Is Rich Rod in trouble at Michigan?
The Detroit Free Press reported on its website Saturday night that Michigan’s football program has routinely and excessively violated NCAA rules which restrict the amount of practice and training time schools may require of its players.
The newspaper interviewed 10 current or former players and the parents of four other players. Five of the players, according to the report, gave almost identical stories of excessive practice and off-season workout time, which is supposed to be limited to eight hours a week in the off-season and 20 hours during the season.
If these reports turn out to be true, second-year coach Rich Rodriguez could be in trouble. First of all, the Wolverines went 3-9 in 2008, snapping a string of 40 consecutive non-losing seasons. It is a well-known fact in college football circles that Rodriguez ruffled a lot of feathers when he arrived at Michigan. He attempted to alter some facets of the Michigan football culture, which had essentially remained unchanged in the almost 40 years since Bo Schembechler became head coach in 1969 and Lloyd Carr stepped down after the 2007 season. And since Michigan has won more games (872) than any school in Division I-A history, it stands to reason there were a number of people in Ann Arbor who thought the football culture at UM was just fine.
Rodriguez and others would tell you that after watching Ohio State take over the rivalry with Michigan (Ohio State has won seven of the last eight meetings) some things needed to be shaken up in Ann Arbor.
Still I have heard stories of former players who have been put off by the changes at Michigan and want the program and Rodriguez to fail. Remember that former UM offensive lineman Justin Boren left the program in March of 2008 and released a statement that the program’s “family values” had eroded. According to the Free Press report, more than 20 players have left the Michigan program since Rodriguez took over.
But here is my real concern if I’m a Michigan fan. What does it say about the state of a program when your own players, albeit a small number of them, will rat you out to the media in a story that runs one week before your first game? It could turn out that these players are simply lying in order to be vindictive. A certain number of players always balk and complain when a new staff comes in. But it could also be that they are telling the truth. An internal investigation will have to determine if that is the case.
Either way, this is embarrassing to Michigan, a university that has always prided itself on going the extra mile to do things the right way. Among coaches, Schembechler and Carr were two of the straightest shooters I’ve ever met.
(An aside here. Alabama fans have to be looking at this story with interest. In December 2006 Rodriguez gave a verbal commitment to come to Alabama but changed his mind and remained at West Virginia. What if this was happening in Tuscaloosa?)
And if it can happen at Michigan, it can happen anywhere. If the NCAA starts looking under this rock at every school, it could get ugly.
Now let’s be honest here. Is there anyone out there who thinks college football players only work out eight hours a week in the offseason? I know I don’t. The demands of this sport have gotten so great, the stakes for everyone have become so high, that if I were a college football player with hopes of playing at the next level I would certainly invest more than eight hours a week into my sport.
So players attend the “voluntary” workouts and everybody understands that the NCAA time limits are not followed to the letter. But if this story turns out to be true, and Michigan has abused these rules to the degree that has been reported, the fallout could be significant across college football. The NCAA rule book is so thick because people, mostly coaches, are always pushing the limit to get a competitive advantage. The original time limits on practice and off-season workouts were put into place because of excesses by coaches. Maybe the NCAA will have to step in again with even more draconian measures.
That would not be good for the sport, but it might be necessary to save the coaches from themselves.
I do know this. Rich Rod really needs to beat Notre Dame on Sept. 12.
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129 comments Add your comment
FB
August 31st, 2009
8:34 am
Tony:
Do you know if the SEC games that are being shown on Peachtree TV in Atlanta going to be shown in HD?
Spike
August 31st, 2009
8:35 am
I’ll bet Michigan wishes they had their money back, and I’m willing to bet Rich Rod wishes he had staye at WVU.
Spike
August 31st, 2009
8:35 am
Sorry, “stayed”. Tony, get spell check please.
SomewhereinGA
August 31st, 2009
8:39 am
“What if this was happening in Tuscaloosa?” They would tell the players to shut their damn mouths and remind them they are paid to play football at UA and win at all costs! That’s what they would tell them….
MoDawg
August 31st, 2009
8:44 am
Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, even if it’s a small one.
SomewhereinGA….good one!
Tim Tebow
August 31st, 2009
8:46 am
Kenny Powers just thinks he is awesome.
His awesomeness pales in comparison to mine.
bigdawg01
August 31st, 2009
8:47 am
It is finally here, friends. Football is back and there is excitement in the air. GO DAWGS!!
H-Back
August 31st, 2009
8:47 am
Seems like Coach Rod is just not accepted at Michigan & is not a good fit there, like Donnan at UGA or Curry at Alabama. It is beginning to look like his days are numbered.
