It wasn't about everyone pulling in the same direction

I have now heard and read a couple of interviews by Rich Rodriguez since he was fired at Michigan.  He pretty much has repeated the same themes in both interviews.  Including an interview from today's ESPN Radio's show The Herd:

#1: He was disappointed that he didn't have more time
#2: The worst was past us and nothing but up side from here
#3: Everyone wasn't pulling in the same direction.

These are exactly why he didn't work out at Michigan.  He didn't get it and I pretty much agree with his 3 points.  Let me first break down why his 3 points are only sort of right:

#1 More Time:  Ok, 3 years might not have been enough but it's what he did in those 3 years.   Year 1 was a complete throw away now looking back.  If you remember, Michigan had a good defense that year and an offense that was lead by two QB's who were off the team the next year.   A complete waste of a year.  His "all in approach" on the recruitment of Pryor was a huge mistake.  His only back up plan was a Slot WR who preferred selling drugs then playing QB.  You can't tell me there wasn't another QB that year that RR and staff could have found in the 6 weeks they had.  Hoke and Company found one in two weeks.

Year 2 should have been Year 1 and son on.  That wasted year hurt his chances in David Brandon's office in early January.

#2 The Worst Was Behind Us?  I get his point.  21 starters coming back.  Guys back from injury on defense and the MVP of the league in his 3rd year.  This was his only real point in trying to save his job.  Having a Heisman Trophy candidate in Denard and those guys back from injury could equal a good 2011 campaign.   The problem I have with this statement is two things.  Defensive Coordinators and The Gator Bowl.   RR if retained would of had his 3rd DC in 4 years.   His clear lack of attention and bad DC hires killed any chance RR had at saving his job.  Defense is important and his bad hires, killed any chances of him saving his job. 

The second part is the Gator Bowl.  Michigan last year got worse as the year went on, not better.  In fact, you could probably make that case for all the Michigan teams under RR.  Having a month to prepare to work on defense fundamentals and everything else and then to get blown out by a fairly one dimensional mid tier SEC schools is un-acceptable.   To quote a reporter who I was sitting next to in the press box.  "all this game did, was make David's Brandon's decision and easy one".   I agreed with him and David's decision now.

#3: Everyone pulling in the same direction:  Sure RR had people against him from the beginning.  I never understood what the Freep had against him but his ride to the Michigan job was messy and full of accidents at every turn.   These events are off the top of my head, I'm sure there are plenty of others that I left out:

• WVU fans up in arms after he left for the Michigan job
• Allegations of shredding documents and lost player records
• The loss of QB Ryan Mallett
• Contesting his buyout from WVU
• Losing Pryor to Ohio State
• 3-9 Year 1
• Freep Allegations
• NCAA Investigation and Penalty
• Getting sued for a bad condo deal
• 5-7 Year 2
• 7-6 Year 3
• Josh Groban Fan Club Meeting
• Blow Out loss in the Bowl Game
• 0-3 vs. OSU and MSU
• Getting sued on the purchase of his home in West Virgina the day he was fired from Michigan.

If just one of the things happened under his watch, it wouldn't of been a big deal.  All of them together is a big deal.   I'm not sure the stance that everyone was not pulling in the same direction with all the history makes a lot of sense.  If RR was 10-2 and beating Michigan rivals he would still be the coach.  He didn't and he isn't.   Bottom line.

So RR take a gig at ESPN or CBS College Sports and save us the Michigan talk.  It's been a month, we have moved on and so should you.   Good luck at your next stop.

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.