Jay Thomas

Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 2:08 p.m.

We need a new coach.

58-44-6

Tue, Nov 30, 2010 : 2:17 p.m.

We need a new defensive scheme and coordinater, I think we can have an average defense next year (24 points a game) and the best offense in the history of mankind, and then... Michigan 77 Western Michigan 3- Way overmatched Michigan 45 Notre Dame 31- to slow on defense Michigan 87 Eastern Michigan 0- no comment Michigan 52 San Diego State 24- overmatched Michigan 66 Minnesota 14- overmatched Michigan 45 Northwestern 17- to small on defense Michigan 41 Michigan State 24- lose 11 starters Michigan 59 Purdue 6- overmatched Michigan 38 Iowa 17- lose to many starters Michigan 45 Illinois 24- could be tough Michigan 35 Nebraska 31- by late in the year we are a well oiled machine Michigan 38 Ohio State 31- lose to many starters Michigan 41 Ohio State 34 ( Big Ten Championship) Michigan 41 Alabama 27 - razzle dazzle em I have never seen a Offense with this many underclassmen and a first year Quarterback average 500 a game, next years offense will be incredible... Ohio State loses 7 starters on defense Be patient my babies...

chill out

Mon, Nov 29, 2010 : 6:02 p.m.

RR started in 2007 going 3-9. Next season 5-7. This season 7-5, despite one of the worst defenses in the country, which is that way primarily because of youth and injury. Oh, and RR doesn't kick the field goals. How is that not progress?

Wayne Stowers

Mon, Nov 29, 2010 : 1:59 p.m.

a quick "forgive me" for my post yesterday. i came off as sounding critical of the kids on the team and i never meant to do that. they all play hard and are just following orders. i myself couldnt even walk from one endzone to the other in front of 110,000 people without passing out from fright on my own 10 yard line let alone perform athletic feats like these kids do. once again, sorry fellas-good luck in your bowl game.

ChelseaBob

Mon, Nov 29, 2010 : 10:51 a.m.

I went to the game (my 27th MI/OSU game) with my 16 year old son (his 9th) and it was pathetic. First, I think we were the only maize and blue in the shoe. Second, no one enjoyed this. The buckeye next to me said "Man, I can't even hate you." Just another game RR? Time to get someone who understands.

missionbrazil

Mon, Nov 29, 2010 : 9:54 a.m.

A couple of weeks ago all of the RR Kool Aid supporters were arguing that there was progress. I'm not hearing any of that since the Wiscy 48-28 and OSU 37-7 blowouts. It's obvious the only progress is that we seem to be getting worse. Not only do we not have a chance to win or even be competitive against good teams, we look like a poorly coached team with many turnovers, penalties, and failure to execute. 57 - not sure what's in your Kool Aid, but it's pretty strong whatever it is. Be patient? We all wanted RR to succeed; we all have been patient for 3 long years; we all hoped for at least some kind of progress; we all hoped to be at least somewhat competitive in some of the games against MSU or PSU or Iows or Wiscy or OSU... we're out of patience after this year. RR killed our hope and killed our patience. We're not haters. Like Jaxon 5 said, we're disgusted. We've lost our hope and confidence in RR. Pure and simple. Time for him to go.

Mike

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:46 p.m.

I commented last night and would like to comment again. I think it's time for RR to go. But, I trust David Brandon's judgment. Having played for Bo and been a successful CEO, I think he knows what he's doing. He knows more than me or anyone else who is commenting on this site. So if he fires Rich Rod, I will support that decision, but if he retains him, I will support that as well because it means he sees something most of us don't see.

Lemansblue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:20 p.m.

Surely Mi is smart enough not to give him one more year. How is that fair to recruits? It will hurt recruiting big time if recruits think he will only have one more year no one wants to go to a football program if they think there will be a coaching change. If you are going in the wrong direction which we clearly are you do not keep going.

SpartyInExile

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:45 p.m.

"The worst"? As in the entire season?

Blueman Rick

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:17 p.m.

tzgoblue: I'm completely baffled by your post. I never commented that a majority of the fans love RR on this board or elsewhere. I don't recall us bantering back and forth either. In the heat of the moment, I guess you mixed up my one post on this board with another.

D21

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.

If RR stays around for the 2011 season and here is what is gonna happen for UM: W Michigan 47 Western Michigan 23 L Michigan 27 Notre Dame 31 W Michigan 52 Eastern Michigan 20 L Michigan 42 San Diego State 45 W Michigan 56 Minnesota 24 W Michigan 35 Northwestern 27 L Michigan 31 Michigan State 34 W Michigan 35 Purdue 24 L Michigan 24 Iowa 31 L Michigan 0 Illinois 28 (Illini finally SHUTS DOWN RR) L Michigan 21 Nebraska 41 L Michigan 0 Ohio State 31 ('Nuther shutout) Overall record: 5-7 B10 record: 3-5

mgoblue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:01 p.m.

I think he does get another year... not that I agree but he does... the entire Defensive staff has got to go!!! Also RR shouldn't tell people out loud that he is not at all involved in the defense as he has in past interviews. That horrible defense no matter who takes credit has cost him several games this year!!!! Time to start over unfortunetly it will be in 2012!

Dustin

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 7:28 p.m.

The worst NOT behind us RR. You are still here to be a internal menace to Wolverine football. I have never disliked a single player or coach in 20 years of being a Wolverine fan. But I despise RR, everything about him. I despise that he has forced a hobbit Vincent Smith as a feature back in the BIG 10. RR does not get and never will BIG 10 football. If Denard was not outstanding. RR is looking at a 5-7 season at best. Hiring RR in the first place was bad karma and tainted from the start.

Jaxon5

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 7:27 p.m.

It's not hate. It's disgust. There is a big difference. We observe the apparent cavalier attitude, the disregard for traditions, the laissez-faire approach toward rivalry games, the general carelessnesss. They all lead to disgust.

Dustin

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 7:26 p.m.

The worst NOT behind us RR. You are still here to be a internal menace to Wolverine football. I have never disliked a single player or coach in 20 years of being a Wolverine fan. But I despise RR, everything about him. I despise that he has forced a hobbit Vincent Smith as a feature back in the BIG 10. RR does not get and never will BIG 10 football. If Denard was not outstanding. RR is looking at a 5-7 season at best. Hiring RR in the first place was bad karma and tainted from the start.

iamcris

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 7:22 p.m.

@ tzgoblue tl;dr now on to my point. Which conference is better top to bottom? Big Ten, Big East or Pac 10? Your answer should be the Big Ten. If it is then you can further agree Harbaugh's accomplishments in the Pac 10 are looking not so bueno right about now. Internet polls are funny. Fortunately for the Michigan fan base, we have to take stock in Mr.Brandon's education and professional career will guide him to a proper decision. It is beyond our control no matter how many posts the fan base makes or polls the media springs. Stop the hate you will have zero influence on the decision no matter how badly you want to matter, you don't. Keep raging it's providing me lots of el o el's.

tzgoblue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 7:06 p.m.

blueman If the majority of fans love RR then why does the poll on the Detroit News site show 75% in favor of firing RR and 25% favor keeping him. Last I new, these results point to the opposite of your stupid comments. As for Brandon loving RR, well, if that is the case then he would have given him a vote of confidence in his interview with the Detroit News last week as he did John B for the basketball team. As another person posted, only Brandon knows what lies ahead for RR and the coaching situation. I can guarantee, this decision will not be his to make 100% he also has people that he answers to and takes direction from. Brandon will be the guy that makes the announcement and will either get the credit or the abuse depending on what decision is made concerning both RR and his replacement if one is needed. What has to be decided by Brandon and his group, how much do we want to gamble that RR will show results different than what he has shown so far. What is the chances of success going forward with RR'S stubborn attitude towards recruiting small players on both sides of the ball and trying to compete in the B10 against bigger players that appear to do just fine in the speed department. As Clint Eastwood said "do you feel lucky" Based on the evidence of the first 3 yrs with the losing, the violations and the questionable recruiting not to mention the fact RR has not once stood up and accepted responsibility for anything, I find it hard to believe the decision goes in his favor. I would bet that there are more UM fans threatening to give up their season tickets, premium or whatever, if RR is retained than those threatening to do the same if he is fired. I'll even give 10 to 1 odds on that bet. So we can all continue to banter back and forth for excitement as we pass the time waiting for those that have the power to make the decision. Then we can have some real fun in the posting wars.