Corrine Brown
August 31st, 2009
8:53 am
This would make a Good “soap”for the Big Ten Network maybe Emperor Delaney will make a declaration were the rest of the NCAA will have to follow Michigan lead.
Dangerous
August 31st, 2009
8:54 am
What a bunch or LOSERS! You got a good coach in RR and you will not support him. I want my way or I’m going to tattle on you. That’s why you lose so often. Family values, what the F*&$, you need to get tough and win! It’s big time football, you are not playing in the backyard or the church gym!
Atlanta Gator
August 31st, 2009
8:54 am
Wow.
Yes, Rich Rodriguez has a problem. Or, more to the point, he now has two problems. One, he has a potential NCAA investigation for violating the practice time rules. Two, and perhaps the bigger problem, he has players who are alienated enough from the program to pick up the phone and start calling the NCAA about the practice time violations. Regardless of whether the NCAA takes action, the dissension within the team does not bode well for turning the corner. Rich Rodriguez’s Michigan situation is starting to feel like Houston Nutt’s problems two years ago . . . it may get much worse before it gets better, and it may cost the coach his job.
Trade School Junkie
August 31st, 2009
8:59 am
RichRod made a MAJOR career mistake fo rtwo galring reasons:
1. THE WAY he left WV. He left behind SERIOUS bitterness between himself (A WV alum), the Admin, and the WV fans. Even the WV Governor had to get involved.
2. The State of Michigan is TOTALLY BANKRUPT. And, bankrupt states cant support their university systems ery well, and that incldues the U of Michigan.
RichRod had managed to get the WV program to a level where, despite being in the Big East, WV was all but guaranteed a good bowl every single year, and would likely STAY in the BCS Top 10-15 picture every year.
But all that is gone now.
The WV program is spiraliing down rapidly, and WV will likley have a their first losing season since 2001. ALL of the stars from the
past 3-5 years are gone. The cupboard is TOTALLY EMPTY with the exception of RB Noel Devine.
WV HC Bill Stewart is TERRIBLE, and he is almost single-handedly destroying that team. The WV Admin will fire Stewart at the end of this year, Guaranteed!!
As for Michigan, they have WAAAYYYYY bigger problems than this current NCAA issue and RichRod. Folks, the State of Michigan is completely bankrupt. And, most of the other “Big 10″ states are almost bankrupt. Just look at Ohio & Pensylvania. It wont be long at all before the disastrous economic conditions of those two states start showing up at the Ohio State & Penn State programs as well. Just look at all the the layoffs both schools have ALREADY had to make since January.
No, RichRod made a major career mistake in big ways.
If he doesnt win at least 7 this year, he’s gone….and he will have set back the Michigan program by 2-3 yrs.
Jim
August 31st, 2009
9:06 am
Nothing will happen to Michigan. They will skate. Rodriguez will have another losing season at most likely will be fired at year’s end anyway. They won’t beat Notre Dame.
Ali Akbar Allah
August 31st, 2009
9:06 am
Who cares about Meechigan. Tell us how bad you think OSU will beat Georgia this Saturday.
Eric
August 31st, 2009
9:07 am
I was glad he renegged on his Alabama commitment, but now I wish he’d taken the job. What he should’ve done was stay put at WV. He’s pretty typical of a college coach. You can’t beleive a word they say. Saban is another prime example of that. No sympathy here.
jconservative
August 31st, 2009
9:14 am
Tony you wrote:
“The NCAA rule book is so thick because people, mostly coaches, are always pushing the limit to get a competitive advantage.”
Please use the English language – the rule book is so thick because coaches cheat.
Nachos
August 31st, 2009
9:14 am
SomewhereinGA – just another bitter UGA fan. Alabama kicked UGA’s arse, deal with it.
Thank god RichRod didn’t come to ‘Bama, thank you Finebaum for making fun of his wife.
PMC
August 31st, 2009
9:22 am
No, These are fat whiney loser players crying about working hard for once in thier lives. Give me a break. This is like Dan Hawkins when he got to Colorado and had those issues to deal with “It’s DIVISION 1 FOOTBALLL….etc”
If anything it says that Michigan is a long way off from being successful if this attitude is pervasive in the locker room. Rich Rod didn’t forget how to win but maybe these guys never new how.
JB
August 31st, 2009
9:28 am
Those two guys in the backfield at WV gave Rodriguez a “name”. He is a very Average coach. He’ll be gone after this year and they will set their sights on a sure bet. Anyone care to guess who ?
