Rich Rodriguez eager to have NCAA meeting finished, plus Michigan football has a sleepy captain
To Rich Rodriguez, his appearance before the NCAA Committee On Infractions seems more like a blip on his schedule than a major undertaking.
On Friday morning, he’ll conduct the Michigan football team’s first full-padded practice of the summer. Then he’ll fly to Seattle with other university officials for Saturday’s meeting.
By Sunday morning, he’ll be back in Ann Arbor running the Wolverines’ first day of two-a-day scrimmages.
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the media Thursday evening and said he's eager to get past the NCAA hearing and back to practice.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
“I think we’re all anxious,” Rodriguez said Thursday night. “I think everybody involved in the process, school administration, coaches, the players, we’re all looking forward to having this next process completed. …
“So it’s in the middle of camp, but that’s something we have to do.”
NCAA investigators found that Michigan violated five major rules. Michigan agreed with the findings in four of the five allegations. Final conclusions from the NCAA are expected 6 to 10 weeks following Saturday’s meeting.
JUSTIN TURNER … STILL GONE
Odds of cornerback Justin Turner reconciling with Michigan appeared remote Thursday night.
The highly touted recruit from Massillon, Ohio, sought and received a release from his scholarship Tuesday, according to Michigan officials. But on Wednesday evening, according to media reports, Turner had second thoughts.
Rodriguez declined comment on those reports Thursday, but said he wished Turner well, and “I hope he gets everything in order and has a successful career, but my focus is on Michigan.”
Asked specifically if there was a chance either party would reconsider, Rodriguez said, “he doesn’t play for Michigan.”
QUIET CELEBRATION FOR NEW CAPTAIN
The first thing senior Mark Moundros did upon learning teammates selected him as a captain for the 2010 season Tuesday night was text his parents with the news.
Then he went to sleep.
“We don’t get too much time here,” he said Thursday. “So I went right home, texted them and went straight to sleep.”
Moundros has good reason to feel exhausted. He’s playing two positions for the Wolverines - fullback and linebacker - and expects to toggle between both throughout the season.
“I’ve always had the mindset to compete as hard as I can to the best of my ability wherever they’ll put me,” said Moundros, who started his Michigan career as a walk-on.
He’s competing with Obi Ezeh and Kenny Demens for playing time at middle linebacker. Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson sees a lot of promise in Moundros, a 6-foot-1, 233-pounder from Farmington Hills.
“I looked at him in the winter program a year ago when I first got here, and not certain who our linebackers were, I thought he might be a linebacker,” Robinson said. “I found out he was the fullback, but he has linebacker skills.”
Michigan selected offensive lineman Stephen Schilling as its other year-long captain. Rodriguez said he intends to name one or two more players captains on a game-by-game basis.
FIRST LOSS OF SEASON
Offensive lineman Christian Pace will redshirt the 2010 season because of a lingering knee injury. He enrolled in school in the spring as a true freshman, hoping to get a jump on his first year with the Wolverines.
Instead, his first year has been cut short.
“His knee had bothered him a little bit in the spring, and it became more of an issue after the first (summer) practice, “Rodriguez said. “It looks like he’ll need some procedures done on his knee, and he’ll go ahead and take that redshirt year.”
EXTRA POINTS
The Wolverines will not practice Saturday. Players will meet with their position coaches at their homes for dinner. … Running back Mike Shaw has returned to practice.
Have questions about the Michigan football team? Email AnnArbor.com beat reporter Pete Bigelow at petebigelow@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterCBigelow.
Comments
GoblueinNE_PA
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 8:42 p.m.
Portage, yes, I'm an alum. Chem E from '88. Other than that question, I have no idea what else you were talking about. Seriously. I've not called RichRod anything, other than a failure, which isn't debatable. And honestly folks, if RichRod is effected by the comments associated with these articles, he's even more weak minded than the most caustic detractors have accused him of being.
Sean T.
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:10 p.m.
The anger of posters are equal among both sides whether you are for RR or not. Anyone whom disagrees with RR's coaching or his personal issues have been attacked regularly for doing so with blinders. In my opinion all of the name calling such as; complainers, haters,etc have come from RR supporters that try to minimize other posters loyalty to the team. Everyone knows there will be trolls but many posters love the UofM and hate the disarray that has grown from RR's short tenure. This is the place to vent about our displeasure's or celebrate our success and many of us don't see the progress that the RR supporters speak of. Know one truly knows the record we'll fare this season but from what I've seen so far it won't be better than 6-6. But if we miss another bowl this season I wonder what will be the next excuse for RR from his supporters. GoBluein_Pa does have a very good point in how is it that many posters have more loyalty to a coach than the University or it's football program.
PortageLkBlu
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 4:14 p.m.
