Report: 3 ex-Michigan football staffers to join Rich Rodriguez in Arizona
Former Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has landed in the desert, and now it appears he's bringing a few familiar friends with him.
FootballScoop.com reported Sunday that Rodriguez is set to hire former Michigan assistant coaches Tony Dews, Calvin Magee and Tony Gibson to his new staff at Arizona.
Gibson, Dews and Magee all served as assistants on Todd Graham's staff at Pittsburgh this season. On Sunday, Graham and Pittsburgh released a statement announcing the departure of all three assistants from the Panther program.
"I want to thank Tony Gibson, Calvin Magee and Tony Dews for their contributions during this past season," Graham said in the statement. "We will move expeditiously yet thoroughly in finding full-time replacements, and I know we'll have some exceptional candidates to consider. This is an opportunity for us to strengthen an already strong group of coaches and support staff."
Dews served as Rodriguez's wide receivers coach for three seasons at Michigan before coaching Pitt's tight ends last year. He also served as Graham's recruiting coordinator while at Pittsburgh.
Magee was an associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Michigan under Rodriguez for three seasons. This past season, he served as assistant head coach, running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator at Pitt.
Gibson was an assistant head coach, a secondary coach and a special teams coordinator during his three-year stay at Michigan. He was Pitt's secondary and pass defense coordinator this season.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
Blu n Tpa
Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:50 a.m.
To whom it may concern: Lloyd Carr was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last weekend. He spend 30 years of his life trying to make Michigan better. He was very successful at that. The WCiMFH WAS NOT!!! Coach Hoke was a member of Coach Carr's staff for many years and I dare you to ever state in the company of Coach Carr's coaches and players what you write on this site. DARE YOU!! Coach Carr is Michigan! This is Michigan. Deal with it! Go Blue!
1st Down
Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:19 a.m.
Same old Same old for Rich Rod: Take new job Hire old cronies, some who are awful coaches 2 of your returning QB's transfer out (happened today). Another ready made bag-o-excuses under the Rich Rod Christmas tree this holiday season. Feel sorry for their kickers and the abuse and public humiliation that RR will be dropping on them next season.
Lorain Steelmen
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
I was not surprized to read about these assistants going to UA. I expected it, really. And predicited it last week My hope for RR is that he can bring in a big time defensive co-ordinator. Don't know if Casteel, will move out there, but RR will need to take care of that side of the ball. These articles always bring out the RR haters, but surprisingly they never fault Carr for allowing the program ot deteriorate in the first place, and for leading the anti RR crowd, within the UM family. If there was any embarassment about the last three years, it would be the way that RR was treated, and undermined, while he was here. A disgrace for UM.... Now its' time for the anti-UM/anti-RR crowd to get back to supporting UM and its' team.
Blu n Tpa
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.
Rufus You are all over the board here. The WCiMFH did hire Robinson and then kept him well past the time the rest of us knew that defense wasn't working. Bringing back Gibson to UA should send alarm bells ringing throughout the AD office there, with a quick call the the HC office to see what the thinking is. You wrote that it would be "insane" to hire Robinson. My defination is" Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is a sign of insanity." If I'm the new DC I tell him, "He's your coach, find a place for him on the offensive side of the staff. I need successful defensive coaches. Take it or leave it!" As far as "personal attacks" are concerned he was the WCiMFH, there can be no doubt of that. And since he continued to ignore the team's defensive and special teams performances for years, he opened himself up for public critisism. Maybe you feel that he would have been fired without all the public discourse, but why take the chance? If you don't like the comments about him, don't read them. This is Michigan. Deal with it. Go Blue!
Blu n Tpa
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:18 p.m.
First to '76 His family did quite well in AA. Multi-million dollar house and about $14,000,0000 in salary and bonuses later, what was so hard for them? Who out there wouldn't "subject" their families to 3 years "of hell" in AA for that kind of reward? Families in our military put up with a lot worse conditions and do it for a lot less money and fame so please give the "woes is me" treatment of the WCiMFH as break. I am afraid that UA is going down the same hole, without a flashlight and eyes shut tight, as Michigan did from '08-'10. The DC should be hired first and then let him pick his own coaching staff. Having the WCiMFH choose his "posse"from the last decade is a recipe for failure. Finally, what is going to happen to those players that transfered to Pitt to be with the coaches there? I guess they can move to Arizona to be with them there but a lot of their credits aren't going to move and that's just a big waste of time and effort. Hopefully they will stay at Pitt and finish their college education, but since they left Michigan for Pitt, moving from Pitt to Arizona isn't that big of a leap of faith. Best of luck to them. Meanwhile, "On to the Big Easy". Had that discussion with the wife this morning. Do you guys think "Are you out of your #$&*#($* mind" is positive or negative from her? TiM Go Blue!
truebluefan
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.