Rodd
August 31st, 2009
9:32 am
Trade School Junkie–What makes you think WVU is rapidly declining. Recruiting for both the 2009 and 2010 classes has been excellent, and the coaching team is as strong as it was under Rodriguez. Rodriquez didn’t build the WVU program anyway; that honor goes to Don Nehlan, who, by the way, supported Rodriguez’s move to Ann Arbor. Maybe to get rid of him at WVU before Nehlan’s grandson showed up to play at WVU. Who wants an idiot to coach his grandson? Mountaineers are also a loyal group. If Coach Stew has a bad year, we’ll give him another chance. He is a West Virginian who kept our team together and beat Oklahoma when Rodriguez flipped out and insulted his school, his state, his people, and his promises.
Citizen
August 31st, 2009
9:33 am
For once I agree with Nachos. It doesn’t sound well for RR and thankfully he is not in the SEC we have enough problems with the Bozo in Knoxville.
Trade School Junkie, The alumni funds the football program, if they step up the coaches salaries and facilites will be fine. If the coach runs off the fan base you will have problems.
JB
August 31st, 2009
9:36 am
You are right about that area in trouble. I know this is a FOOTBALL blog, but if our two houses don’t shut this guy Obama down, we are toast. Government can’t fix anything. Only the private sector can, and he doesn’t believe in it and he’s going to tax the hell out of it next and then the whole country will look like Michigan ! His policies are JOB KILLERS. If you believe in this guy, you are naive.Unless you like say Cuba.
Corrine Brown
August 31st, 2009
9:37 am
Cheating his way to a 3-9 , not good
reality check
August 31st, 2009
9:38 am
It is an impossible situation and he won’t last.
Ringleader
August 31st, 2009
9:39 am
What about Tennessee………….How many players have left the program.
WV*1
August 31st, 2009
9:40 am
I hate to see coach Rich Rod fail (lol), I mean he left WVU in the worst way possible and now failure with Michigan. I knew he would fail there. That was nothing more than $$$$$. He had the best thing with WVU and the whole state stood behind him. Can’t really say that about Michigan. This season will be a growing season with us loosing alot of our players, but we’ll be better off than Michigan. In the end West Virginia football will be the pride of West Virginia and ol’ Rod will be sitting at the unemployment office wondering what went wrong. LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!
GET REAL
August 31st, 2009
9:43 am
SOMEWHEREINga… back @cha! 41-30 STILL BURN’S DON’T IT BOY!!!
Bamafan
August 31st, 2009
9:46 am
I wonder how hot RichRod seat is going to be when the buckeyes blast the wolverines again this season. I remember he made Mal Moore look like a idiot in December of 06 saying he was going to
be the crimson tide coach only to get more money from West Virginia. Michigan deserves what it
got and that is a coach who would cheat to win at all costs!! ROLL TIDE FOLKS!!
JB
August 31st, 2009
9:50 am
Are we lucky to have Mark Richt or what. When you look around, we’ve got it pretty good……Would we like a National title. Sure. Beat Florida more often. Sure. List the good things about the Dawgs, and then the bad, The good will way outweigh the bad.
Michigan violating rules? - Page 2 - VolNation
August 31st, 2009
9:55 am
[...] If these reports turn out to be true, second-year coach Rich Rodriguez could be in trouble……… ….. I have heard stories of former players who have been put off by the changes at Michigan and want the program and Rodriguez to fail. Remember that former UM offensive lineman Justin Boren left the program in March of 2008 and released a statement that the program’s “family values” had eroded. According to the Free Press report, more than 20 players have left the Michigan program since Rodriguez took over. But here is my real concern if I’m a Michigan fan. What does it say about the state of a program when your own players, albeit a small number of them, will rat you out to the media in a story that runs one week before your first game? Is Rich Rod in trouble at Michigan? | Mr. College Football [...]
austindog
August 31st, 2009
9:59 am
Richrod has ridden the Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia to the end of the line.
Bama Aaron
August 31st, 2009
9:59 am
This Bama fan is so glad we didn’t get him and instead have Saban.
No doubt RichRod is a good coach but the way he played Bama & WVU in successive years to get the UM job shows what his character is.