Larry Weisenthal

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 6:12 p.m.

O.K. I need to follow up. I just read all those "be patient my babies" posts. Patient...for what? There is no evidence of progress in 3 years. None. Zero. Nada. The only difference between this year's performance and the first year's performance is that, this year, we've had a ton of luck (see my previous post) and we are blessed with an athletic freak of nature who virtually single handedly was responsible for whatever meager successes were achieved. Said freak of nature being subjected to an irresponsible degree of physical punishment, which resulted in numerous injuries, including head trauma. Look at the record against the quality Big 10 opponents and show me the slightest, tiniest, evidence of progress. Patience -- for what? RR had some success with a gimmick offense in the worst BCS football conference in the country. He had a modicum of success in a bowl game, where his unfamiliar offense surprised a major team. This so-called offensive juggernaut, even with the freak of nature, was utterly ineffective against quality Big 10 opponents who had the opportunity to prepare for it. With respect to the "spread offense:" for crying out loud, Lloyd Carr ran a spread offense to beat the Tim Tebow led U of Florida in his last game. It doesn't take an offensive genius to run a spread, in situations where it's a useful tool. Not that I consider RR to be an offensive genius. Look at the games against quality Big 10 teams. This tells the whole story.

Larry Weisenthal

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 5:47 p.m.

Progress: Here's the record of the 4 quality Big 10 teams which Michigan has played every year, under Coach Rodriguez: 2010 MSU 17 34 Wisc 28 48 PSU 31 41 OSU 7 37 - 77 Point differential 2009 MSU 20 26 Wisc 24 25 PSU 10 35 OSU 10 21 -42 Point differential 2008 MSU 21 35 Wisc 27 25 PSU 17 46 OSU 7 42 -76 Point differential I think that these data are much more relevant than the Won-Lost records. Look at the wins, this year: The convincing wins were UConn (decent team), UMass (non-major program), and Bowling Green (non-major program). They were very lucky to beat Notre Dame (a so-so team). The ND starting QB was destroying Michigan, until he got hurt and had to leave the game. Even so, M barely won. They were very lucky to beat Indiana (poor team). Took the last drive. Very lucky to beat Illinois (so so team). Took a defensive gamble in triple overtime. Win over an injury depleted, poor Purdue team. It's not that RR inherited bad players. Had Carr remained, Mallet, et al, would have stayed. RR could have/should have retained the players he already had. Even so, his record this year (absent the luck) is not any better than his first year. Against the quality Big 10 teams, his record is worse (see above). I feel sorry for the guy -- to a point. But he's been paid millions and he'll get millions more, while he takes a sabbatical to find his next job (Miami, maybe?). There are tens of millions of people in the present economy who are also looking for work, virtually all of which are not in the top 1% income bracket. This was an experiment which just didn't work out. Poor match. Time to cut losses -- both for Michigan and for Coach Rodriguez.

Wayne Stowers

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 5:41 p.m.

dear santa, could you please find john cooper rodriguez a new job at a far away college and give us bo harbaugh. and could we have some of those big chubby boys that can tackle and knock over other teams players like we used to have. and could we have a punter that can punt farther than 24 yards and in a straight line. and could we have a kicker that can make a field goal from at least 30 yards out so we dont have to go for it on 4th and 8. and i know we returned ryan mallett 3 years ago but could we have him back now because i bet he could have beaten toledo even if he didnt run the spread offense. oh, one more thing, could we get a team barber so half our team doesnt look like a reggae band or the university of miami. thanks santa.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:45 p.m.

Lloyd Carr was a good coach Rich Rodriguez is a good coach Jim Harbaugh is a good coach Who ever coachs Michigan, I support... Be loyal my babies

johnnya2

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:41 p.m.

"THIS explains a lot: seniors-freshman starters WHO DECIDES WHO STARTS? Why are there 4 freshman starters on Michigans team? Rich Rood has been here for three. WHO starts is 100 per cent on the HEAD COACH. Thank you for pointing out how poor a coach hee is. HE allowed 4 freshmen starters. HE decided that. Nobody has a contract that forced a player to play. RICH ROD is the only one who determined the starters. This shows he is a total failure. I also will say it again. Dantonio, no probation, RICH Rod FIVE major violations. You think probabtion is acceptable,

Blu-n-Tpa

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:38 p.m.

Orlandoman, there's a difference between the quality of the teams playing OSU during the Carr-era and the present RR-era. Don't you think so? Moral victory isn't how I would put it. How about a chance for a victory. You know, being competitive. Instilling pride in your school, your state and your team vs your largest rival and having a fighting chance to succeed. What I see is a clear downward spiral from a very good team with a proven coach to, well, what was on the field yesterday. So, when does it stop being Coach Carr's fault and begin being RR's responsibility for the state of Michigan football? You can't want to discuss each coaches won-loss record for their respective third years, do you? OK, I'll take LC's. I win, He was 12-0 and a piece of the National Championship. Winning percentage? I'll take Carr again. Hey, you lose? Wins vs Top 25 teams and yes I'll take the ex QB from NMU. You quessed it, I win again. New Year's day bowl games? Lloyd owned the SEC. Bama, Auburn, and Florida(twice). LC wins by default. So, no I don't believe in "moral victories". But in the absence of any chance for a victory, "moral" ones would be a pleasant surprise.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:37 p.m.

Larry Coker - 1st year - National Championsip Jim Tressell - 2nd year - national Championship Urban Myer - 2nd year National Championship Bob Stoops - 2nd year - National Championship Les Miles - 3rd year - National Championship Nick Saban - 3rd year - National Championship You may think that setting our sights on programs such as Stanford and MSU is acceptable but I think our program belongs in this group and it will never return there with RR at the helm. It will take us longer, our players have to be able to read, hahahahaha Cam Newton's daddy asked for $180000, that wasn't cool Be patient my babies

Mark Naess

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:35 p.m.

Mary Sue Coleman is getting off easy in this conversation. SHE hired RR after those secret meetings in Toledo. No doubt she relied on her then AD to evaluate RRs coaching credentials. Her job was to evaluate RR's character. She failed miserably.

rugby67

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:32 p.m.

57 Larry Coker - 1st year - National Championsip Jim Tressell - 2nd year - national Championship Urban Myer - 2nd year National Championship Bob Stoops - 2nd year - National Championship Les Miles - 3rd year - National Championship Nick Saban - 3rd year - National Championship You may think that setting our sights on programs such as Stanford and MSU is acceptable but I think our program belongs in this group and it will never return there with RR at the helm.

Jaxon5

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:31 p.m.

The following 2 scenarios have an equal probability of winning games in 2011. 1. Allow RR to stay. 2. Change the uniforms to the 1942 version, similar to Ohio State, and hope the opponents are terribly confused.

rightmind250

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.

Tater, Your Daddy, Pryor will be back. So, don't count your chickens just yet.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:18 p.m.

I think they should have fired Mark Dantonio after his 3rd year, he lost to Central Michigan at home in his 3rd year!!! He had a losing record (6-7) He will never do anything in his 4th year...2010 OOPS Be patient my babies

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:12 p.m.

2007 BCS Championship 41-14 Urban Meyer ran the Spread Urban learned the Spread from Rodriguez Jim Tressel still has nightmares about that Be patient my babies

Joey

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:09 p.m.

There is no reason to be in this position in the 3rd year of coaching at UM. No Special teams? No kicker? No Defense? Where is the Offense... why are there so many freshman starting in RR's third year... oh yeah, RR pushed out the talent when he came in. Stop being delusional with 2011 UM wins. Maybe UM could schedule more easy games, like the first 7 instead of only the first 5, so that UM can improve their record next year. You need to realize that this is UM. This is not like normal rebuilding of smaller schools. This is UM!! They fired Carr for having seasons not near as bad as RR. How many years are you going to give RR to "rebuild"? UM can be just like the Lions and rebuild and rebuild and rebuild. Are you a Lion's rebuilding fan too?

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:03 p.m.

2007 BCS Championship Florida Gators Ohio State Buckeyes (121) (120) 41 14 Urban Meyer ran the Spread Jim Tressel still has nightmares about that Be patient my babies

Sherlock

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:02 p.m.

Brandon and company know who you are, 57. They also know, as did P.T. Barnum, that there's "one born every minute." Three years from now, Bill Martin's Master Plan will be realized: The cellar of MAC. If you don't like it, stop buying the ketchup-flavored cardboard Brandon and company serve up. Until then, chow down!

