our "local" media has given RR these last 18+ months, it's painfully apparent why Lloyd gave limited access. So let me explain this so everyone can understand. Even if someone produces photographs of RR in an underage brothel in Thailand or finds a direct link between RR and Bernie Madoff, it won't save anyone's job at the various dieing Detroit media outlets.
HailToASquared
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 11:10 p.m.
Come on Rothstein just let it go already.. "The Big Ten had to step in was a bad mark for Michigan". what the hell is your agenda? No, its not bad mark... nobody is even thinking about the damn unless somebody in the media like yourself is looking for web hits/comments. Honestly, I really believe not a single person outside of the media, even a buckeye or spartan fan, really give a damn anymore. Keep harping on it I guess if you're so desperate for our reactions... but I'd dig your articles more if you left your agendas out of it.
wersch213
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 11:03 p.m.
Haven't seen the "journalist" participate in the blog of his own story. That's cool that you need emphasize your points by commenting on a comment in your own story. Since when does the head coach of any program have to answer to you/the media when determining the punishment of one of his players (on a play that wasn't even flagged). Why don't you write about the athletes, their success stories, matchup's for next week, anything. This tabloid journalism is ridiculous. It is so easy to play Monday morning quarterback with the mishandling of these "incidents". Was exposing these great injustices the reason you wanted to be a journalist?
A2
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 10:56 p.m.
How do you know he wasn't going to do ANYTHING. I'm sure he was doing some sort of internatl punishment, be it stairs, extra sprints whatever. He doesn't have to tell you ever single detail about what goes on inside Schembechler Hall. Give me a break. Did the "punch" deserve a suspension?
theseeker
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 10:11 p.m.
What is this "second-round turnaround" to which you refer? Football doesn't have 'rounds', does it? The distractions seem to be brought up over, and over, and over... by Ann Arbor dot com writers. Can't you find something else to explore?
dzuck
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 9:31 p.m.
Mouton should have been disciplined internally and RR should have said it after he was asked and had a chance to see it for himself. If he had just said " We don't condone it and we'll handle it", it would not be an issue. But RR isn't as "polished" as past Michigan coaches with the media. I'm surprised he's still talking to them at all. Just come in share his thoughts, take no questions and walk out. close practice, keep his players access limited to what is required and thats it. He should have been more careful than to let these folks get too close to his program in the first place. There are a few quality people in the media, but most have agendas and want to write stories that get them guest appearances on ESPN.
Kubrick66
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 9:24 p.m.
How can any of you be so sure RR wasn't going to punish Mouton behind the scenes? What he says to the press and what he does behind the scenes may be two different things in this case. Based on the witch hunt perpetrated daily by the media I don't blame him. RR doesn't owe the press an explanation. He doesn't have to disclose to the public how, or if he disciplines his players. If I were him I'd seal up Schembechler hall tighter than Lloyd Carr ever did and revoke all your press passes. NC Wolverine 20 and Rothstein... Your self-righteous entitlement is disturbing.
Crustyc11
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 8:06 p.m.
Come on guys... Obviously you are non-football arm-chair types. You ever been in the heat of the moment at full speed cracking hats? Beyond pop warner and sniveling off the field "..i don't like that mommy..." sounds very doubtful to me. Give the "kid" a break.. It was no where near what the Oregon player did, as M is being singled out due to the other losing coach having a whaaa fest. Come on, there are more dicier things to spew about. Like: Why is AnnArbor online basicaly person-non-grata around UM?
Michael Rothstein
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 6:52 p.m.
NC, I agree with you and did last week when Rodriguez initially handled the Mouton situation by not handling it. Even wrote about it. That the Big Ten had to step in was a bad mark for Michigan, although no one may end up looking good on it as it also set a precedent for setting suspensions. Could make for some interesting conversations later in the season. But i absolutely agree with you.
NC Wolverine 20
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 6:29 p.m.
It's wonderful that RR and the team are able to move past the distractions, but his handling of the Mouton situation was disgraceful. Delaney acted because RR refused to do so. Then RR childishly threatened to turn in similar infractions to the Big 10. If he had done the right thing (disciplining Mouton in any way at all, e.g., by sitting him for half the EMU game), Delaney would not have been forced to take matters into his own hands.