The University of Michigan

[IrishLax]

After the Justice Hayes thing about "stability" I took a closer look at the fine university to our north.

Let's assume they lose to Ohio State and close out the year 7-5 and 3-5 in conference. They will be bowl eligible for the first time in 3 years but they will also finish somewhere between #7 and #9 in conference... with no wins over any good teams in the conference and no top 25 wins. Does Rich Rod get fired? Does he get given another year? Does it depend on the bowl?

Lastly, the Big Ten only has 7 guaranteed bowl spots... and in all likelihood they will finish outside of the top 7 in the conference. What happens to them then? Do they have free agent bowl options like ND?

 

[IrishAlum1997]

He should be fired, and scUM should put a full court press on for Harbaugh. They would need to understand they are 3 years away from anything substantial (Big 10 title).

Fortunately, Denard Robinson's fast start probably gives RR one more year. Anyone outside of Ann Arbor with half a brain understands that he is their ENTIRE team, but a winning record in year 3 will be seen as progress.

Hail hail!

 

[IrishinSyria]

I'm thinking he gets fired with a loss to Ohio State. Tough to say for sure though, people might want to give him another year if they think he has some magic going with Robinson. Other than that, good question about the bowls.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

He will not be fired, and it would be an absolute mistake if they do.

His offense is as prolific as anyone's in the country, and will only get better with the more pieces he gets.

The defense is abysmal, but you can fix that. It's a very similar situation to Weis in that regard, but Rodriguez's development is actually demonstrable. He's won everywhere he's coached, and he will continue to do so.

Also don't be so sure Jim Harbaugh is chomping at the bit to come coach in the conference where he will see Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn State all of the time. Not to mention a Northwestern with a very solid coach. The Big Ten is trending upward, and is doing so big time in my opinion. Also Harbaugh went to Palo Alto High School, he grew up, in large part, in the community in which he coaches.

Michigan would be very unwise to fire Rodriguez.

 

[IrishMoore1]

I think DR's success gives RR one more year.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

UM alum want RR gone.

Others may not.

It is exactly like the SC situation; a new athletic director, tasked to take over and clean things up, detests the coach.

It may be in both their best interests to keep their coaches, to shop for a year. Neither team is getting (that much) better next year. This way each respective coach has put the nails in his own coffin, and the shopping list is much clearer . . .

Harbaugh will not be coach at UM. He wants the NFL and there are too many hard feelings with the UM alum.

 

[irish4ever]

Lastly, the Big Ten only has 7 guaranteed bowl spots... and in all likelihood they will finish outside of the top 7 in the conference. What happens to them then? Do they have free agent bowl options like ND?

No, I see scUM ending in a 7th place tie w/ Northwestern and Purdue after Sat. Hopefully, O$U puts a whoopin' on scUM first of all (God, I hate scUM). Northwestern plays at Wisc. (loss) and Purdue plays at home against perrenial weak-azz IU (win). Since scUM beat Purdue earlier this yr. and they are a bigger draw than Northwestern, I see them getting the Big Ten #7 seed for bowl games!

 

[phork]

At 7-5 they will go somewhere. I think they only way he gets fired is if OSU totally destroys them. Out of Wiscy and OSU I thought OSU was their most winnable game shockingly.

The defense is not going to be fixed in one recruiting class. After next year they lose Martin and VanBergen and it will be just as bad. Much like Weis did, defense was not a priority and its going to cost him his job.

PS: wrong area.

 

[Freeman Ara]

I think he gets two more years. The problem they have is defense, can they bring in a D guy that can fix it in a year much like Diaco has for us. Their defense doesn't need to be great just serviceable for the next two years and they can start talking Big Ten titles after that.

 

[k1ssme1m1r1sh]

Michigan fans are a complicated group to understand. They are obnoxious, rude, and they think Jesus himself played corner back for them back in the 50's. Sure, there are nice Michigan fans out there, but I've never met any.