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:57 p.m.

1995 and 1996 Ohio State Teams were better then this current team and we beat them... Shoelace!!!!!!!... nowhere near his potential Have faith my babies

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:53 p.m.

Michigan State 2009 6-7 2010 11-1 Michigan 2010 7-5 2011 12-0 Dantonio 4th year-11-1 Harbaugh 4th year 11-1 Rodriguez 4th year 12-0

azwolverine

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:52 p.m.

57-43-6, It will take UM 4-5 years to score 38 on OSU with this offense. As for OSU losing 7 defensive players next year, so what? They have great coaches and great recruits waiting in the wings. Like all top teams (10 wins for 6 straight years qualifies as a top team), they don't rebuild, they reload. If RR is back next season, you'll have to change your name to 57-44-6.

D21

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:52 p.m.

57-430000-6 Your UM win over OSU prediction simply rendered you as a complete fraud. No one is gonna listen to you.

azwolverine

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:47 p.m.

manofbluue, To call Harbaugh a "loser" simply shows ignorance on your part. I will not even waste time pointing out all of the positives that Harbaugh has done both as a player and a coach in a big time conference against big time competition. I will point out, however, that giving up 52 to the #1 offense (and team) pales in comparison to giving up 65 to a 6 win Illinois team. If you can't see that, you've completely shut your mind to reality. In RR's defense, though, I agree that he hasn't "gotten stupid overnight." He's right. In fact, I think this years version of Michigan is every bit as good as all of his West Virginia teams that ran roughshod through the Big East with Pat White at the helm. I believe Michigan would have ran through the Big East this year and be on thier way to the BCS with 11 wins. Case in point, UM ran (soon to be) Big East Champ UConn off the field. So no, RR hasn't gotten stupid at all. He's just gotten in way over his head in a league that is far surperior to the Big Least in which his brand of football does not work. As for what Brandon will do, though...only he knows that for sure.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:47 p.m.

THIS explains a lot: seniors-freshman starters 10-0 (MSU) 11-0 (OSU) 10-0 (Wis) 12-2 (Iowa) 4-4 (Mich)

tzgoblue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:30 p.m.

iamcris One thing all of us that believe RR must go have in common with him is, we have the same number of wins against B10 teams with a winning record over the last 3 yrs as he does. So based on that we have as much right to voice our opinions as anyone else. I have been a UM fan for over 40 yrs, I drive over 600 miles round trip to every home game. I have played and coached this game and I do know how to evaluate a game tape. Believe me, our program is being viewed as joke by experts far and wide that do know what they are talking about. If my results were equal to RR's over the past 3 yrs, I would expect to be on the street looking for work. Not once has he stood up and acknowledged that the coaches need to do a better job of coaching. All we get is "I know what needs to be done to fix things" well, what has he done? The offense guru has shown that his offense is below average against "good" teams, not even "great teams". His defense is the worst in the history of Michigan football. By the way as head coach he is responsible for the defense, special teams, and offense. All phases have progressively got worse as the year goes on each of his 3 years.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:18 p.m.

We need a new defensive scheme and coordinater, I think we can have an average defense next year (24 points a game) and the best offense in the history of mankind, and then... Michigan 77 Western Michigan 3 Michigan 45 Notre Dame 31 Michigan 87 Eastern Michigan 0 Michigan 52 San Diego State 24 Michigan 66 Minnesota 14 Michigan 45 Northwestern 17 Michigan 41 Michigan State 24 Michigan 59 Purdue 6 Michigan 38 Iowa 17 Michigan 45 Illinois 24 Michigan 35 Nebraska 31 Michigan 38 Ohio State 31 Michigan 41 Ohio State 34 ( Big Ten Championship) Michigan 41 Alabama 27 I have never seen a Offense with this many underclassmen and a first year Quarterback average 500 a game, next years offense will be incredible... Ohio State loses 7 starters on defense Be patient my babies...

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:13 p.m.

Excellent point MrB

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:10 p.m.

Woolfolk coming back in 2011 will make a big difference

MrB

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:10 p.m.

THIS explains a lot: seniors-freshman starters 10-0 (MSU) 11-0 (OSU) 10-0 (Wis) 12-2 (Iowa) 4-4 (Mich)

BlueSince62

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:09 p.m.

It's a sad day when 7 wins and a point-a-minute defense is a banner year at Michigan. When, with luck, they might win seven again next year. And for that, they will get to go to another irrelevent Bowl.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.

Dantonio 4th year-11-1 Harbaugh 4th year 11-1 Rodriguez 4th year 12-0

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:05 p.m.

Michigan State 2009 6-7 2010 11-1 Michigan 2010 7-5 2011 12-0

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:03 p.m.

Michigan State 2009 5-6 2010 11-1 Michigan 2010 7-5 2011 12-0

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:46 p.m.

To 57-43-6 -- Michigan at 12-0 in 2011 is simply delusional. A 9 win season is plausible. Unlikely in my opinion, but plausible.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:35 p.m.

Michigan in 2011? My prediction: WESTERN MICHIGAN - W NOTRE DAME - W EASTERN MICHIGAN -W SAN DIEGO STATE - W MINNESOTA -W Northwestern - W Michigan State - W PURDUE - W Iowa - W Illinois - W NEBRASKA - W OHIO STATE - W Be patient my babies

man of bluue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:32 p.m.

Joey, Harbaugh is a loser, see my post above. Worst thing that could happen to us. If Harbaugh come i, many of us will give up our premium seating season tickets. Dave Brandon is a smart guy, he will not let Harbaugh in the door here, thankfully.

58-44-6

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:29 p.m.

2008-3 2009-5 2010-7 2011- at least 9 numbers don't lie my babies

BlueSince62

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:26 p.m.

How are things going to improve under RR? Who's going to want to play on a team that isn't even fun to watch, for a staff that cannot coach fundamentals and a head coach that doesn't know how to behave? There is so much to comment on, it's hard to know where to begin. How will it improve? I don't think it will with RR.

johnnya2

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:23 p.m.

"When Denard makes people miss it is because he is such a great runner no one ever says the DB is incompetent. If a MI DB misses Pryor its because the DB is incompetent not because Pryor is a great runner." This shows you really have no understanding of football. The players being in position (due to scheme or training) to make the play is one thing. A great runner Pryor, Barry Sanders, Robinson will make plays that beat the best defenses (otherwise a great defense would give up zero points), but the difference is when players who are not great turn into Heisman level players against you. Juice Williams would be my example for 2008 and 2009. This year seems to bee a simple one. THE LONGEST PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE in Buckeye history. That was not Eddie George. The fact remains, the reason so many young players are starting is because he runs a scheme that is inconsistent with the players he has. His DC never ran it before, his players in the secondary are the weakest on the defense, so he puts MORE of them out on the field. How hard is this to see? If the strength of your team were the DB's. I would say, hey good call Rich Rod. If Charles Woodson, Donovon Warren and Morgan Trent were all there and you wanted to run that defense you would be fine. The fallacy is that having more sub standard players at a position would make up for their lack of talent. It does not work that way. If your secondary is weak, and your DL and linebackers are even ok, the CORRECT way to win is to become a blitzing pressure filled defense. Nobody ever says Pittsburgh Steelers have the best secondary, but they make up for it with the front 7. Rich Rod is working an experiment that is a failure. A blue print of how NOT to run a defense. And lets make it clear, THIS IS HIS DEFENSE. He is the head coach, and HE decided to run it. GRob NEVER ran this defense. Imagine telling your employees to fix a Windows computer, when your entire career you have only worked on Macs.

Joey

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:19 p.m.

RR has been here 3 years. MSU has players with similar experience playing on their defense. They're pretty decent. Really? Some of you really want another year of this? The guy (RR) came in and did not even attempt to form an offense around the current talent. When RR arrived, he drove out his current talent to other schools and frantically looked for guys to fit his new offense. What coach comes in and does not slowly work in their offense as he acquires the type of talent needed to make it work? Harbaugh is smarter and will not make that same mistake. He wouldn't scratch everything and start over. This off-season he will find a kicker (not that hard for Michigan), a punter, and a few key players to assist the defense. Harbaugh can make Michigan better immediately. Get him before he is gone!

