Rich Rodriguez (official thread of last laughs)

[NastyDogg72]

Wow. I didn't expect to see the entire staff canned. :(

Yea, I mean we all knew your OC was gone and expected that most of the other offensive coaches would follow, but I really thought your defensive side would remain intact for at least next season. Rich is an offensive scheme guy but I don't see him as much of a defensive mind, nor have his teams at WVU been standout defensive performers as a group. Defense is crucial in the Big 10, always has been and always will be. Just really thought Ron English and crew would have a chance to stick around and show what they knew about playing D in our league. That could be a move that backfires on him.

 

[Jaxbuck]

What does he plan to do? Bring the entire WVU staff to scUM? This just keeps getting better and better. If scUM fans who know anything about football weren't already skeptical of this hire before they sure should be now. You go out and hire a snake and you get what you deserve is going to be the moral of this story. Next to January 7th I can't wait for November 22nd to get here.

A-freakin-men to that.

 

[WolverineTX]

What does he plan to do? Bring the entire WVU staff to scUM?

He said at Monday's presser that he'd be doing evaluations and planned to bring several with from WV, as well as look outside both staffs. We also knew Calvin Magee and Tony Gibson were coming from the get-go, which pretty clearly seemed to kick DeBord and Bedford to the curb. There were also rumblings that Gittleson's time had come and he'd be replaced with WV's S&C guy (which is fine by me, even though I'm very appreciative of his past contributions). English's status was also in jeopardy in wake of the hire, so that isn't necessarily shocking. I was sure Andy Moeller's recent DUI (Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius) would net him a pink slip no matter what.

What I didn't envision was Fred Jackson getting the boot though, and that might be costly in the short term (say goodbye to McGuffie?). I'll be sad to see him go, he was quite an asset. Apparently RR's plans rendered Loeffler and Campbell obsolete as well. Losing those three kind of pains me.

 

[BB73]

Can one of the TSUN posters verify that R-Rod has actually signed his contract before firing all of the assistants?

It's also ironic (and a blatant conflict of interest) that he's still under contract to West Virginia for a few more days (his resignation isn't effective yet), and he may be hiring coaches away from WV before then.

 

[WolverineTX]

Yea, I mean we all knew your OC was gone and expected that most of the other offensive coaches would follow, but I really thought your defensive side would remain intact for at least next season.

Our LB corps has been such a liability for long enough that I really didn't expect Szabo to be retained. I'd like to see Stripling stay on board though.

 

[OCBucksFan]

As already pointed out in this thread, I see a lot of Michigan recruits bailing, they commited to certain recruiters who are no longer there. So is RR's plan to take all the recruits they got verbals from over at WVU? I don't want to speculate that, but if that's the case...

Overall, it seems like he didn't even give Michigan's staff a chance, I hate to defend that school but a lot of that staff has been there for a long time, went to school there and lived and bled that tradition, it doesn't seem right to me just to kick them to the curb. Is Michigan that desperate to win as to toss aside all of the staff? I mean, there's a chance that the season will start and NO ONE on the football coaching staff will have ever attended the school...

 

[jwinslow]

As already pointed out in this thread, I see a lot of Michigan recruits bailing, they commited to certain recruiters who are no longer there.

HUGE fallout potential. 2 of their pivotal kids are very shaky now... Cissoko, McGuffie... they lose a lot of traction with uncommitted recruits too. Then there's a certain enormous Texas QB who is a bit shaky as well...

So is RR's plan to take all the recruits they got verbals from over at WVU?

Woods is already in motion. The rest of their class is very mediocre. Other than Jenkins, I don't see much UM material star-wise (disclaimer: I know nothing about their actual ability).

 

[WolverineTX]

Can one of the TSUN posters verify that R-Rod has actually signed his contract before firing all of the assistants?

It's also ironic (and a blatant conflict of interest) that he's still under contract to West Virginia for a few more days (his resignation isn't effective yet), and he may be hiring coaches away from WV before then.

To the best of my knowledge, RR has not yet signed a UM contract. All I know reflects media reports from yesterday and today, stating they've agreed on the contract's overall content, but no specific timetable has been disclosed for seeing him grace the dotted line.

 

[WolverineTX]

I don't want to speculate that, but if that's the case...

Yep. :(

Overall, it seems like he didn't even give Michigan's staff a chance, I hate to defend that school but a lot of that staff has been there for a long time, went to school there and lived and bled that tradition, it doesn't seem right to me just to kick them to the curb. Is Michigan that desperate to win as to toss aside all of the staff? I mean, there's a chance that the season will start and NO ONE on the football coaching staff will have ever attended the school...

I really appreciate your objectivity nonetheless. Your take mirrors my concerns. Martin made it clear the other day that this process would be entirely up to RR, and while I definitely appreciate some change and readily concede I'm not privy to the ongoings, I certainly do not relish the concept of our sideline being populated exclusively by outsiders.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

At this point the best I've heard is Mili's "Ricky the Rooser" - for which we need a Fark of Rodriguez done up in Mandarin Chinese garb.

Maybe I was squinting too hard, but I don't remember typing that.

The one I suggested was a Roman Numeral I in his first name--or "Bitch" if you prefer--for each loss to us. "RIch" after next year's game in The Shoe, "RIIch" The Game after that, "RIIIch" for the next one, and so on...

 

[WolverineTX]

Maybe I was squinting too hard, but I don't remember typing that.

The one I suggested was a Roman Numeral I in his first name--or "Bitch" if you prefer--for each loss to us. "RIch" after next year's game in The Shoe, "RIIch" The Game after that, "RIIIch" for the next one, and so on...

Do I get any credit for "DickRod" though, should it stick? Not like it was some uniquely ingenious brainstorm, but to the best of my knowledge I was the first to post it.

Edited to add: "Fraudriguez" is still all the rage on the WV boards.

 

[OCBucksFan]

Ooh, last week it was Richer Rodriguez, if you add Fraudriguez I think we may have a winner "Richer Fraudriguez" :)

 

[808 Buck]

not just recruitment - it is development.

Quoted and noted, because it just cannot be said enough. It is the most critical aspect of a successful college program. Note that I said program, not team. The great programs are competitive year in and out, even when they lack difference makers. Some schools have a great team from time to time, but an inability to develop/improve the talent remaining, prevents them from being "consistently great."

Loeffler was big in Ohio. English was a dynamic personality...

Have to admit that I'm somewhat surprised by these two being let go, (at least this early in RR's tenure). I'll say it again - the most important hire at UM is going to be the next DC.

 

[Mike80]

Ooh, last week it was Richer Rodriguez, if you add Fraudriguez I think we may have a winner "Richer Fraudriguez" :)

I don't know, I think if we let things occur naturally, the Michigan fans can have Fraudriguez as we'll be glad he's there

 

[buck1973]

It's also ironic (and a blatant conflict of interest) that he's still under contract to West Virginia for a few more days (his resignation isn't effective yet), and he may be hiring coaches away from WV before then.

R-Rod is no longer under contract to West Virginia. His resignation was changed to the 18th of December.

The reason for his "return" to WVU to talk to the AD was.... He resigned early:



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