Rodriguez to U-of-M

West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez will replace Lloyd Carr in Ann Arbor. Typically I refuse to spend much time, energy or thought on the Wolverines, but I have to admit they got a pretty good hire - probably the best candidate not named Les Miles anyway.

I'm not convinced Rodriguez's coaching style and philosophy will work in the Big Ten, but he'll definitely have the athletes to make it possible - after all it is Michigan.

As a Spartan fan, I'm not overly concerned about what's transpiring down in Ann Arbor. Rodriguez had better understand that Ohio State isn't his only rival. Michigan is and always will be a very important game to us and Dantonio will have our guys ready to fight every time we meet.  See ya on 10/25/08.

Comments

[Big Papi]

I am a HUGE State Fan and I must admit that Rodriguez to UM is a little scary. The #1 recruit in the nation, Terrelle Pryor just added UM to his list. He apparrently received a phone call from RR before he even made an announcement that he was going to UM. Just when things were looking a little crazy in AA, the Big 10 just got tougher! I still believe that Coach D has this program on the right track but things just got a little more interesting...Can't wait til next year!

[csimon]

This RR guy must be Mr Sabin in diguise. I just read how he was upset talking about changing jobs and only would talk about W VA. What a set of morals. &&&&&&&&& speak.

[JRS]

Thats the way the game is always played, you want to deflect reporters questions about leaving
until after an official announcement is made.

[Scott Greene]

We couldn't beat them without a fullback...they can't beat us without one either!

[SpartyOn]

read: Mallet to transfer.

[Cmoney]

I think it’s a very good hire for SCum—even better then Les. However, as soon as he loses a couple of games, he will feel the heat….if he does.

For State, it is imperative for us to beat SCum next year—it will be a very very a tough run for Coach D over the next 4+ year if we don’t’…

[David]

All I can say is, I hope he has all the success w/the Spread offense in Ann Arbor that JLS had in East Lansing.

One thing is for certain: this will be a huge identity change for the Wolverines. The Spread is very un-Bo like and very un U-M like. Traditionally, Michigan likes to line up & run over you.

Here is one question that I have. Will Michigan recruit the same type of dominating offensive linemen they always have? O-Linemen in the Spread are many times a little lighter and more agile than the ones used in the teams that utilize the power running games. The spread mostly uses finess trap plays and the O-Linemen will be in pass protection a greater percentage of the time.

Now, some will say that RR's Spread is a run-based Spread. Well, maybe. However, that is because he had an athletic QB. I'd like to see Ryan Mallet try to run for yards in that style offense!

Even though I'm a Michigan State fan, I will give credit where credit is due: U-M has probably put more high-quality O-Linemen in the NFL than any other single school. Nebraska would probably be its only rival in that area. [Of course, as a sidenote, the Lions picked the worst one of the bunch]. That said, I'm just having a little trouble seeing a Jake Long type of O-Lineman in the Spread.

To go along with that, with the exception of Florida and a few other schools, most of the teams that use the Spread do so because they can't get the O-Lineman that Michigan can. They believe the only way they can beat a superior team is w/a wide-open passing attack. If RR struggles early next year, I can tell you right now that a lot of U-M fans will be bickering that they need to end the Spread "experiment" (just as MSU did). I mean, ALL teams use some form of the Spread these days - including MSU. It's the best formation on 3rd & long. However, it's something else quite different to use the Spread every down & eliminate the fullback.

In any case, I'm not convinced that RR is as wonderful a coach as some people say. What national powers are in the Big East, may I ask? Pitt? Rutgers? Louisville? Remember, MSU picked up JLS from Louisville, and he was in WAY over his head in the Big 10.

Of course, one never knows how a guy will do in going from one level / conference to another. Ohio State picked up Jim Tressel from Youngstown State, and that's worked out quite well for them. Like any good MSU fan would, I'm hoping that RR is a complete flop @ Michigan, just like the basketball coach U-M picked from West Virginia has been (so far).

DSR

[jim b]

Rodriguez lost to Pitt and was totally outcoached by Dave 'Wan', missed the BCS and fans were very angry!
Hey this is the guy who went fishing for cash$$ at Alabama last year. He got West Virginia to give him a big raise of more cash to keep him at West V.!
Now he "walks" on West Virginia for Cash$$ from scum. Where are all you Saban haters? Cash cash
give me more!
RR was the best coach in the "Big East"..not the SCC, or the Big Ten.
Coach D has class, and you can't buy that.