D21

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : noon

One problem regarding RR's dismissal if it is true. The Freep (written by Rosenberg) posted the info about RR's buyout clause: 4 million buyout if fired before Jan. 1st 2.5 million buyout if fired on or after Jan. 1st Seems that the alumni and fans will be too happy to donate the 1.5 million to get rid of RR now. Hey former AD Bill Martin (who negotiated this crummy RR contract), "THANKS A LOT"

man of bluue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:56 a.m.

clownfish By the way, RR has been in 4 or 5 bowls, mostly Gator and Sugar bowls. Beat Georgia in Sugar in 2006, and beat Georgia Tech in Gator in 2007.

bleedblue96

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:54 a.m.

Michael vick is running wild at the pro level and obviously not running a spread. Denard can do the same with a coach that knows both sides of the ball. The road to failure is paved with excuses. No defense from the start of the big10 again. It will not get better because RR is to stubborn to focus on defense and get away from his 3-3-5. He will not go after bigger lineman. Last time I checked 5 320lbs lineman equal 1600lbs and we try stopping that with 3 290+ lineman at best and maybe a couple 250lbs linebackers. If you can't figure out were your gaps are by now then you never will. 3 yrs and he had the best defense his first yr and found a way to get them embarrased every game as well. This guy does not know what a true rival is much alone 3 rivalries. The best they see in WV is Pitt and he lost his last 2 yrs to them when it mattered most. When you came to Michigan you were almost sure you have a shot at the NFL. Those days are gone. Not big enough, fast enough, or strong enough. I'd like to see how many times each player can bench 225 and what there max is in the press and squat. I can go on and on but I'll leave it at that. We need someone who knows thebig10 plain and simple

Blueman Rick

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:32 a.m.

Clownfish: Good points. Unrealistic but well stated. The clip of RR's post game Q & A was one of the most pathetic displays I've ever seen. Kumbaya? Haven't a clue to what he was alluding to. Clearly, RR is finished. He's beginning to look an awful lot like Captain Queeg in the Caine Mutiny. (For you youngsters, The Caine Mutiny is a 1954 film w/ Humphrey Bogart as Queeg). Brandon may well wait until after the bowl season to fire RR. If it is indeed Harbaugh, one would expect that he wouldn't accept the HC until after the Stanford bowl game. Though I must say I would be very encouraged to hear or read that a press conference has been scheduled for Monday, 12 noon, at the Athletic Director's office.

man of bluue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:26 a.m.

clownfish The easy decision is to follow the Lemmings and fire RR. 2 more years is the logical and harder decision but one one DB will make. Also Harbaugh is the worst choice we could make. He threw Bo and the program under the bus in 2007 with his comments about our abuse of student athletes in terms of academics, etc. Furthermore he has no real track record. His first 3 years at Stanford were essentially what RR has done then he looks good in his 4th year, with nothing before those 4 years. Also he can't stop the spread as his 52-31 loss to Oregon showed as they put up 625 yards on him. His arrogance and out of control demeanor do not represent UM well. Go Blue and on with RR. Yes we love you RR, all of including players, parents of players, Dave Brandon and a large segment of fans

zip the cat

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:22 a.m.

It doesent matter who replaces RR all you whiners and complainers will just vent on him when he loses. Grown men acting like a bunch of 2 yr olds.Grow up If you want a change then stop supporting them

orlandomichfan

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:19 a.m.

@blu-in-tpa so you are a moral victory type of guy i see, regardless if carr was in those 4 losses and we were not in those 3 losses, if i am not mistaken,a loss still counts as a loss..whether by 3 or 30..but enjoy your moral victories

truebluefan

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:07 a.m.

If UM were to fire RR, I would hope that Harbaugh is the only target. No need for a search. I am disappointed after yesterday's game. I was hoping for a closer end result, like covering the spread at least. Didn't happen and my faith in RR is shaken.

clownfish

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 11:01 a.m.

Im not used to this either, he said. These coaches arent used to this. Theyre used to playing in championships and bowls, and its as frustrating as heck. What would RR know about bowl games, he left his former team BEFORE their bowl game, showing his true inner self. For RR it is about RR. He seems to take zero responsibility for HIS team. No defense, no kicking game, lots of penalties, NCAA sanctions. THAT is about coaching. Not only should he be fired, he should give back this years salary to the tax payers. He has the ethics of a worm, the coaching skills of a high school math teacher/coach/lunch room monitor. Is it really about "hate"? No. That is the easy cop out. Look at his record. Look at his violations and sanctions. Look at his inability to take responsibility. Fire him, don't pay him, he did not live up to his contractual obligations.

man of bluue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 10:53 a.m.

Once again I say give RR 5 years. This is a well accepted principle among many elite football minds. I accept this and believe Brandon does also. 2 more years for RR please. Go Blue.

missionbrazil

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 10:29 a.m.

Just once I would love to hear RR man up and get some character and say "UM hired me and placed their confidence in me to coach and produce a competitive and winning football team & program. I have failed to do that. I take responsibility for the last 3 years. Yes we had some bad breaks and injuries, but ultimately I am responsible as the head coach."

Nick

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 10:27 a.m.

no thank you. He failed at one of the easiest places in America to coach. Good school, national recruiting base, money, boosters, fan support. Everything you need and he chose to go the stubborn route and it cost him the job.

Richard

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:44 a.m.

Rich Rodriguez must be dreaming. This is not the Big East, this is the Big Ten soon to be 12 teams. Michigan needs to leave the Big Ten and join another league if can't be competitive. With Nebraska and Penn State in the league and 2 divisions, Michigan needs to do some soul searching. The defense stinks and has stunk all year, but nothing has been done. The players should be benched if they can't block someone. It is a good thing I am not their coach because I would read the riot act to them. Get out there and play or else.

S. Simonds

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:43 a.m.

I'm an OSU fan first, Big Ten fan second and UofM fan third. The only time I don't root for Michigan is when they play Ohio State. It was shock and disbelief when they hired RR. It is time to let him go and hire Jim Harbaugh. It will be a win-win for everybody. Michigan will have a better football team, the OSU/Michigan game will remain one of the best college rivarlies ever instead of going by the way side with RR at Michigan. The Big Ten will now become a stronger conference and demand more respect from other teams. If you can't be buckeye, be a wolverine!

man of bluue

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:40 a.m.

Bo firmly believed all new coaches deserve 5 years to prove themselves. He was livid when Gary Moeller was fired after 3 years at Illinois. Dave Brandon is a strong disciple of Bo and credits Bo with giving him many of the principles that led to success in his life. DB has talked within the last week about the risks inherent in change. DB has talked in the last week about looking forward to seeing a senior Denard facing Alabama in our opening game in 2012. RR will be back for 2 more years barring a total collapse.

"We" not "Them"

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:39 a.m.

BorninA2 said, "I'd like to see him take accountability for...the NCAA violations." I only include this quote so as to accurately report your complete criticism. I'm not going to touch it because this has been the source of numerous debates and I believe each side of the argument has presented credible positions. I have no issue with you here. My point in addressing all of these statements is this, there are numerous criticisms out there that I believe can be the source of healthy, reasonable debate, such as the NCAA violations issue. Unfortunately, they good criticisms are being mixed in with numerous criticisms that seem to apply an unfair double standard when it comes to RR compared to other widely accepted coaching practices. RR is not above criticism, but we need to keep the fight fair.

azwolverine

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:34 a.m.

I would love to have Harbaugh coach UM, but I don't understand why the consensus seems to be it's either hire Harbaugh or keep RR. Whatever happened to Les Miles? He's still doing a great job down at LSU and would be a much better fit (and coach) then RR. I think Brandon should talk to both Harbaugh AND Miles to gauge their interest.

"We" not "Them"

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:28 a.m.

BorninA2 said, "The only thing he's said relative to accountability about the latter is, 'I think there is plenty of blame to go around.'" RR is certainly guilty of making you raise an eyebrow every now and then with his press conferences, but I don't get the impression he has ever absolved himself of responsibility. Unfortunately, I don't have transcripts of pressers and interviews to verify this, but I am certain I have heard him say things like, "We need to coach better, "The kids are trying their best" and "We all need to improve". That doesn't sound like a coach ducking responsibility or throwing kids under the bus. Where I believe the disconnect occurs is that some of his critics have theories that RR (and many of his supporters) don't agree with, and when he fails to acknowledge those theories his critics claim he is avoiding responsibility. I think it's gotten to the point that it really doesn't matter what RR says, some of his critics are so blinded by their opinions that they will always find fault. The punter situation this weekend comes to mind. Had Bo suspended a player before a big game he would have been lauded as noble and principled. When RR does the same thing there were some who claimed he did it to CYA in case of a loss. I believe RR has accepted plenty of blame, he's just not willing to go to the extreme's some of his critics have gone to.

katmando

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:24 a.m.

