RichRod's last stand

Imagine if Rich Rodriguez is this happy in October. It means he may work 2011 in Ann Arbor. Then again, depending on who you ask, it won't matter.

It's not the sanctions that Michigan put on it's football team today. It's not the losing record. It's not the losing streak to Ohio State and Tressel. It's not the loss to Toledo.

It's all of it combined that weighs heavily on Wolverine fan. The rich ones and the poor ones. The alumni and the diehards.

So what do you do if your Rich? Well, you're pretty much locked in with what you will and won't have, save for a couple of recruits making a difference. And yes, Lloyd Carr was outdated, but at the same time, there are two things that would have saved Carr from the 8-16 record the last two years.

1) Ryan Mallet would have never left.
2) Greg Robinson would have never been hired.

Do you see what Mallet is doing for Bobby Petrino? He is the only reason Petrino is still in Fayetville. (Imagine if Houston Nutt had Mallett instead of Jevan Sneed, but that's another post) He was the best passer in the SEC last year, and will probably be even better this year now that he's fully understood Petrino's high-percentages offense. Bobby Petrino did wonders on offense at Louisville, but he has never had the deep ball thrower in Mallet.

You tell me what Michigan would give to have this image back.


However, Mallet isn't coming back no matter what you do, so you're down with Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, hell or high water. Roy Rountree was a stud for them last year even though he only really arrived in the last four games. But alas... the problem isn't the offense with this team... it's this man.



Don't worry, this picture pains Syracuse fan more than Michigan fan ever will feel. I think.

Robinson has two Super Bowl rings, has been a great NFL coach.. and has failed trememdously at the collegiate level. One year and ran out in Austin, and Doug Marrone STILL is fixing the issues Robinson had in upstate New York.

Now, I will fully admit that Robinson hasn't gotten help with recruiting at all. The Michigan defense is pretty smart, but that doesn't help when you get ran around, over, and through every single game. Adding insult to injury, Brandon Graham is gone and the defense, as well as the entire team, is rediculously young (25 seniors, 38 freshman). Yikes. Nobody cares that you allowed 6 to Delaware State or 7 to Western Michigan. Remember how they allowed Indiana to score 33? The 38 to Purdue when bowl eligibility was on the line? Beyond disgusting.

For the record, I do not think that Michigan did well in their response to the NCAA and their allegations. You have kids that won't mind walking on to play for you, and you have a team that NEEDS that extra practice time. Granted, they are correct about not thinking they are repeat violators (what happened in basketball has nothing to do with this), but they are wrong thinking they should only get two years probation. This practice time issue is a problem with almost all FBS teams in America. However, not all the FBS teams in America have former players as mad as people are at Rodriguez.

David Brandon really has to trust that Rodriguez is going to make this team better. Primarily, I really do not think that Brandon has a clue as to who he can get to coach this team should Michigan have had to consider firing Rodriguez either at the end of last season or with these violations. Whoever would take over, whenever that will be, will have to be a spread offense guy. Too many players are in this system that run the spread very well.


Bruce Feldman on his blog on ESPN.com said that he doesn't think 8-4 will save RichRod's job. I think he is fine, but he has to win the winnable games. UConn is good but just as young. Winning that game goes further because it will be the first game in the new Michigan Stadium. To show off a winner on that day needs to be the biggest priority for this coaching staff. Plus, Notre Dame is important because it will be the national ABC game that day. If he is anything less than 4-0, the bombs will be high and hard from the Detroit press.

6-1 is a fair record to have when they go to Penn State in August. I'm honestly not sure how good Penn State will be, but playing in Beaver Stadium can be a very large trainwreck. The game before at Iowa could be a very large trap game, because as we all saw last year, the Hawkeyes are more than willing, especially with a healthy Ricky Stanzi.

Bottom line is this, Michigan man-in-training Rich Rodriguez. Win big, and lose close. Win at home and away, win the games you're supposed to. Get back to New Years in Orlando, and it will go away. At least for a year till the Forcier/Robinson train gets bigger and bigger.