GoBluein PA you are alum? Debating a coach as in this case RR is but a lot of these immature posts have gone past debate and are attacking rudely and occasionally with vulgarity RR. Not agreeing with his method or being hurt about the losses is fine but the continuous senseless attacking with no point other than pecking away like a chicken is somewhat a question about the authors of some of these pointless posts other than fodder for senseless bickering. I have never in my life heard such senseless complaining almost addictive complaining about another human. I can't imagine some of the hate generated here could be healthy for some of these folks posting this stuff. I sometimes think that some of these complainers will just melt away when RR starts winning.
GoblueinNE_PA
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 2:35 p.m.
Here's the thing I don't understand. How my fellow alumni can have more loyalty to a coach who's been here 2 years than to the University and it's football program? Are you fans of Michigan or fans of RichRod? If you're fans of RichRod, that's OK, but don't confuse that with being a fan of the University of Michigan. I find it very ironic that a lot of the RichRod supporters are very quick to jump on some poor kid who gets shuffled to the bottom of the depth chart (Tate) or dumped from the squad (Turner) because "they aren't performing" and then turns around and supports a coach that obviously isn't performing either.
umgoblue47
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 1:06 p.m.
ghost-like jimrhatt posted re-read the article. this article is not about the titanic or how much rr makes or your(a-j causes) its about the ncaa meeting! this is just another attempt to spin this ncaa article negative... i said good day...
win
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 11:55 a.m.
it's always all about winning........
M Go Blue in RI
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 10:34 a.m.
Very well said, Stephen. I am so sick and tired of the Old Blue Hairs whining about everything under the sun and throwing RR under the bus over every step he takes. Nobody has enjoyed the last 2 seasons. But it is time to get behind the coach and support the team. This is a big year for RR, though. He needs to show signs that this is headed in the right direction. I think 8-4 (or better) and a win over sparty will get the job done. Short of that and all bets are off.... I also don't understand the big deal some are making over the captains issue. My roommate was a walk on WR buried at least 5 deep behing Desmond Howard and didn't stand a chance of playing significant minutes. He got the crap kicked out of him daily on the scout team, but came back for more every day. By doing so, he had the respect of every single one of his teammates. Can you imagine what being selected as a game captain for one game during his senior year would have meant to a player like this? Is this such a difficult concept for some of the old farts to grasp? I like what RR has done this year with the captains and am hopeful that the offence will score enough points to get us back on track this year. Looking forward to being in town for the opener! M GO BLUE!!!
JimRhatt
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 10 a.m.
Dear ERMurrow. Please reread the article, sir. Is that a sweet enough way to call him.......
Stephen Landes
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 9:57 a.m.
I tend to dismiss the comments of those who hide their identity. I don't care whose ghost you are or what initials you use. If you're not willing to stand behind your comments with your name then I feel free to take whatever you write with a large chunk of salt. I'm a 35 plus year alumnus of the U of M. My first experience with Michigan football was watching the team during Bo's first season here. As such the worst record I've known until now is 6 and 6. That's a pretty remarkable stretch for any school. That said, I know it was time for a change and that we needed to adopt some new approaches to the game. I haven't enjoyed the losing seasons we have had, but I have a sense that this year we will turn it around. Rich Rod had the toughest gig in any endeavor -- following a legend. No one in those circumstances would have had the patience of the vocal minority nor the even the silent majority. In a way it is a thankless task to come into such a program and bring in a new system. Just remember that before Lloyd retired there were a whole bunch of folks clamoring for his removal as they were tired of 4 loss seasons. Now that record seems like a "golden age" to some. This change will take patience and constant work -- work on our part as fans, too. We need to stick with it with the same toughness the team is applying to learning the system, rebuilding bodies in a new way, and practicing.
michboy40
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 9:41 a.m.
People say RR doesn't "respect Michigan Tradition", but when I ask what they mean they always say two things. First, he got rid of captains, and second, he shelved the #1 as a sacred number. What they don't know is that the #1 debacle was a 2 day event! Once he realized what it meant, he fixed it and took the jersey back. It took him a little while to come around on the issue of Captains, but he did the right thing and I like the way he's doing it. Kind of a mix between his way and the traditional way. If we win some games this year, go to and win our bowl game, and the NCAA does not throw the book at us, then Richy Rich win be coaching here for a while. We need to have a winning year without drama, and if he cannot produce it, then it's time.
ShadowManager
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 9:21 a.m.
That Michigan T-shirt and hat look airbrushed on Richrod. Is he really Michigan'coach or is this all a bad bad dream?
Bob
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
I like the idea of two permanent captains and two additional game captains; shows RR does listen... Hope things go well in Seattle - Go Blue!
Forever27
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:54 a.m.
Moundros playing fullback and linebacker. That's one tough kid. Glad to see he was named captain, he is a true "Michigan Man" and deserves the honor.
keetmalik
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 7:39 a.m.
Happy when this is all over,get well Pace...let football at Michigan begin!!
Sean T.
Fri, Aug 13, 2010 : 6:35 a.m.
It will be better for Christian anyway because he can hit the weight room that much harder. And we all can't wait for the violation process to be over!