At the start of the season, it was the best thing to come out with 5 wins, but when they began playing ranked teams their program went to heck in a handbasket. They have the worst kicking team in the country. How hard is it to find a kicker at MICHIGAN? Their defense is horrible, and their offense depends on a kid who won't tie his shoes. I watched the U M v WI game and his shoe came off twice. If he has any intention of playing in the NFL he'd tie his shoes so he doesn't blow out his knee.

RR doesn't need to be fired. His calls are valid he has issues with his players executing said calls. DRob can't throw 2 interceptions per game. They can't keep getting penalized the way they are. Michigan fans need to face facts that their program isn't as heavy as it used to be, typical ebb and flow of college football, but ask any UM fan and they'll tell you "At least we beat ND and that's all that matters." They like to smoke and mirror their way through seasons, and if they get a new coach they'll bite off a big chunk of reality.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I think DR's success gives RR one more year.

Agree

 

[IrishBlood81]

Dang! So we lost Justice to damn Ummmm. grrr infuriating.
Why would someone select UM over ND? What a messed up fella lol
probably don't want him anyways!

81

 

[BestBIrish47]

What is funny to me, is their best QB ever.... was a spare unitl a Notre Dame guy made him what he is....... Michigan fans hate that fact!

 

[IrishLax]

I think he gets two more years. The problem they have is defense, can they bring in a D guy that can fix it in a year much like Diaco has for us. Their defense doesn't need to be great just serviceable for the next two years and they can start talking Big Ten titles after that.

Two years might be a little generous. Charlie had a great offense and bad defense and that got him fired (with two BCS games before his rough spell... Rich Rod has nothing).

 

[Freeman Ara]

Two years might be a little generous. Charlie had a great offense and bad defense and that got him fired (with two BCS games before his rough spell... Rich Rod has nothing).

Charlie was in year 5, RR is in year 3. To fire RR now is basically blowing up the program unless your bringing in a spread coach. There are still many on this board that believe CW should still be here and we should have just gotten rid of Tenuta, same thing can be said about RR and Robinson. I think UM would have to take a serious step back next year for him not to get a 5th year. This is all just my opinion of course.

 

[nlroma1o]

Hey, it's fun discussing whether or not a coach is going to be fired when it isn't ND's coach. LOL.

I personally don't think RR deserves to be fired. I think he gets alot of crap about his defense that isn't his fault, primarily injuries. But then again he is the head coach so everything ties back to him. I would put my money on RR getting 1 more year. No more, no less. If RR doesn't get scUM to the top of the big10 standings next season, he's gone.

 

[IrishLax]

Michigan's defense and the stuffed animal - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN

What the...

 

[k1ssme1m1r1sh]

LMAO reminds me of those Directv commercials about NFL Sunday ticket. Next they'll be chanting over chicken feet and bat fur.

 

[lookingdeadred]

If UM wants Harbaugh

If UM wants Harbaugh

they better lock him up quickly, because I suspect the Forty Whiners will want him after they finally cut the in-way-over-his-head Mike Singletary loose.

He should be fired, and scUM should put a full court press on for Harbaugh. They would need to understand they are 3 years away from anything substantial (Big 10 title).

Fortunately, Denard Robinson's fast start probably gives RR one more year. Anyone outside of Ann Arbor with half a brain understands that he is their ENTIRE team, but a winning record in year 3 will be seen as progress.

Hail hail!

 

[Sherm Sticky]

they better lock him up quickly, because I suspect the Forty Whiners will want him after they finally cut the in-way-over-his-head Mike Singletary loose.

No need for name calling

 

[Old Man Mike]

My always inaccurate opinion is that Rodriguez is nowhere near getting fired, but he may be forced to fire his defensive coordinator to appease hysterical elements of the fan community. I believe that he will NOT want to do that as this DC will probably be able to gradually put Michigan's defense back together if given three years to do so. [the guy has been a good coach in the past]. If Michigan fires its DC, then it risks mediocrity for longer as you can't keep jacking players around with different philosophies. [Look at our own guys]. So, if you hate Michigan, don't waste your time rooting for Rodriguez to be fired [everyone knows he's one of the most dangerous offensive coaches in football] as that ain't happening. Root instead that he's sociologically forced to fire his DC and bring in someone with an entirely new plan. By the time the new guy rights the ship, we'll no longer be on their schedule.