That being said this sounds alot like whiny players that don’t want to work. Everyone knows that a good 90% of teams players work more than the NCAA alotment…albeit “voluntary” workouts. These players just don’t want to put in the time. And they take the low-road by informing to the NCAA instead of just leaving like alot of players do after coaching changes.
rocksteadyfreddie
August 31st, 2009
10:05 am
if you don’t think this doesn’t happen at your school (to some degree) you are either losing or lying.
mcdawg
August 31st, 2009
10:07 am
i agree– beat ND, MSU and all will be forgiven
Tim
August 31st, 2009
10:10 am
Somewhere in ga-
You sound like an Albarn fan with a big chip on his shoulder. Those in glass houses…you know the rest.
NCAAEnforcement
August 31st, 2009
10:13 am
Why wouldn’t it be good to have the NCAA tighten the regs if violations are found to be flagrant at many schools? Rule breakers should be punished and the notion that its ok to break one rule leads to the perception that it is simply ok to break any or most rules. Someone from opposing schools should sue the tar out of another institution that was later found to have cheated. Imagine say 60,000 season tickets, seat donations, parking fees, time spent watching the game, and yes…the pain and suffering from a loss. But the winning team was later found to have cheated. Why shouldn’t the cheaters be liable? I bet a couple multi-million dollar lawsuits would lead to much better enforcement of the rules and schools would have a couple of people with jobs to ensure everything was on the up and up rather than leaving it in the hands of coaches with a vested interest to cheat.
shankit
August 31st, 2009
10:15 am
May be Rod can get the coaching job at Arkansas
as soon as Petrino leaves to go somewhere else.
GO MOUTAINEERS
August 31st, 2009
10:19 am
NEEDED: Couch’s and beer bong’s…need at least 10 for the season…
NEEDED: New Michigan Head Coach…
Nachos
August 31st, 2009
10:20 am
RichRod & Dennis Franphony.. two biggest scumbags in college football.
SomewhereinGA
August 31st, 2009
10:22 am
Auburn Tigers 11-1 in 2009! Gene Chizdik SEC coach of the year! waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww weagle !
Will
August 31st, 2009
10:29 am
Rich Rod, you will soon be like 16% of this country- UNEMPLOYED! Good luck with that. Maybe Obama will make you the ex-football coach czar.
As far as someone saying something important on this blog today……My UGA D looked awesome Saturday! Speed everywhere. Zac will be on his back all damn day Saturday. UGA 34-10.
GeoffDawg
August 31st, 2009
10:35 am
The caveat is that this can happen anywhere but USC (Southern Cal variety). Pete Carroll could be pushing wheelbarrows full of cash in front of reporters and photographers and the NCAA would take 10 years to “investigate”.
Miles
August 31st, 2009
10:38 am
Rodriguez is to the Big 10 what Kiffin is to the SEC…an embarrassment!
big dawg 89
August 31st, 2009
10:39 am
this is the beginning of the end for rich rod.. if he loses this job in just a short time, who in their right mind would hire him after this…
well, maybe miss.st, or south carolina
i bet he wishes he would’ve stayed at WVa. there’s something to being the big fish in the little pond rather than vice-versa…
GEORGIABOY
August 31st, 2009
10:42 am
Tough call.
I suspect the coaching staff is thinking:
“If you go 3-9 and you want to do better, you need to work harder.
Get your a$$ses in the weight room and run some stadium climbs!
Otherwise, you are doomed to repeat.”
Football Fan
August 31st, 2009
10:43 am
I am not a U-M fan, nor am I a U-M hater. But, from reading about this story elsewhere, it sounds like it started when a freshman player or two answered questions honestly. Basically, they were asked about workouts, practices, etc., and were describing how much harder it is/was than high school. Now, I’m not saying there isn’t a problem there, but I don’t think there was any malicious intent at the start.
tom-vinings
August 31st, 2009
11:03 am
The maize and blue is going to bleed some scarlett red this year… as well as ND blue(or green or gold or whatever color they are wearing that day), some Spartan green, and maybe some Western Michigan (fill in the blank) color this weekend???
Otto
August 31st, 2009
11:37 am
GeoffDawg, very true but Tressel and OSU could be walking beside Carrol with a bucket of cash and not get questioned.
murfdawg
August 31st, 2009
11:59 am
The Michigan players are getting a real life lesson. Whenever a new coach or CEO comes in, he will run off existing players and start building with his players. When you are 18-19 years old, you can only cry to your mama. When you are 45 and have been with GM for 20 years, you can only cry to your local bartender. Such is life in Michigan.
Just An Observation!!!
August 31st, 2009
12:05 pm
Maybe I’m wrong but Rich Rod reminds me of Billie Gillespie without the DUI’s.
Just An Observation!!!