Blu -- so it's OK for someone to come under personal attack because they make over $1M per year? People here are quick to point out the statistics of his winning and losing, proving that he was the "WCiMFH" as you call it. Fine. It's all true. But I take offense to the people that fail to acknowledge that the success of the former regime was most definitely a two way street. In other words, Michigan and all that it encompasses (former coaches/players, fans, media writers) was at least partially to blame for the lack of success. It's all documented neatly in a book written by someone with inside access to the program and knows more about RR and the Michigan program than you, me and everyone here combined, times 100.
Blu n Tpa
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:48 p.m.
Yeah, and look how he treated WV. The man has serious flaws and he opened himself up to public reaction because of how he acted and what he said. He may have "acted with more class then many", but with less success than most or all that came before him at Michigan. Brady Hoke's the name and winning football is the game. TiM Go Blue!
Rufus
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:51 p.m.
He was making Millions a year at WV- so it'snot like he needed the money. Being hated and despised and mocked can be easy for anyone and their family. He acted with a lot more class then many.
Tru2Blu76
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:52 a.m.
Recent history shows that, for certain coaches, getting away from Michigan is a good thing. For example, Lloyd Carr got inducted to the Coaches Hall of Fame tonight (Hoke was in NYC for that event). See - a coach who was retired because he was owned by Ohio for a few years can "prosper in History." So RR can prosper as well - shaking off his "no one in their right mind would hire that guy" reputation with ease, once he was out of range of... Lloyd Carr & Co. It'll be interesting, I think, to see how RR and his re-formed coaching group fares in AZ. But even more so: I hope Rodriguez's family fares better than they did in Ann Arbor. They at least, certainly deserve better.
truebluefan
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:23 p.m.
Terry - you know, you can be a faithful Michigan fan AND wish a former Michigan coach well. It is possible. Yes, in fact, I believe it's the right thing to do. Also, one can heap well deserved praise onto Hoke and staff without wrongly (IMO, of course) demonizing the former staff.
Rufus
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
I wish him well too. Bad hire. Good fire. But all the personal attacks were not my idea of Michigan men.
Terry Star21
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:27 a.m.
Are you a Michigan faithful ?
ddmich
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:18 a.m.
WHO CARES !!!!! WHO HONESTLY CARES !!!!!! It's 2012, not 2008 or 2009 or 2010 (the 3 WORST years in the HISTORY of Michigan Football) !!! Michigan is going to New Orleans in a BCS Bowl game !!!!! How can anything that a former coach with the Big 10 Record that he had be newsworthy at this point ?????? The AA News needs to find better stories....again W H O C A R E S......I T ' S O V E R !!!!! Move On.......
iamcris
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 11:58 p.m.
There is one move that will tell me if RR has learned anything in his time off from coaching. If he brings in Jeff Casteel from WVU to be his defensive coordinator along with his 3-3-5 defense. The WVU defense is 63rd in that nation in scoring defense, they also give up 340 yds a game against primarily the Big East. The one marquee opponent on WVU's schedule, LSU and they lost 47-21. Anyways, good luck to RR...i'll be watching his teams in Arizona closely to see how his experience differs from what I've read so far in 3 and out. As we learned here during this season of team #132, the coaching staff has great impact on to how the young men on the field perform.
azwolverine
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 11:44 p.m.
Tony Gibson? If I were a defensive coordinator, this hire would already scare me off from going to AZ.
cutty240
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.
First of all,let me give congrats to The Michigan Football Team for being fortunate enough to get a BCS Bowl Bid.I didn't think they deserved it,because they only played 2 Teams all year that were Ranked,and lost to one of those.But Good Luck anyway.Your special season is still rolling on.Now to some other things.Tony Gibson or Gibby,is Rich's best friend.Gibby played for Rich at Glenville.Gibby is a very good with recruits,you have some at Michigan.Calvin Magee is a very good running back coach,and you have some good young running backs at Michigan too.Tony Dues is a very High Motor Guy,and the Kids like him too.Hoke walked into a Great young Team,Rich and his staff did a great job.He left you better,than what he got when he took the Job.