 

[Riddickulous]

Michigan has fallen far from grace.

They've gone 3-9, 5-7 and likely 7-5 in Rodriguez's first three seasons and people are still believing he can turn it around. Their defenses have gotten progressively worse statistically every season he has been there (2008's D was ranked in the 60's, 2009's in the 80's, and 2010's somewhere in the 90's).

Rodriguez has not beaten a single reputable opponent in his entire tenure at Michigan. His signature victory is a win over 7-6 Wisconsin in 2008.

 

[Legacy]

I do know a few Michigan alumni who I respect. Two badly want RR fired, enough so that they will not watch UM play until then.

In three years, he is 6-17 against Big Ten competition. His wins are against Indiana (2), Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is 0-3 against Mich St, Penn St and Iowa and he is 0-2 against Ohio St prior to this week's game.

He has the 112th ranked total defense in the nation (last in the Big Ten) and the 99th ranked scoring defense giving up over 33 points per game.

Give him another year.

 

[phork]

The defense is his fault, he is not recruiting it. Also there are roughly 17 4* or above players on their defense, Wisconsin and Iowa have 4.

3 d-coordinators in 4 years is a bad thing. Next year will be his best shot at getting back to the somewhat promised land, because after that his defense is going to stink, again. Its not like they are almost there, despite what many of the posters on mgoblog write. I go there because there is a lot of good football talk and most of the posters are pretty funny..
Every once in a while you get the guy who says WE ARE ALMOST THERE! A couple bad plays and we are 9-2!... They got absolutely out classed and destroyed by MSU, Wiscy, Iowa, PSU and this week vs tOSU. Their wins were borderline, ND, Illinois, Indiana and Umass could have went either way.
They are far from close, regardless of how electric the offense is. I just don't think its going to work in the Big10. Everyone and their brother said "Wait until Big10 season starts", and the UM fans laughed it off.. Denard this, Denard that.. Denard is learning what Forcier learned last year, the Big10 hurts.

Its better for us, imo, if he stays. Because our D is headed in the right direction.

 

[Irish52]

Justice simply couldn't cope with the barrage of BS he received after his commital to ND. I suspect it was relentless and he wasn't equipped mentally to recognize the post-football value of a ND education. He will be lucky to receive a degree from UM, even if the major is basketweaving.

 

[Stoic]

He will not be fired, and it would be an absolute mistake if they do.

His offense is as prolific as anyone's in the country, and will only get better with the more pieces he gets.

The defense is abysmal, but you can fix that. It's a very similar situation to Weis in that regard, but Rodriguez's development is actually demonstrable. He's won everywhere he's coached, and he will continue to do so.

Also don't be so sure Jim Harbaugh is chomping at the bit to come coach in the conference where he will see Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn State all of the time. Not to mention a Northwestern with a very solid coach. The Big Ten is trending upward, and is doing so big time in my opinion. Also Harbaugh went to Palo Alto High School, he grew up, in large part, in the community in which he coaches.

Michigan would be very unwise to fire Rodriguez.

They are adding to it so far is a couple of 3 star 5'8'/5'10 DB's not to mention they lose 2 of best LB's next year. Their defense will still be swiss cheese and it'll cost him his job.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I think he gets two more years. The problem they have is defense, can they bring in a D guy that can fix it in a year much like Diaco has for us. Their defense doesn't need to be great just serviceable for the next two years and they can start talking Big Ten titles after that.

Respectfully, the big 10 is not like the pacwhatever or the sec. You have to play defense. You have to play defense to get through the schedule. Name the last big 10 team to win the crown with NO defense? That is what Michigan has: no defense.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

And none on the horizon, either!

 

[Irish Insanity]

Michigan fans are a complicated group to understand. They are obnoxious, rude, and they think Jesus himself played corner back for them back in the 50's. Sure, there are nice Michigan fans out there, but I've never met any.

So true so true. And living in Michigan our control group for study is huge!

 

[phork]

Some rumours are simmering that RR will be fired on Monday. Take it for what its worth, "sources" are high in the program.