Rich Rodriguez gets endorsement from Michigan football player Mike Martin
Mike Martin
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- While most Michigan football players deflected post-game questions about coach Rich Rodriguez’s future, Mike Martin steadfastly supported the current Wolverine coaching staff.
For nearly 30 minutes, different reporters approached Martin in the tunnels below EverBank Field on Saturday afternoon with similar questions. The answers were the same: The junior defensive tackle thinks Rodriguez and his staff should return to Michigan next season.
Martin said he will talk to teammates about presenting their opinion to athletic director Dave Brandon when they return to Ann Arbor after the 52-14 loss to Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl.
“That’s something we have to do collectively, I think,” Martin said. “If it comes to that, we would do that, yeah.”
Some of Martin’s teammates, standing among pockets of reporters nearby, gave more predictable replies to similar questions.
Sophomore linebacker Craig Roh: “I’m just going to work as hard as I can during this off-season and let everything else happen how it may.”
Senior defensive tackle Greg Banks: “My job is to be a player. I really have no say over who the coaches are and who they will be.”
Others politely shook off the questions, or said they didn’t know enough to offer a reply.
But Martin said he was confident his opinion was unanimous in the Michigan locker room.
“I can speak for the rest of my teammates that they are in full support of Coach Rod and the staff,” he said.
Martin, who said earlier this week that he'll ask the NFL advisory committee to assess his draft prospect, looked forward to his senior year at Michigan on Saturday.
"I’m excited about it," he said. "This is my last year now and I’m going to be that guy running out of the tunnel first. That’s surreal and I’m excited about it. I’m ready to get working."
Rich Rezler is a sports producer for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2553 or via email at richrezler@annarbor.com.
Comments
BlueGator
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
Isn't it sadly ironic that the team probably wanted to win the game for RR..... but they weren't coached well enough to pull it off?
missionbrazil
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 11:37 a.m.
Portage "I talk to a lot of folks out here in Ca. who think the 10 has just not kept up and it will take someone like RR to make the 10 competitive outside their own division, these bowl losses are an example." The Big Ten is definitely having a rough time in bowls this year, but RR is the answer? Let's see, it will take a HC with a career BT record of 6-18, and who has never beaten a BT team that finsihed with a BT winning record, and who has never beaten a team that has finished in the Top 25 to fix the Big Ten's problems? And the man who just coached UM to their worst bowl loss in HISTORY is the man that will fix the BT's bowl problems? Amazing logic. But don't worry, RR is soon to be trying to make his future team competitive outside the 10, because he'll be leaving the 10 very soon.
Dustin
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 3:03 a.m.
The Reality is that RichFraud is a fraud. If Denard Robinson is not at Michigan RR still has a a 4-8 offence and a 2-10 Defence.
3 And Out
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 1:56 a.m.
These players who's comments seem to indicate that they have accepting getting blown out vs. good teams... show that CLEARLY there needs to be a culture change and attitude change in Ann Arbor. If any of you kids transfer because RR is canned....well see ya! Michigan football will thrive without you. If you stay and man up, then you will be rewarded.
tulsatom
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 12:19 a.m.
Neal, by the way, OU just beat UCONN 48-20. Aloha and hang loose my brudda.
tulsatom
Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : midnight
UCONN has improved a lot since the first game of the year against U-M. I wish I could say the same for U-M's performance this year.
tulsatom
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
By the way, my son goes to OU and is texting us from the game in Glendale. He went with some friends and he's having a good time. Growing up in Oklahoma, he is a passionate Sooner fan but also likes U-M out of respect to me. I like OU also but I grew up in Michigan and will always be a Wolverine first and foremost.
tulsatom
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 11:48 p.m.
Neal, That's why the current U-M AD will make the decision based on objective data and fact in which a key component will be the performance of the team on the field during the past three years. We don't have to have played D1 ball to know how much the performance bar has been lowered under RR compared to previous U-M coaching staffs. We just have to be a fan who follows the team closely and understands the game. I respectfully disagree that it will be a 3 year rebuilding period, by the way. I predict that Harbaugh (if it's him) will tailor the offense to the current talent at hand until he recruits the players for his pro-style system. I'm glad you are a supporter and am glad you will keep supporting them if RR gets the boot.
BigWolverine13
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 11:35 p.m.
I have watched most Michigan games for over forty years now. I could not have imagined a nightmare worse than this. This arrogant, lying, self serving, illiterate sounding jerk of a coach must be canned. There are any number of competent replacements out there. DB, give RR the boot and buy him a bus ticket back to WV.
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
I also can't help but notice Oklahoma's pitiful D&O has already given up twice as many points to UConn than we did, so far.
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 11:04 p.m.
Again, I am a school supporter. If he gets the boot, so be it. If he doesn't, so be it. I won't talk bad about the school, the coach, or the team, either way. It's what a Michigan Man does. They (the employees and the students) are the one's who are now UM, my time there was over in 1979. I'm proud of the school and will always be. If we change coaches and go through another 3 year rebuilding period without a bowl, I'm still a supporter and donor.
riverraisin
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.