August 31st, 2009
12:20 pm
LMAO!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Bama fans calling somebody a cheater, that’s comical.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 31st, 2009
12:28 pm
Tony, I think most people have overlooked one key component in your article. You mentioned the players and “PARENTS of four other players.” That right there tells me that this is probably a bunch of crybabies that couldn’t cut RR’s style of discipline and work ethic. Carr knew for a long time that he was retiring and didn’t bother to coach too much anymore. He basically left the cupboard bare for RR. Whether or not RR knew that I guess he saw the $$$, the storied UM program and decided this is a step up from WVU. Quite a few players have left the program because of the so called “strenuous workouts” etc. And they complained publicly. I guess we will have to wait and see what the investigation turns up. A bunch of Carr hold overs who can’t cut it.
One thing that irks a UM fan is the Buckeyes annual beatdown. Carr should have stepped away completely then maybe Miles would be in Ann Arbor today.
JR
August 31st, 2009
12:30 pm
Rich Rodriguez has lost control of the program. You know it’s a disaster when your own players are trying to get the program on probation. That’s about as low as it gets…
FALCONSSORRY
August 31st, 2009
12:30 pm
If he hav MV7 at kwarterback he would be in tha SUPPER BOWL.
gatorrich
August 31st, 2009
12:35 pm
would we be hearin about this story had Michigan gone 9-3 instead of 3-9?
gdawginkalamazoo
August 31st, 2009
12:36 pm
I also think I heard on the news last night that these same players had signed statements saying that the practices held to NCAA standards. Oh well, you will probably see Jim Tressel driving one of those car haulers up to Ann Arbor full of those famous scarlett and silver Escalades to give to these 10 kids and their parents.
One thing for sure this won’t be but a door ding in the overall win column if they vacate the wins. I guess they picked a great year to go 3-9.
bnwdog14
August 31st, 2009
12:49 pm
GETREAL. 41-30 might have hurt, but that 1 and done DAWGPILE in the corner of the enzone was painful too. Man I’ll never forget that little girl in the Bear Bryant hat crying after the game. Backatcha!!
Phildo
August 31st, 2009
12:49 pm
And meanwhile, how is the NCAA (non)investigation of their darling USC and their also darling Reggie Bush coming along?
The General
August 31st, 2009
12:51 pm
Ha! They coulda had Paul Johnson. What fools!
cffreak
August 31st, 2009
12:56 pm
I laughed out loud when I read the bit Tony wrote wondering “what if this were happening at bama”.
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ….
Are you JOKING??? What DOESN’T go on at the crapstone illegally?? Pffffffffffffttt.
athensdawg
August 31st, 2009
1:01 pm
RR showed his class the way he left WVU and handled Alabama.
My guess is that Jim Harbaugh will be leaving sunny Stanford for Ann Arbor before too long…..
Ed-Covington
August 31st, 2009
1:05 pm
BTW, the players did not call the NCAA; they made comments during an interview with The Detroit Free Press (Big Newspaper in Detroit). The reporter then “interviewed” several other players, etc. to “build” his story.
Questions abound as to what “workout” time actually consists of: it must be “supervised” by a memeber of the staff. If a player lifts weights while the strength coach is in the room, is this a “supervised” workout? Time spent in rehab, taping and prep are not considered
“workout time”. Me thinks maybe some lazy players miscontrued what the NCAA considers “excessive” workout time.
Scott
August 31st, 2009
1:07 pm
RichRod has succeeded everywhere he’s been in his 20 year career and hasn’t violated a rule once. furthermore, he’s at a major program with strict compliance & oversight. all the sudden now he’s an idiot who doesn’t know the rules? THIS IS WHY JOURNALISM IS GOING DOWNHILL. an “investigative” piece (he interviewed 6 people, and did not look into any other programs), written by an opinion columnist. what a joke.
also, 95% of michigan fans are on board, but this hack makes it seem like it’s not the case. UM will be back in the BCS in 2010.
Jack G.
August 31st, 2009
1:10 pm
Chan Gailey hs just been fired as Kansas Off. cordinator—-I bet “m” is dancing in the street
The General
August 31st, 2009
1:11 pm
Good news for the Michiganders, Chan Gailey is now available.
Jack G.
August 31st, 2009
1:12 pm
m
Just heard that GT is bringing Gailey back as QB coach. The feeling was since they are paying him anyway, thast they should get something for their money.
