Michigan Thursday: Could 2 De-commits have Saved Rich Rodriguez Job at Michigan?

For those of you that don't care for RR you have a laundry list of reasons why: 

• Weird new offense
• Really bad defense
• Not a Michigan Man
• Paying him too much money
• Stretching too long before practice which lead to NCAA Violations
• A bad record
• Recruiting kids that are borderline academically
• Piped in music at the Big House
• Transfers
• De-commitments

I'm sure you can list many more.  What's strange is maybe two QB de-commits could have saved his job.

Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?  The time is August 2008.  Michigan will be starting a season where a walk-on and a non-mobile red shirt freshman are Michigan's only options at QB.   Though help was on the way through recruiting for the 2009 class.  Michigan had two 4 star QB's verbally committed to that class:  Shavodrick Beaver a 6'3, 180 pound QB out of Wichita Falls, Texas and Kevin Newsome a 6'2 225 pound QB from Portsmouth, Virgina. 

Both of these guys had solved Michigan's future QB depth problems and now the Michigan coaching staff could focus on recruiting Offensive Line and Defense.  Well, that good feeling at QB didn't last long as Kevin decided to de-commit from Michigan on August 19th and Shavodrick did the same in December.  From a comfortable feeling to a really bad feeling. 

Michigan went 0-2 on their QB recruits for 2009 but help was on the way, Tate Forcier a long time Michigan fan gave his verbal during the season and things were back on track.    Michigan still had only one QB recruit until signing day when Denard Robinson signed up.   So you could say that Shavordrick and Kevin's decision to not join the Wolverines gave the opportunities for Tate and Denard to.

So that is one interesting point.  The other is what has happened to all four players since then. 

• Shavodrick Beaver is a back up at Tulsa and in two years has completed 5-9 passes for a total of 41 yards.
• Kevin Newsome is 3rd string at Penn State and 14-24 in two years for 144 yards.
• Tate was 165-281 for 2050 yards in 2009 and 30-39 for 349 yards in 2010
• Denard was 14-31 for 188 yards in 2009 and 97-143 for 1319 yards in 2010

Ironically, Michigan on Saturday could face (he is questionable due to a concussion) Robert Bolden a true freshman QB from the State of Michigan that picked Penn State after Devin Gardner verbally committed to the University of Michigan in the 2010 class.  My understanding is that Kevin Newsome is third string behind walk-on redshirt sophomore Matt McGloin.  Tulsa on the other hand plays Notre Dame this weekend and "The Beaver" might see a few snaps.

It was clear that RR and staff did a great job in recruiting both Tate and Denard.  Will that recruitment save his job?  I think the next 3 weeks will go a long way in answering that question.