EyeonAA
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:10 p.m.
...so that's why Michigan playeded six true freshmen throughout the season...
Terry Star21
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:26 a.m.
Thank you, I hadn't laughed all day - this is funny stuff. Been thinking about our BCS Bowl, our new 4 star recruit, packing for our BCS Bowl......
sedroc98
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 10:50 p.m.
good luck rr and staff. hope you get a fair shot out there. just stay away from grob!
azwolverine
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 11:47 p.m.
And the 3-3-5!
MichFanTex
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 10:31 p.m.
Seriously, has AA.com established an internal quota for RRod articles? I know Rodriguez is a narcissist, why AA.com continues to feed his ego is beyond me.
Rufus
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:44 p.m.
It's interesting news- stop being a censor. If you don't like it don't read it.
Joe
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.
What is a "pass defense coordinator" (Gibson)?
MichFanTex
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 10:28 p.m.
For all the good he did at Michigan, worthless as teats on a boar hog.
Jaysham
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:52 p.m.
I swear that Rich Rodriguez and Tony Gibson are more than best friends and by the way Tony Gibson has to be the worst defensive back coach that I have ever seen in my entire life. Wildcat fans get ready for your cornerbacks and safetys to be out of position on just about every single play, you will never see the corner up on the receiver at the line of scrimage, never will you see bump and run coverage, and last but not least the guys will never improve at all from the first year on campus till there last year. Tony Dews reminds me of shady used car salesman that tries to convince you that the Lincoln Town Car he has for sale is great on gas mileage and is a far superior car than a Cadillac DTS. The first year after Erik"Soup"Campbell was let go and replaced with this guy I noticed a huge drop off in toughness, poor route running, and many missed blocking assignments. I also had the feeling that this guy was a typical Rich Rodriguez assistant coach nothing more than a "yes" man. Calvin McGee is a whole different story and I really believe that Calvin is a really good Offensive Coordinator and just go back to the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma in 08 when Calvin stayed on to call the plays before joining Rodriguez in Ann Arbor. I think Calvin is a good football mind and I wish him the best. Of all of the coaches that Rich Rodriguez brought with him from West Virginia Calvin McGee was by far the best one and the only one that I would have considered to keep on after Rich Rodriguez was fired. Fred Jackson doesn't count because he was the only coach kept on from Carr's staff and I'm glad that Hoke kept him as well. GO BLUE and let's get ready for a BCS Bowl game and where is Theo? I think that I will have to do a BCS poem later for everyone.
MRunner73
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.
Did anybody think otherwise? The burning question is who will be the DC? We'll be nickled and dimed to death about who is or isn't on Rich Rod's staff at AZ. We'll also be informed to who he is recruiting. We'll also be informed game by game in 2012 on how U-AZ is doing. Yep, it will be fun to watch but get ready for more and more stuff about Rich Rod and his new journey in the desert. You got my attention.
Rufus
Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:44 p.m.
If it's Robinson then RR is certifiably insane. How can he hire a DB coach without hiring the DC? Wiered relationship.
D21
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
Huh RR, u forgot about your #1 supporter, Theo212?
1st Down
Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
Theo mixes a sweet jug of gatorade.
heartbreakM
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:27 p.m.
Amazing to me that Gibson has a job anywhere. I am stunned but no moreso than high profile institution such as Arizona is willing to ignore actual results If former coach is the offensive genius that all proclaim he is, why the need to hire Magee? And Dews did not exactly light it up at Michigan or Pitt. When they going to raid the high achieving Indiana staff and steal other members of that stellar coaching staff? LOL
1st Down
Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:20 a.m.
Gibson made over $230,000 last year...while leading Michigan to the worst 3 year run in pass defense ever..... money not well spent. He is AZs problem now.
Theo's Brother
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
And???
Theo's Brother
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 11:22 p.m.
History may repeat itself Don.
DonAZ
Sun, Dec 4, 2011 : 9:30 p.m.
Exactly ... a certain name that rhymes with "Bastille" is missing from that story. :-)