Bibble
August 31st, 2009
1:15 pm
These are dangerous times at Michigan. Once a traditional power gets into the habit of mediocrity, it can take a long time to get back to the top. USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, and now Notre Dame found that out the hard way. USC, Oklahoma and Texas made it all the way back to the top, but Alabama, Nebraska and Notre Dame are still a work in progress. If Rodriguez is a bad fit at UM, they better not wait 3-4 years to acknowledge that reality or the program may take a decade to recover.
Pooh Dog
August 31st, 2009
1:18 pm
Based on our past, Georgia fans have no room to speak here. Vince the Prince got us in enough trouble for 5 programs.
IRISH25
August 31st, 2009
1:22 pm
UM needs to cut their losses, get rid of Rich ASAP!!!!
theballguy
August 31st, 2009
1:23 pm
Definitely, these kinds of allegations have to be taken seriously enough for an investigation. They do have rules in place to make sure the “student-athlete” is not pushed too hard during the in-school part of the year. I still am thinking though the players, if they felt they were abused, would/should have taken this to Coach Rodriguez in the first place. Rodriguez doesn’t mention that ever happened and seems genuinely surprised here.
Did he and his staff work them too hard? Who knows. Was anyone hurt? How much is too hard? Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think 20 hours a week is too hard (this counts the actual game time) for the chance to represent your school and all of the benefits you realize — how about a shot at playing in the NFL? Maybe worth some longer hours? I think it would be.
What are the coach’s chances of succeeding here even now? I’d say zilch. If Rodriguez is cleared here, legitimately or not, his players have shown they have little respect for him. This is not going to work out down the road. This is a shame because it looks like the Wolverines are in a great position to win at least 9 games this season.
Gator Growl
August 31st, 2009
1:42 pm
Rich Rod + Michigan = Not a good combination. But I guess only time will tell. Speaking of time, IT’S GAME WEEK! chomp chomp
Comin' Down The Track
August 31st, 2009
1:43 pm
Tightening the restrictions and the enforcements thereof translates into more scrutiny on the SEC while USC (Reggie Bush) and Ohio State (Maurice Clarett) continue to do what they do unquestioned. Also, it’s pretty rich reading Bama fans’ comments about what a slimeball RichRod is and how they’re so glad that they have a standup guy in Saban (?!). The clincher was a (presumably) Bammer telling a Barner not to throw rocks in glass houses. Hilarious.
Also, if you know this a football blog well enough to say so, then leave your politics at the door. Really.
Otto
August 31st, 2009
1:56 pm
Scott EVERY college FB coach that has sniffed success has broken a rule atleast once.
Buck Strickland
August 31st, 2009
1:58 pm
Les Miles will be the coach of Mich. next year – if LSU isn’t a NC contender.
I still believe that two years ago he was a WVU win away from taking the gig. If WVU beats Pitt we would have had an OSU vs. WVU NC game. No way Rodriguez bolts for Mich. and Miles more than likely goes back to save his alma mater. I don’t think he’ll be able to resist the temptation twice.
Otto
August 31st, 2009
2:00 pm
Comin’ Down The Track don’t forget Trroy Smith at OSU taking money and winning a naional title.
With Saban atleast everyone including Bama knows it is about the money. The good news for Bama is who will offer more money and give up more power? ND? the alumni there is known to be power hungry.
Otto
August 31st, 2009
2:06 pm
Buck, I think Les will start getting heat behind closed doors after this year. Many LSU fans still weren’t sold on him 2/3rds of the way into a season where he won a title. The bar will be set low at Michigan after RR gets run out of town giving Les a longer window to turn the program around. Miles wasn’t bolting no matter what win RR was hired, the money was to good at LSU and you never follow a loved coach who retires on his own.
Buck Strickland
August 31st, 2009
2:15 pm
Otto, Lloyd Carr was pretty much run out of town. He may have been loved by his players but if I remember correctly the fans were ready for a change. I remember one sign held up after the loss to Oregon that year, it said “We want a Carr with Les Miles.”
gdawginkalamazoo
August 31st, 2009
2:15 pm
Buck, I don’t know about Miles going back if RR had stayed at WVU. I think Miles wants Carr completely out of the building before that happens. He wanted the job when Bo retired. When they passsed him over the politics of it really got to him. That’s why his name wasn’t on the table then. That or he wanted a coach between him and Carr just so that this sort of thing would happen. He rides into town to save the day and makes Michigan realize that they should have chosen him when Bo left instead of Carr. Anyway I would bet that all 10 were Carr’s players. Just a guess.
Trade School Junkie
August 31st, 2009
2:28 pm
Rodd:
WV Boosters & Alums are ALREADY tryig to get rid of Stewart.