Coach English of EMU says the same thing! Surprise!

tulsatom

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:15 a.m.

RR said, "Im ticked, he said. What, do you want me to go jump out there and hold hands with all the Buckeye fans and sing Kumbaya? I wish we would have played better. Translation: OSU loves me because I make it so easy for them. I'm surprised by how much support I'm popular in Columbus but I wish they liked me more in Ann Arbor. RR: Im not used to this either, he said. These coaches arent used to this. Theyre used to playing in championships and bowls, and its as frustrating as heck" Translation: I'm in over my head and don't know what to do except more of the same because that's all I know and because it used to work in the Big East. RR: "But Im not deterred, because I know where were at, he said. Ill evaluate everything again tonight, tomorrow and well start getting better next week, next months and next year, and we will be better. Translation: I'm currently working on my resume. By some chance they let me stay, we'll be better next year (wink, wink). Maybe we'll be 8-4 since we don't have to play Wisconsin next year. However, we will have to play Nebraska instead so I'm not making any promises. I can definitely say we'll be better than 112th in the nation on defense (maybe 105th), provided I can get a good defensive coordinator who wouldn't mind playing under me and running a 3-3-5 because that defense is God's gift to college football.

"We" not "Them"

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:15 a.m.

BorninA2 said, "I'd like to see him take accountability for... the fact that we don't have a place kicker." What exactly should he be accountable for? For failing to recruit talented kickers? Gibbons was a 3 star army all-american who was rated the #8 kicker coming out of H.S. I have no clue why his performance has been been so miserable, but to suggest that RR coaches so poorly that Gibbons unlearned how to kick 30 yard FG's that he made regularly in H.S. seems to be a stretch. Many D1 programs don't even hire a designated kicking coach. If RR should be held accountable for misjudging talent, then he'll need to get in line because 98% of the football experts thought this kid was going to be a stud.

rightmind250

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:14 a.m.

k, A strong recruiting class? Last I saw it was rated no 27 by rivals and scout. There best recruit is a 160 rb. Does that sound familiar. By the time the ncaa clearing house gets done with RR's 2011 class it will be around no.50

"We" not "Them"

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 9:08 a.m.

@BorninA2 says, "I said I'd like to see him take accountability for not having the kids ready to play, for the fact that they still can't tackle and take poor angles, and drop passes, and for the fact that we don't have a place kicker, and for the NCAA violations. The only thing he's said relative to accountability about the latter is, "I think there is plenty of blame to go around." Sorry to take so long to respond to this, I thought I replied last night, but I must have forgotten to push "submit". Let me attempt to address my disagreements on a point by point basis. "I'd like to see him take accountability for not having the kids ready to play" What evidence do you have that he didn't have the kids ready. I know that seems to be an incredible stance to take following a 30 point loss but bear out my train of thought. A mere loss cannot be evidence of not being ready to play. If that were the case, then 50% of the coaches in America weekly don't get their kids ready to play. Some may point to the margin of victory as proof, but if EMU loses to Florida by 50 we don't conclude the EMU coach didn't have his kids ready to play. We would acknowledge the gap in talent. OSU was the #8 team in the country playing at home and were favored by 18 points. RR may not have had the ready to pull of a spectacular upset, but the loss itself is not confirmation that they were not ready to play. "accountability for... the fact that they still can't tackle and take poor angles, and drop passes". This is a popular notion put forth, especially in RR's case, that every negative moment in a game is a direct reflection of coaching incompetence. Roy Roundtree has caught 10,000+ passes in his lifetime. He has consistently demonstrated proper coaching techniques to catch footballs. If you can point to situations where he was coached to keep his thumbs up when everyone else coaches them to be down then I think there would be a point here. But kids make mistakes that have nothing to do with poor coaching. Sometimes kids are just not talented enough to make the plays they are coached to make. That is not a failure of coaching, it's a lack of talent. Boise State's coach shouldn't take the blame for his kicker missing a game winning kick any more than RR should be blamed for bizarre player performances. Again, I'm not saying coaches have no connection to on filed performances. Just that there can be causes other than poor coaching, and to immediately conclude that all things UM must be a failure of coaching is dismissing other likely rationales. As I think about it, maybe my original post got censored for being too long. To prevent that, I'll take on the other point in a follow up post.

Jaxon5

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:50 a.m.

Watching Michigan's free fall has been painful. Some people do not see it, and they think everything is okay. Those people should note the objective evidence of Michigan's decline, posted or said within the last 24 hours. One headline said "OSU Embarrasses Michigan" (MSN Sports). Big Ten analyst Jerry DiNardo and former coach said about OSU and Michigan "these two programs have separated" (Big Ten Network Big Ten Football wrap up). Former player J. Morris tweeted "Michigan is the best Big East team in the Big Ten" (see Ann Arbor dot com).

snoopjane

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:47 a.m.

Worst is behind us? Remember RR we still have the bowl game

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 8:32 a.m.

Oh dear! So much "QQ"! @iamcris... could it be that maybe, just maybe... a great number of us who wanted RR to win at Michigan have simply come to the conclusion the experiment has not worked? Or is it just that the number of "whiners" and "haters" has expanded for no reason? Nobody is faulting the players personally and individually. Everyone knows they're young men seeking guidance and molding into men of character and discipline. Could it be that part of our disappointment in Rodriguez is not simply the loss column, but the loss of potential... the expectation that few of these young men will reflect back on this time with the same pride of achievement that past Michigan players do? Young men such as these yearn to learn and grow under the guidance of a man of strength and character they can look up to. Have you noticed how the great coaches in the game have been and still are men who insist on hard work, discipline and attention to detail? They teach impressionable young men to go through life the same way -- work hard, persevere, and the value of dedication and teamwork. I have said many times on this forum -- I would rather Michigan lose playing good, solid, tough and well-executed football than win despite mistakes and with a good dose of luck. Rodriguez is doing these young men no favors teaching them the path to success is with quick strikes and cleverness.

Blu-n-Tpa

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 6:54 a.m.

For those of you who feel that it's the DC, Greg Robinson's fault, remember this: Who hired him? Who told him what defense to use? Who was responsible for bringing in defensive recruits over the last 2-3 years? That's like blaming the iceberg for getting in the way of the Titanic. If Captain Smith had survived the sinking, he could have pulled a RichRod and told the media, "It was the helmsman's fault for steering the course and speed I ordered. But I never told him to hit an iceberg." Plus who out there thinks this is JUST the defense's fault? If anyone is happy with this teams' overall performance on the field this year, please make your argument how things with get better given more time with the same leadership. Sometimes more is just more, not better.

BlueGator

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 6:49 a.m.

We have no real choice but to wait and trust that Dave Brandon will make the right decision for the good of UM football. He's a former player under Bo. He's also a successful business executive. He's with the players on the sidelines during games and can judge the preparation, mood and spirit of the team. At home games, he also spends time in the luxury suites with influential backers. I trust his judgment in this matter. No matter what, the next 5-6 weeks should be most interesting.

lordhelmet

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 6:34 a.m.

The worst is behind them? Only if Brandon fires this mistake of a coach and his entire staff. RR has destroyed the Michigan football program. They are getting worse, not better. Their defense is the worst in the nation and those are ALL Rich Rod's recruits. High schools have better kicking that this joke of a special teams squad. And his big east offensive "system"? Well, it might work against second tier teams but it lacks the power to compete in the big ten. Rich Rod has been a very expensive mistake. It was hype over substance. He's Michigan's Obama and Matt Millen combined. Rodriguez is not recruiting talent and not developing what he has. They are regressing, not learning. Just cussing out players constantly isn't "teaching". Time to pull the plug before the program is completely and utterly destroyed. Don't make the mistake Notre Dame has made. Stop throwing good money after bad. Fire Rich Rod and do it NOW.

Blu-n-Tpa

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 6:33 a.m.