[mc2000]

I'm not scared of this guy at all. All of his success has been based around 1 player- Pat White (by the way, could there be a "whiter" name for a black guy?)

[steve]

I think that this is a great hire for Michigan. I am a Spartan, but must admit that this was a good move in spite of the chaos the last few weeks with the situation. I think he is a good coach, but West Virginia is not Michigan and WV doesn't play in the BIG TEN. I think there will be a lot more pressure on him in AA, but potentially he could do a great job there getting the most out of the talent he has to work with. I'm still excited about where coach D has us headed and don't feel threatened at all by the hire.

[SpartyOn]

way to play the race card, mc2000. bravo.

[JMoist]

Let's see, bring in a guy that can't win big games, for a guy that couldn't win big games... hopefully now the Spartans can start to dominate scUM like the Buckeyes have been. Almost every hire sounds good on paper, but scUM would have been better suited to look elsewhere, this is a win for all the haters out there... Go State!!!

[Caloysius27]

There is talk that Ryan Mallett might transfer if his style and RR system don't match up all that well ... Coach D go after Mallett he'll compete with Hoyer and what a better way to infuse more hate between MSU and UofM!!!!!!! Go Green Go White Go State!

[Bob]

University of Michigan tell
your basketball coach and your new basketball coach to never
visit West Virginia again. we
don't appreicate Money hungry
coaches . NOw i will root for
Ohio State to cream Michigan in
all sports

[jim b]

West Virginia this year was built around two players..Pat White and their running back Slaten(spelling?). They had a bad game against Pitt and West Virginia lost to a sub 500 team!
JMoist is right...this 'is a win
for all of us scum haters'!!
Go Green!!

[joe roost]

Hey mc2000,why don't you stick to one sentence wrap ups instead of making a fool of yourself and embarrassing everyone that had or has any association with our great University. Be a man and apologize for your unfortunate remark.

[Cmoney]

And his name will be... Dick Rod

[Green As I Wanna Be]

I really don't have any emotional investment in who the UM coach is or RR, but I have to comment on some misconceptions published here about the spread offense and the variation that RR runs/ran at WVW:

First, WVU "might" have a run-first spread attack? Ya think?

WVU has been ranked near the top nationally in RYPG since RR arrived at WVU, and WVU has had a 1,000 rusher (a running back, not the QB) in every year but one.

Pat White has only been the starting QB since 2005, so it's not just about him, either.

Here's another one: "most of the teams that use the spread do so because they can't get the O-Lineman that Michigan can". This is just plain ignorant. Teams run the spread because it works. It is not the only offense that works, and it has its own potential weaknesses, but it has become the predominant offense in college football today. This is so because it exploits to the maximum a number of rule changes that have taken place at the college level over the past 20 years or so - rules that are quite different from the NFL. Just about all of the teams enjoying success at the highest levels in college football employ some variation of the spread as a base strategy, or they heavily utilize elements of the spread tactically within a broader scheme.

Consider, too, that two of UM's most embarassing losses in decades came this year at the hands of spread teams: ASU and Oregon.

To hear the spread characterized as an experiment is just ridiculous. The problem at MSU under JLS was JLS and his staff, not the spread.

RR will have to figure out what to do with his inherited stable of large, lumbering drop-back passers, but I don't think it will take him (or them) long.

[bill]

I thought it would be dilrod?

[dad]

with two coaches from wvadoes this mean mandadory banjo practice?

[Cmoney]

DilRod, I like also...as long as its not RR

So DickRod and DilRod....

[Hadticketsin1987]

I hope the trend of new UofM coaches losing their first game to MSU continues! LOL! Maybe with the adjustment to the spread that will happen.

[Hadticketsin1987]

Now, maybe we can get RR to have Chris Smeland and Dave Baldwin as his defensive and offensive coordinators! LOL!

[The Contrarian]

Something to consider - MD is 0-2 against RR. That, and MSU can't even seem to stop spread offenses run with lesser talent (e.g. Northestern, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois). How will they fair against a spread offense run with high caliber athletes? Looks like trouble to me.

[The Contrarian]

Hey, Hadticketsin 1987, what are we LOL about? Your jokes seem to be missing a punchline.