See the link:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/West-Virginia-livid-to-discover-how-much-it-wi?urn=ncaaf,109973
WV may be recruiting well, but Stewart cant coach. Period.
When WV goes 1-5 before going into the heart of their Big East scheudle, WV will cut him loose.
Unfortunately, WV is gonna be a complete trainwreck this year with Stewart in charge.
Karnac
August 31st, 2009
2:33 pm
Predictions:
1. Michigan will NOT beat Notre Dame this year.
2. Rich Rodriguez will be fired at the end of this season.
3. Charlie Weis will be fired by ND after this season too.
3. Les Miles will be the Michigan Coach next season.
4. Urban Meyer will NOT be the next ND Coach.
AceDawg
August 31st, 2009
2:56 pm
I will say – Georgia Tech had a radical change in offensive philosophy and coaching, yet I don’t recall many players transfering in comparison. A few yeah, which I’d expect for both programs when new coaches with a different vision come, but something looked wrong with Michigan last year in my humble, outsider opinion. I hate ‘em anyway, so congrats Michigan!! (although I did always respect them up to this point.)
SuperB
August 31st, 2009
2:57 pm
If Michigan is cheating, the Big Ten and NCAA should punish them. But….they won’t. If Maurice Clarett can make a zero on his African-American Studies mid-term and still play in Ohio State’s national championship game against Miami…anything is possible. the fact that OSU gave him (and only him!) a “special make-up exam,” at the end of the semester so he could play reeks to high heaven!
AceDawg
August 31st, 2009
2:58 pm
As for WVU, yeah I think Stewart won’t last. He looks like exactly what he is – a nice, loyal assistant coach that probably plays a great role under a head coach. I just can’t see him corraling his players and maximizing their potential and keeping them out of trouble in WVU especially.
SEC Rules!
August 31st, 2009
3:02 pm
Yes, all SEC and Braves games on Peachtree TV will be in HD, and if you don’t get ‘em it’s because your cable company isn’t doing it right! The over-the-air signal will be in HD.
hugh betcha
August 31st, 2009
3:35 pm
There’s a vast conspiracy out to get RR.
He’s done nothing wrong, but all those people are out to get him!
ChaimBitton
August 31st, 2009
3:42 pm
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Net) it adds spell check to all programs.
Yonizzle25
August 31st, 2009
3:45 pm
You know the differnce between Mich. and the rest of the bigtime football programs? …well the bigtime schools dont snitch on their coaches bc i’m pretty sure that RR isnt the only coach who goes over the allowed practice time or who has mandatory summer workouts. Mich grow sum you know what and play football, stop whinning and start winning
shane#1
August 31st, 2009
3:47 pm
The key word here is “voluntary”. Anyone that thinks a kid can start on a Div 1 team and work only eight hours a week in the off season knows nothing about physical training. You don’t look like Curran on eight hrs a week lifting weights. Most Div 1 football players work about 40 hrs a week during the season on nothing but football. They will be in the weight room by six am then go to class, the afternoon will be taken up with meetings and practice then the better players will watch extra film on their own time. Qbs have extra meetings for game planning and etc. Then when you count travel time and the hours spent at the stadium on saturday you get about 40 hrs weekly spent on football. Most of the better players devote even more time to their sport.
GSU Eagle 91
August 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
This reminds me of the Brian VanGorder disaster at GA Southern. His intentions were good, but to scrap traditions and change the way we played football turned into a fiasco. We were 3-8, and he moved on after 1 year. Sounds like Rich Rod will suffer the same fate….
Nativebird
August 31st, 2009
4:06 pm
Watch out Wolverine fans, the last time Coach Rich cried (with tears and everything) like this was the a$$ whoopin he got from Pittsburgh on the eve of his beloved yet denied Hyped-up Nat’l Championship game ranking at WVU. Instead of being a Man, assuming responsibility and lead his team by example, He promptly wept like a little girl, blamed everyone and everything beside himself, and hauled bu++ to cash-in on the overHyped-Coach Machine that ESPN had built for him.
This type of choke-up in front a camera is a sure sign the ground under ol Coach Rich’s feet is getting hot. Next Stop!………??
gdawginkalamazoo
August 31st, 2009
4:11 pm
Anybody else question the timing of this whole thing? When did he start all this extra practice? This fall? This summer? Last Spring? Hopefully not last Fall, because if he did then that sh!t didn’t work now did it? Just a columnist out bash to RR and a bunch of Carr loyalist that can’t handle the workouts. Carr let the program slide too much, look at the recruiting, before he left. RR had to come in and put his foot down and some of the babies didn’t like that too much. I heard he had to call four waaaambulances to the first practice.