Orlando. Do you really want to compare Coach Carr's games vs OSU to RichRods? Michigan's last three games under Carr were lost by a combined 18 points, including the No. 1 vs No.2 matchup in 2006,(3 pt loss). We were in every game and had a chance, no, more than a chance to win. No one gave UM a chance yesterday, or last year for that matter, to pull an upset. I think we lost the last three OSU games under RichRod by nearly 80 points. Please get out of the sun. It's affecting your thinking.

chapmaja

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:47 a.m.

I have defended him in the past, but at this point RR needs to go. He has completely lost the fanbase at Michigan. I know David Brandon has stated he will wait until the end of the season (after the Bowl game) to evaluate the season, but it needs to be done sooner. The evaluation is clear. First, LLyod knew what he was doing when he left Michigan. He had a lot of upper classmen that left either after 2007 or after RR's first year. The problem is Michigan's recruiting has not brought in the type talent is has in the past. I completely agree with RR that they lack experience. Part of that is due to the lack of quality left when LC retired, but a lot of it is also due to the decisons made by RR and his staff. A quick glance at the rosters from 2007 and 2010 shows a lot of players who could have been at Michigan not being at Michigan. RR's own decison making caused a lot of guys to flee the program. In the past the talent Michigan brought in on D as freshman would have been enough to give Michigan a servicable top 60 ranked defense. A top 60 defense would be enough to keep Michigan competitive with Penn St, MSU, Ohio St, Iowa (who lost to Minn today). The lack of quality falls directly on RR. Secondly, there has not been improvement in certain aspects of the game. Special teams has been almost a complete disaster this season. Only Hagerup (pre-suspension) showed signs of something. Today they ST unit was aweful. Thank God Tate had a 52 yard punt or the punting average might have been under 25. The team also lacks fundemntal skills. That falls on the coaches during the pre-season practices as much as during the season. The tackling looks absolutely terrible. The defensive backs are generally way off on coverages because they either lack the confidence or the skills (or both). While the defense has shown signs of life, not once have they really put 4 quarters together. They should be a little better next season when Troy and JT return, but they need a lot more than that. The only aspect of the game to show improvement was the offense, but even that has regressed the last couple weeks. There has been some very poor decision making made by the coaches as well. Due in large part to the lack of a special teams unit they have gone for it on 4th down way too much recently. That give the opponents to good of field position. I would rather see Tate come in and either fake a punt or do his little punt thing down inside the 10 and at least force opponents to go 80 plus yards. Even in play decision making has been aweful. The fact they did not call a timeout to challenge the INT thrown by Tate is an inexcusable mistake in my opinion. The should have waited until OSU was ready lining up to snap the ball and called timeout to challenge the call. Instead OSU ran a play and no review was taken. It is decision making mistakes like that which show me RR does not have what it takes to be a national title contender at Michigan. The next question is would Harbaugh take the job? Based on the fact Stanford, despite showing substantial improvement has not taken notice of a BCS qualifing football team I'd say they have a very good shot at getting him. With that said, you can't fire RR assuming Harbaugh will come to Ann Arbor to coach. You need to fire RR if you feel he is not the right man for the job and then conduct a search to get the best man for the job to coach at Michigan (who likely would be Harbaugh).

Dustin

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 2:20 a.m.

One word defines Rich Fraud as a Michigan head coach, Failure. It is disgusting that he has been at Michigan for the past 3 years with his micky mouse system. It will take another 5 years to correct his joke recruiting to return this once proud progam to what it was prior to his disaster. Just FIRE HIM already.

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:35 a.m.

@iamcris -- you're right. I'm completely wrong. Rich Rodriguez is a genius in all facets of the game. Fumbles, interceptions, poor tackling, unnecessary penalties... all signs that Rodriguez has his hand on the levers and is working his spread magic. I'm sorry... truly I am... for being so shortsighted. Silly me. All hail the savior of Michigan football... Rich Rodriguez! I tremble in anticipation for next season. 12 - 0 for certain!

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:27 a.m.

Mike... my point is first year coach Kelly and the Irish are showing tangible signs of coming together, fighting through adversity and finding a way to win. With a true freshman QB. Can the same be said of Michigan at this juncture? Because if there's some evidence of Michigan's progress, I'd like to know what it is. Honestly. Other than "next year we'll have more experience," what can be pointed to as a sign this team is maturing and growing?

"We" not "Them"

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 1:22 a.m.

BorninA2 says "I never suggested he take responsibility for every mistake. I said I'd like to see him take accountability for not having the kids ready to play, for the fact that they still can't tackle and take poor angles, and drop passes, and for the fact that we don't have a place kicker, and for the NCAA violations. The only thing he's said relative to accountability about the latter is, "I think there is plenty of blame to go around." I'm going to address these one at a time because I believe they are central to my position that RR is getting over blamed for things. That is not to say "blameless", just over blamed. "I'd like to see him take accountability for not having the kids ready to play". Who says the kids weren't ready to play? I know this may seem an incredible stance to take after a 30 point loss, but what evidence is anyone really putting forth that they weren't ready to play. The fact that they lost is no evidence of not being ready. By that logic 50% of the coaches in the nation weekly don't get their kids ready to play. The fact that they lost big is no evidence. When EMU loses to Florida by 50 we don't say the coach didn't have them ready to play, we simply acknowledge the talent gap. OSU was favored by 18. They were ranked #8 in the country playing at home against a young, unranked team. As much as we're frustrated, they may well have been thoroughly ready to play and just got their butts whooped. "for the fact that they still can't tackle and take poor angles, and dropped passes". Again, much as we want to be cliche about the fact that missed tackles must be a result of poor coaching, could it be that they simply aren't talented enough to tackle? Our starting safety is a great kid, but he's a 190 lbs 18 year old trying to tackle an older and more talented RB. Sure, he often makes the tackle, but he doesn't have the size or experience that only comes with time to make that tackle every time the situation presents itself. Obi Ezeh can't stay on the field because he can't play basic gap responsibility. It's not that he wasn't coached it, because gap responsibility is taught in 8th grade. It's that he is not talented enough to perform it. Dropped balls? I'm guessing Roy Roundtree has caught 10,000 passes over the course of his lifetime. He didn't drop those passes because he wasn't coached (unless you can point out where he was coached to put his thumbs up when they should have been down). The kid simply made a mistake very inconsistent with his performances to date. I know these mistakes are frustrating and we want someone to burn for it, but sometimes kids just make mistakes. "and for the fact that we don't have a place kicker" You want him to be accountable for not recruiting a good kicker or because Gibbons hasn't panned out. Gibbons was 3 star army all-american ranked the 8th best kicker in the nation coming out of high school. RR should be held accountable for that? (actually, he should have been praised had the kid worked out). If we're going to blame RR for his evaluation of talent, he'd have to get behind 99% of the recruiting pundits who also thought this kid was solid gold. Some may hold him accountable for not coaching him better, but many D1 schools don't have dedicated kicking coaches. I'll bet Gibbons has made more than a fair share of 30 yard FG's in his lifetime. Why he can't make H.S. level FG's here is a mystery, but to hold RR accountable for it is a stretch. " The only thing he's said relative to accountability about the latter is, 'I think there is plenty of blame to go around.'" I don't have a transcript of all of RR's quotes, but I'm certain I have heard him say, "We've got to do a better job coaching. We all have to do a better job." That doesn't sound like failing to take accountability. As I said earlier, my belief is that RR is not agreeing with many of the misplaced charges against him and that is leading those people who believe those things to be true to call him an excuse maker. For the record, I'm purposely ducking the violations issue as I think valid arguments have been made on both sides of that issue. But, surrounding a valid issue with 3-4 other trumped up charges only reinforces the RR supporters' position that many of these criticisms in these posts are more of a frustrated witch hunt than a fair evaluation.

iamcris

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:59 a.m.

@DonAZ, why so much QQ? 18 and 19 year old kids out there not fully developed doing their absolute best, dare I say overachievers? But go ahead and feel that somehow you're entitled to demean and belittle these young men's best efforts all the while criticizing the head coach who i'd bet has more wins at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics than you do. Go ahead and feel entitled like you have earned the right to publicly condemn the head coach and his program not yours. Be passionate to a fault. All in for Michigan you bunch of haters.

Mike

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:35 a.m.