Kubrick66... Amen to that
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
Well, since I've never been the AD at UM, I figure that I wouldn't have enough info to have an educated opinion. I've never met with the coach or any of the team's members. That'd be kind of stupid of me to do so without that kind of info, no? I know that if I made a decision without that information and knowledge, I'd be a really bad business person. Especially if I let emotion creep into my decision.
Kubrick66
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 10:36 p.m.
Next year at this time RR will be nothing more than a distant memory to these players, this program, and us fans.
tulsatom
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 9:43 p.m.
Players are naturally loyal to their coaches unless the coach is a total jerk. That's only normal. How bad would RR's record have to be before you would let him go if you were AD? Just curious.
riverraisin
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 9:36 p.m.
I guess I could be convinced if someone posted a real quote from a student athlete, anywhere, at anytime, saying publicly that he DOESN'T support his current coach.
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 9:26 p.m.
Yeah, we'd know more about D1 football coaching than someone who actually plays the game at D1. All our experience, I suppose.
tulsatom
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
Mike Martin's loyalty to RR speaks to RR's likeability as a person. Unfortunately for RR, his record as head coach at U-M speaks to his inability to get the job done. As the British lady used to say on the game show, "RR - you are the weakest link -- goodbye".
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
I believe Martin said a little more than that.
GettingBluer
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:56 p.m.
I'm sorry but any reporter asking the opinion of any current team member if the person who decides if he plays or not or gets a scholarship or not should be allowed to stay is a total idiot. On the off chance that some poor player doesn't know the "correct" answer is "Yes, we love coach xyz and have learned a lot. He works us hard but is totally fair." please do them a favor and not ask.
Hawaiian Neal
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
Does anybody look at the inside stats or just the score/w-l? Do we throw away the fact that the conference co-champ had 171 total yards against a team that Ms. State played to a second OT? That our pitiful D allowed 60 less yards than the conference co-champ did in their game? For the haters and Sparty's (well spartys not so much) it's your year, enjoy. I do care what team members think, it's their team. Like I've said for the past 50 years, I support the school in whatever decision they make and I will never attack the school, the team, or the coach. Even if we have to go through another 3 year retooling with losing seasons. We haven't beat OSU in 8 years, another 3 or 4 is what it is. Even with the poor showing today, or pitiful D was better than Spartys and our offense doubled their total output. That gives me reason to smile!
3 And Out
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.
Good point Sally...sometimes the best leaders need to be PC to watch what they say.
3 And Out
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:29 p.m.
PL...it takes a Koolaid Crazy man to be running smack after we got killed so badly. BTW TCU has a GREAT defensive team. RRs teams are the WORST in 132 years of Michigan football...all 3 of his teams. 6-18 in BT. 0-9 vs. our BT rivals. 13-22+2 overall. Im in CA too and I am not obtuse to think that we need another year of this, or that RR has the program going anywhere but in the sewer. Any questions?
Sallyxyz
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.
I don't think it is smart on any player's part to publicly badmouth RR or any current coach. Some of these elite players at Michigan may end up in the NFL, others may coach someday, somewhere. The world of college and pro football is relatively small, and nothing is gained by a current player saying negative things about any of their coaches. Martin is playing it smart, regardless of what he really believes, or what his teammates really believe. The players do not hire or fire coaches, and being a player on a team means at least publicly supporting the captain of the ship, even if it's sinking.
azwolverine
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.
Love Martin and the players. Whether they currently know it or not, they deserve a better coach.
PortageLkBlu
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:08 p.m.
More often than not individuals are cautious about speaking up, it usually takes one or two individuals to speak for the group. I talk to a lot of folks out here in Ca. who think the 10 has just not kept up and it will take someone like RR to make the 10 competitive outside their own division, these bowl losses are an example. The old style is a way of life at Mich and RR may not get the time he needs to adjust this thing. Most folks seemed happy when Mich. dominated the big 10 and then lost most their bowl games like the last 40 yrs of Rose Bowls. If RR gets fired I hope we don't go back to the old style I want us to be competitive with the big boys when their peaking. I think nobody is thinking big old Wisconsin can lose this game but the fact is they play big ten smash mouth and it's awsome in the big ten but outside the 10 you've got your TCU's.
DonAZ
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 8:03 p.m.
With all due respect... who cares what Mike Martin says about the head coach? Rich Rodriguez has failed. Purge him.
Jaxon5
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
Worst stretch in UM football history. Yes, by all means, let's sign up for one more year.
heartbreakM
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
Martin and Denard are the only two who publicly act like team leaders. Woolfolk tried to be before he tore down Tate publicly. I feel bad for these players that they had to put up with the worst era in Michigan history, and thank them for their hard work.
ViSHa
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
So he says he confidently speaks for the rest of the team but none of the rest of the team wanted to speak?
NoBowl4Blue
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 7:30 p.m.
Martin, Theo, Lorain Steelman and Tater love Rich Rod.....how much more torture can the rest of us take? It will be 8 years since we beat OSU when we play them in 2011. Their fans are with Martin, Theo and the koolaid drinkers.
PortageLkBlu
Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.
I agree with the team, coach RR should be here next year.