Tide Rising
August 31st, 2009
4:24 pm
Voluntary workouts? Hardly. In Jeff Schultz blog earlier today he also blogged about RR and quoted a Georgia player yesterday as saying these summer workouts are in fact mandatory and are voluntary in name only. What are the NCAA cops gonna do now? Investigate Michigan, Georgia. and pretty much every other team in the country.
Everyone pretty much understands that although these workouts are voluntary the coaches look out their office windows, they walk by the gym, they pretty much know who is doing the off season work and who isn’t. And if you don’t show significant weight room progress when fall camp comes and aren’t in shape then of course they know. And then you don’t play or you are in the doghouse. So be it.
RR accepted Bama job 2 years ago, then went back to WV and got more money, then reneged on the Bama job the next morning making Bama AD Mal Moore look like a dang fool. He then reneged on a 4 million dollar buyout in his WV contract went he bolted for UM a year later. Michigan would not pay for the buyout and he legitimately owed it but refused to pay it, WV sued as they should have, and eventually a settlement was reached. RR owed the money and knew it. End of story.
To all the Saban haters. What is it with you guys? Stuff like this always seems to spill over to Saban.
The worst Saban ever did was say he wouldn’t be the head coach at Bama and then change his mind and take the job 1 1/2 months later. When he said he wouldn’t be the head coach it was because the fins had 4 games left and he refused to talk to Bama. He naturally assumed Bama would move on and hire someone else. But only when the season was his agent able to get him to change his mind and talk to Bama which patiently waited on the sidelines. Is the man not allowed to change his freaking mind?
Nick Saban left on good terms with his employer Dolphins owner Wayne Heizenga. That is the bottom line and is all that matters. To this day they remain friends. The idea that he’s a liar and did some backhanded dealing or whatever is something which has all been built up by the media. His only sin is that he disdains the media as a waste of time when he would rather be recruiting, coaching, or watching film. And of course the media made him pay for it. They know there are enough idiots out there who automatically believe he is just a bad guy if the media just portrays him as such rather than look at the facts of the situation. Put you Saban hatin koolaid down for once.
GT
August 31st, 2009
4:33 pm
The player gets nothing while the coaches push to make the world believe they are worth the millions they are paid. This is got to be the closest thing to slavery. It reminds me of the musical Oliver, with Fagin counting his stolen take.
Nativebird
August 31st, 2009
4:52 pm
I guarantee you, you’ll never see Nick Saban crying like a little girl in front the TV Camera’s. C’mon Rodgriquez, Man up. Grow a pair.
Everybody does it
August 31st, 2009
5:07 pm
This was a user comment on the ESPN article from a real football player from Utah:
” utah_utes_33 says: August 31, 2009, 11:39 AM ET
I play for a D-I football program. And I can assure you that each week we go FAR above the 20 hour limit, but when we sign the sheet saying we abided by the rule the NCAA set.. we have no choice but to sign it, or else we get cut from the team entirely. Sometimes we have put in 30 hours per week, including meetings and practice.”
Alpharetta
August 31st, 2009
5:17 pm
Is there a better place than WVU for RichRod? He’d be the Vince Dooley of WV and more if he stays there 10 more years, considering where WV has come from. He’d be rich and famous like a king in the state of WV.
Well, maybe he will come out of this on top of the world again.
Camden Mark
August 31st, 2009
5:49 pm
excuse me fuzzy.Thats butt.
HH
August 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
Saban has demonstrated at LSU and UA that he is a very good coach, as has Urban at UF. They consistently make the programs they coach better from year to year. Spurrier was once of that mold in his younger day. They are worth the money. Now, take Richt, on the other hand……..
AtlantaTruth
August 31st, 2009
6:29 pm
Go away Tide Rising….we are tired of having to read your pompous self serving blogs…..go kiss Bear Bryant’s grave marker so you can last through the up coming season….I got a feeling the Tide is gonna disappoint a lot of fans.
Tide Rising
August 31st, 2009
6:37 pm
Atlanta Truth,
Tired of my pompous self serving blogs? Here’s a suggestion. Don’t read them.
Go kiss Bear Bryant’s grave marker so I can get through the season? Good one! You’re a real Einstein aren’t you?
Ya gotta feeling the Tide is going to disappoint a lot of fans? Clearly you’re hoping so. You would be better off pulling for your own team whoever that is then hoping and pulling for the demise of someone else’s team. Sad indeed.