@DonAZ - I agree that it's time for Rich Rod to go. A couple weeks ago, I said I could argue it either way, but after the embarrassing Ls to Wisconsin and OSU, I can't argue in his favor anymore. There are way too many turnovers, penalties, missed tackles, blown assignments, missed field goals and extra points, etc. Having said that, saying ND's win at USC is "quality" is laughable. That stadium was 2/3 full (as people in L.A. are the biggest bandwagon jumpers in the world) and half of them were ND fans. It wasn't a quality win any more than our win at ND was - it's great to beat a rival on the road, but none of the three teams are of any quality at this time.

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:20 a.m.

All good teams stress fundamentals at every practice and at all times. But I promise you not one of the top 20 teams has to dedicate half their pre-bowl practices to getting the basics re-established. But go ahead and think what you want about the quality of Michigan's program at this point. I hear precious little praise outside this forum. Most commentary is about how undisciplined and mistake-prone this team is. Dream your little dream, kids. Game over.

k

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:10 a.m.

Give rich rod another year.they will be extremely better next year.they've got a strong recruit class coming in.The person that NEEDS to go is GREG ROBINSON!!!!

iamcris

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:04 a.m.

@DonAz, yes to answer your question a resounding yes. When should they practice fundamentals? In the off season? Spring ball? Maybe fall camp is best to practice fundamentals?

DonAZ

Sun, Nov 28, 2010 : 12:01 a.m.

My theory is that Brandon is already having private conversations behind the scenes. He won't make an announcement now or after Michigan's bowl. He'll wait for his prospective new coach to have cleared their bowl games. Then the hammer falls.

DonAZ

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:56 p.m.

No, I don't see your point. My point is that while some teams with new coaches show signs of improvements in many facets of the game, Michigan seems to regress. It seems that too many on this board look at the record when there's so many more signs of problems at Michigan than the 5 losses suggests. Did you read where Rodriguez said the first six or seven of the 15 practices allowed prior to a bowl will be devoted to "spring ball activities -- fundamentals." Does anyone on this board really think any other bowl-bound team needs to cycle back and do "spring ball" things to improve fundamentals? Fundamentals are a key indicator of coaching discipline. Michigan is very poor at fundamentals. You do the math. It's over for Rodriguez.

3 And Out

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:56 p.m.

So Rich Rod is a Tony Bennett Fan? link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnocF_8h-6o&feature=related

iamcris

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:47 p.m.

What do USC, Notre Dame and Michigan all have in common? 7-5. so yeah see my point?

rtracy

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:41 p.m.

I say one more year for RR unless they can get harbaugh then fire him. Get rid of the entire defensive staff. Terrible recruiting major lack of basic fundamentals tackling getting off blocks and not enough blitzing. That three man front is a joke in the big ten got to get rid of it.

DonAZ

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:31 p.m.

Want to know what progress looks like? Look at Jimbo Fisher at Florida State. Or even Brian Kelly at Notre Dame... a few quality wins (Utah, USC) and a sense of improvement game over game. I'm willing to bet Notre Dame will be vastly improved next year. Florida State will be very good. Michigan in 2011? My prediction: WESTERN MICHIGAN - W NOTRE DAME - L EASTERN MICHIGAN -W SAN DIEGO STATE - L MINNESOTA -W Northwestern - L Michigan State - L PURDUE - W Iowa - L Illinois - L NEBRASKA - L OHIO STATE - L 4-8... or at best 6-6 if they win SDSU and Northwestern. That's the state to which we've descended -- it's hard to know if they can beat Northwestern in Evanston.

jcj

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:19 p.m.

"We" not "Them" You bring up a good point! When Denard makes people miss it is because he is such a great runner no one ever says the DB is incompetent. If a MI DB misses Pryor its because the DB is incompetent not because Pryor is a great runner. It is obvious to all that the MI defense is lacking. But we have to acknowledge that their are a few good players in the Big Ten that will make most DB's miss. It can't ALWAYS be poor defense. Sometimes it is a great offensive play. But most of the time with MI it is poor defense! The thing that I find unacceptable is that MI cannot even try a field goal unless it is under 20 yds! There are numerous high school player in this area that could do so much better than the incompetent ones MI has tried! And I do not have a problem calling them incompetent because basically it is the kicker against himself not the other team.

Richard

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:03 p.m.

This is disgusting. I am happy that Michigan is going to a bowl game, but it should be something great, not a has been. The Wolverines used to be the most feared team now it's like who is scared of them. Next year, Nebraska comes in and Michigan better improve now. Rich Rodriguez has tried, but I don't think he is right for the team, the defense needs to be straightened out NOW. Don't look like a mess in the bowl game. Give us a good feeling for the winter not a sick feeling. I have said before, there are to many coaches not enough players. The Wolverines needs to hire Jim Tressel of Ohio State or michigan State's new coach. Michigan is becoming a so so team.

BornInA2

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:48 p.m.

@WeNotThem: I never suggested he take responsibility for every mistake. I said I'd like to see him take accountability for not having the kids ready to play, for the fact that they still can't tackle and take poor angles, and drop passes, and for the fact that we don't have a place kicker, and for the NCAA violations. The only thing he's said relative to accountability about the latter is, "I think there is plenty of blame to go around." Responsible for every little thing? No. Responsible for the big picture, including win/loss, following rules, improving the players through the season, recruiting, etcetera, yes. But he never says, "Yeah, that's on me. I'm the head coach and the buck stops here." Instead he blames everyone and everything else and goes as far as joking that he's going to stop the team bus on the way to Happy Valley to try to find a kicker. What kind of leadership is that from someone getting paid millions of dollars/year to be the *head* coach?

Jaxon5

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:40 p.m.

Orlando - quickest path to getting back to a winning program is to cut out the weeds. I have been a fan just as long or longer and I know a loser when I see one. Time to get back to winning.

orlandomichfan

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:35 p.m.

exactly what i mean about people on here..i have been a fan for over 40yrs, and want nothing but this proud program to be proud again, the ignorance of people to say i am not a fan just because i am not negative..???wow, that is funny, im just saying i am standing behind this program through thick or thin,and its very thin right now. who ever is the coach..richrod, harbaugh, whoever. and the only reason i say carr was 0-4, in his last 4 is because it seems like some people make it sound like we started losing to ohio st when richrod took over, @XTR says i am a rr fan, sorry brotha, im a michigan fan more than most that come on here..@bornina2, no i dont blame carr for whats happening, my reasons dont matter as others on here would say im finding excuses..but no, dont blame him, its yr 3 now @gettingbluer oh yes i am real happy about extending it, especially against little brother..it was just a point i was saying as richrod was being blasted after getting killed again by osu,,yes i know about the other games, not an idiot..i choose to do things without negativity like most of ya'll. i just dont care what you all think of me, i just want to win, i dont need to bash someone repeatedly to get my point across..but have at it..im looking forward to our bowl game and hope we can leave it with a win..gooo blue

3 And Out

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:23 p.m.

daytona please see above for comments from Jack Harbaugh

"We" not "Them"

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:23 p.m.

While this game had hundreds of moments to be frustrated with, there are some criticisms that just seem like piling on. Take this quote for instance: "This guy doesn't get it. If he came out and actually said what is true: "We didn't have the kids prepared today. We've failed to teach the fundamentals. Based on how we've coached, these kids played the best they could.", I'd have a smidgen of faith. But instead he throws the kids under the bus again." Let me paint a picture to illustrate my point. Imagine Barry Sanders has the ball in the open field with one defender in position to make the stop, and Barry jukes the defender to score a TD. Afterwards, the media asks the coach about the play. Is the only acceptable answer for a coach is to say, "I didn't have the defender prepared. I failed to teach the fundamentals"? Isn't it possible that the hall of fame RB may simply have more talent? Or maybe the defender just slipped. This notion that so many posters put forth, about how the coach should always acknowledge some level of incompetence for every mistake that is made on the playing field, seems to be an expectation that is only applied to RR. When Boise State's kicker missed an easy game winning field goal, and a subsequent game saving field goal, I didn't hear Chris Petersen come out and say, "It was my fault. I failed to coach the kicker proper fundamentals." In fact, he said, "We need to make that play, but one play doesn't win or lose a game." Not everything RR has said this year has been golden, but there comes a point where he gets criticized no matter what he does or says. Bo suspends a player before the big game and he's principled. RR does the same thing and he's accused of sabotaging the game to cover his %^&. It's a double standard. I hear people begging him to just "tell the truth", but I think their criticism is based more on a lack of shared vision of what the truth is rather than a coach incapable of telling it. My apologies to BorninA2 if I sound like I'm calling you out. I don't intend to. Many people have stated before thoughts similar to your post. Your post was just the most convenient for me to quote. Today was a bad game and a horrible experience for the entire maize and blue family. Everyone involved has to take action to make improvements, but I don't need RR apologizing because the backup punter didn't average 45 yards today. Sometimes, it actually IS talent (or lack thereof).

daytona084

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:21 p.m.

Why are some people so sure Michigan could attract Harbaugh? He's made public statements critical of Michigan. He has a top-5 team at Stanford. Only guy I read that said he would leave Stanford was Herbstreit and that is just speculation. Stanford stadium not full? Neither was Michigan stadium in Bo's early years. If Harbaugh continues on his current path, that stadium will be full soon enough. The problem with RR, my opinion, (among others) is a complete failure to show improvement over the course of the season. Much as it pains to say, I doubt if U-M could beat Notre Dame if playing today.

3 And Out

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:20 p.m.

BorninA2... we may not need to send Red out there. Bob Bowlsby the AD at Stanford worked for Mary Sue Coleman at Iowa and hired Ferentz with her...so the network is already there. Harbs doesnt need to be sold on Michigan either: Of Jim Harbaugh's name cropping up in recent coaching rumors, Jack Harbaugh told Dave Birkett of AnnArbor.com earlier this year: "I think he's very, very happy at Stanford and Stanford is where he wants it to be. But I would say this: that still Michigan is the place that he loves, the place that for him was his foundation. It's where, the five years he spent there, his education there at Michigan and his associations with Bo and the other coaches on the staff, that' the place that he will always call home." Following Stanford's win over USC, the elder Harbaugh also said: "I can just see Bo up in heaven, he's talking to Woody (Hayes) and he's got a big old cigar and he and Woody are looking down on the game and he looks over to Woody and he says, 'That Jimmy Harbaugh, that's the way the game's supposed to be played,' taking real pride in it, and I truly believe that he does take pride in it." So this should shake out well in the long run...Viva Harbaugh in 011!

3 And Out

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:17 p.m.

Mike Brown, who is Rich Rodriguez' agent contacted Bill Martin in late 07 after Greg Schiano turned down the UM job and sold Bill Martin on RR... RR owes at least half his salary to the Real Snake Oil Man: Mike Brown.

Jaxon5

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:02 p.m.

Great quotes, Pete. "Worst is behind us" because the game clock ended.

BornInA2

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 10:01 p.m.

I'm sitting here watching Stanford dismantle Oregon State. Well, at least one Michigan Man is beating an OSU today. Stanford plays good, solid football. I'd like to see the kids in winged helmets playing like this again. And I'd be happy to have a coach who calls it as he sees it, even if it's not popular. That's integrity. Dave Brandon should send Red Berenson out to talk to Harbaugh about the benefits of returning to Michigan for a long, productive coaching career.

marlon glenn

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9:56 p.m.

OSU and MSU can talk all they want. They love RR in AA. They know deep in their hearts they would hate to see Harbaugh in AA because he is a real coach who knows the Big ten and how to build a program that will compete in the conference. RR staying is a blessing to them and they know it. Tress and "Dano" hope RR never leaves. That's guaranteed job security for them. :)

YhostGhost

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9:31 p.m.

Rodriguez says "the worst is behind us". Is that not the same as saying, "we're at rock bottom and have nowhere to go but up"?

YhostGhost

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9:29 p.m.

4th down and 8 and Rodriguez has to go for it because he has no kicker. Outrageous incompetence.

XTR

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9:04 p.m.

OrlandoRRfan - You are not a UM fan, you are an RR fan LOL! Carr in his third season blasted Ohio State real good. In fact Carr blasted everyone real good in his third season. What did RR do in his third season? LOL! Carr never lost like this to Ohio State. Never like this. RR is also the replacement of Carr which meant that he should be an improvement, but RR not only was the improvement of Carr, RR was not even half of what Carr achieved! LOL!

GettingBluer

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9:01 p.m.

"carrs last 4 against ohio st he was winless 0-4 so as far as this rivalry, we were already losing it, carr set that in motion" And your point is??? That you're pleased that RR has extended that program with OSU and expanded it to include MSU, Iowa, and Wisconsin?

BornInA2

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 9 p.m.

@Orlando: Yes, Carr got out-coached by Tressel. But isn't that part of the reason many people wanted Carr out, so we could go to "the next level"? This is certainly a different level, but in the wrong direction. At what point, specifically, do you stop blaming Carr for RR failures? If you can say that it wasn't RR's fault that receivers dropped passes, how can these abysmal results possible be the fault of Carr who hasn't been on the sideline in almost three years?

johnnya2

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:59 p.m.

@The Boss "A lot of things hurt today including the INT that was not an INT by Tate, that should have been reviewed" Hmmm, interesting. How could that have been reversed? Maybe they could come up with a thing called a coaches challenge and let the coach challenge a play if he sees that it is wrong. Oh, you mean they already have that and the coaching staff is so incompetent they could not be bothered to do it? That alone should be enough to have him fired. Thanks for making my point.

BornInA2

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:56 p.m.

This guy doesn't get it. If he came out and actually said what is true: "We didn't have the kids prepared today. We've failed to teach the fundamentals. Based on how we've coached, these kids played the best they could.", I'd have a smidgen of faith. But instead he throws the kids under the bus again. I'm not saying mistakes weren't made on the field, I'm just saying I want to see RR own up to the failures; in execution, play-calling, recruiting, following the rules...anything, really would be a pleasant change. In my opinion, he is not accountable and has no class and I wouldn't want my kids anywhere around him.

orlandomichfan

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:53 p.m.

carrs last 4 against ohio st he was winless 0-4 so as far as this rivalry, we were already losing it, carr set that in motion..

Keiffer

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:52 p.m.

This has got to be the worse coached 7-5 team in NCAA Ive seen. Ive followed Michigan for over 35 years and I dont believe Ive seen such a low point. Even in the Moeller era, fans still believed Michigan would be good even though Mich had a couple of over 500 seasons. I am convinced that this coaching staff does not ans is not capable of taking some of the most talented kids in NCAA and make them champions. Big Ten football is what it is. RR tried to change Michigan tradition and now he needs to take his football philosophy to a Div. 2 school. Michigan will never be a football powerhouse with this present coaching staff.

orlandomichfan

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:50 p.m.

i also believe it will get better for lots of reasons, i laugh at all the hate and also dont care what people think of me standing behind this team. i am as angry as everyone else, but for now i stand behind the program, coach and the kids who are trying their best. the way people are blasting the coach and the program is amusing, but myself i take the good with the bad...i just keep hanging in there and know it will get better.. so lets enjoy playing another game where ever it will be, and hopefully we can win big..

Rodie

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:49 p.m.

Stanford is playing great tonight...

The Boss

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:33 p.m.

RR will be back and things will be better. A lot of things hurt today including the INT that was not an INT by Tate, that should have been reviewed! Not RR's fault that Roundtree dropped 5 passes. If UM played error free in the first half the whole game would have been different. Kiss off all you RR haters you are doing nothing to help the team or recruiting and if you all think Harbaugh will come back to Michigan you are all dreaming.

NoBowl4Blue

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:23 p.m.

Worse behind? Is Rich Rod leaving?

Sallyxyz

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:19 p.m.

"The worst is behind us" -- gone one, coach. You are absolutely right, once you are gone, the worst is surely in the past.

2bluebyu

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:17 p.m.

I've read that Harbaugh is ready to leave Stanford, not enough fan support there (or money). I'm thinking Brandon's gonna give RR 1 more year,......... does he deserve it?!?!? What ever move is made, I hope it's the right one. Off to "The Token Bowl" we go. GO BLUE!!!

MichFan5448

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:01 p.m.

Coach Rodriguez... "The worst is behind us"??? "We will start getting better next week"? With all due respect, as a loyal Michigan fan am I supposed to take comfort in those statements?

3 And Out

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 8:01 p.m.

"Michigan Football will be back" RR after the ND loss in 08... still waiting coach...still waiting bTW Stanford 7 Oregon State 0 on Versus network right now... Harbaugh says that they have 360 plays in their playbook...they are starting to roll now in this game

Greggy_D

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 7:55 p.m.

'worst is behind us'....that a rather prophetic quote if Rich Rod is fired tomorrow.

BigWolverine13

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 7:51 p.m.

They will be better, only if RR is gone!