UMich = WVU North

[Channing]

After hiring Beilein away from the WVU basketball team, they have reportedly hired Rich Rodriguez to come coach their football team:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3157227

[YmoBeThere]

Haha, you may or may not want to point this out to true Michiganders.

[crote]

Rodriguez has six years left on his contract, and is leaving his team before their bowl game.

I wonder if ESPN will demonize him anything like they did Petrino? (Hint: No)

[blazindw]

Haha, you may or may not want to point this out to true Michiganders.

I'm quite happy with RR coming to Ann Arbor. Looks like he will be bringing the spread offense that Michigan defenses have had trouble with in the past. This bodes well for them in the Big Ten.

Oh yea, Farmington Hills represent!:)

[uncwdevil]

I'm quite happy with RR coming to Ann Arbor. Looks like he will be bringing the spread offense that Michigan defenses have had trouble with in the past. This bodes well for them in the Big Ten.

Oh yea, Farmington Hills represent!:)

Yeah, I thought this was interesting myself.

They are bringing inthe major-college version of App State's offense, which may have triggered their coaching search in the first place.

[Channing]

Rodriguez has six years left on his contract, and is leaving his team before their bowl game.

I wonder if ESPN will demonize him anything like they did Petrino? (Hint: No)

I think it is absurd that he is not coaching the bowl game. It isnt like they are in some little podunk bowl either. I also dont understand why he and UMich couldnt wait until after the bowl season to announce this. If they have their man, why do they need to announce it now, and really put a damper on a terrific season by WVU.

That said - I think this is a little dif than Petrino in that it happens fairly regularly in CFB (that a coach doesnt coach a bowl game because they are hired away) whereas it is essentially unheard of in the NFL.

[rockymtn devil]

I think it is absurd that he is not coaching the bowl game. It isnt like they are in some little podunk bowl either. I also dont understand why he and UMich couldnt wait until after the bowl season to announce this. If they have their man, why do they need to announce it now, and really put a damper on a terrific season by WVU.

That said - I think this is a little dif than Petrino in that it happens fairly regularly in CFB (that a coach doesnt coach a bowl game because they are hired away) whereas it is essentially unheard of in the NFL.

I think the major reason is recruiting. Michigan has not been losing committments since Carr resigned, but the program needs a face so the high school seniors know who their coach will be. It's never good to not have a coach for a long period of time.

While I think this is a good hire for Michigan, unless RR can recruit in Ohio it won't bring the Wolverines back to the top. Carr stopped being able to get Ohio players the moment Tressell became the HC at Ohio State and that has, IMO, led to the program falling off a little.

[captmojo]

Yeah, I thought this was interesting myself.

They are bringing inthe major-college version of App State's offense, which may have triggered their coaching search in the first place.

Well if ya can't beat'em....:D

[crote]

The Big 10 is about to really change. With Zook's success at Illinois and the arrival of Rodriguez, Neanderthal football may be on its way out. Like Coach Cut said, it's all about speed, baby, and the Big Televen types are either going to figure that out in the next couple years or fall off the map.

[pfrduke]

While I think this is a good hire for Michigan, unless RR can recruit in Ohio it won't bring the Wolverines back to the top. Carr stopped being able to get Ohio players the moment Tressell became the HC at Ohio State and that has, IMO, led to the program falling off a little.

Why? Michigan has always recruited the base of its team from Michigan, with a handful from Ohio, and competing on a national scale for the blue chip prospects. For example, for the stars on this year's team, Henne is from PA, Hart from NY, Mallett (next year's QB) from AR, Manningham from OH (Tressel didn't get that one). From recent years, Chris Perry was from NC, John Navarre was from WI, Braylon Edwards from MI, Marlin Jackson from PA, and Alan Branch from NM (actually had to look that one up), just to name a handful. Yes, some of Michigan's past greats were Ohio kids - Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard to name two. But they were also from Canada (Biakabatuka), Florida (Brian Griese, Anthony Carter), California (Tom Brady, Amani Toomer), Virginia (David Terrell), Louisiana (Anthony Thomas), not to mention homegrown (Tyrone Wheatley and a host of others, including lots of offensive linemen, always a UM staple).

Tressel is a good recruiter, and OSU almost certainly has some head-to-head recruiting wins in past years that might have gone the other way in the '90s. But Michigan never controlled Ohio, with or without Tressel, and losing a couple of kids a year from Ohio is not the explanation for their recent "struggles."

[blazindw]

Why? Michigan has always recruited the base of its team from Michigan, with a handful from Ohio, and competing on a national scale for the blue chip prospects. For example, for the stars on this year's team, Henne is from PA, Hart from NY, Mallett (next year's QB) from AR, Manningham from OH (Tressel didn't get that one). From recent years, Chris Perry was from NC, John Navarre was from WI, Braylon Edwards from MI, Marlin Jackson from PA, and Alan Branch from NM (actually had to look that one up), just to name a handful. Yes, some of Michigan's past greats were Ohio kids - Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard to name two. But they were also from Canada (Biakabatuka), Florida (Brian Griese, Anthony Carter), California (Tom Brady, Amani Toomer), Virginia (David Terrell), Louisiana (Anthony Thomas), not to mention homegrown (Tyrone Wheatley and a host of others, including lots of offensive linemen, always a UM staple).

Tressel is a good recruiter, and OSU almost certainly has some head-to-head recruiting wins in past years that might have gone the other way in the '90s. But Michigan never controlled Ohio, with or without Tressel, and losing a couple of kids a year from Ohio is not the explanation for their recent "struggles."

Well said!

[Lavabe]

rthomas: Are you okay?

So what's the WV news like on this story? Any thought as to possible candidates for the WV position?

This season's coaching carousel is absolutely BIZARRE!
Cheers,
Lavabe

[gotham devil]

Haha, you may or may not want to point this out to true Michiganders.

They're busy enjoying a replay of Pitt's victory against 28 point favorite West Virginia in the biggest game of Rodriguez' career. Well, they always have the weather and the infamous Kinesiology degree to sell.

[rthomas]

rthomas: Are you okay?

So what's the WV news like on this story? Any thought as to possible candidates for the WV position?

This season's coaching carousel is absolutely BIZARRE!
Cheers,
Lavabe

I'm pretty surprised about the whole thing. I think the whole team is pretty surprised too. The thing that surprises me is that our offense is pretty much all returning next year (except our FB Schmidt) plus our recruiting year has been pretty good - two highly rated WR plus we are (were?) in the running for the one of the best QB's (Pryor from the high schol that won the PA HS Championship this weekend). Next year, WVU should be a top ten team for who ever coaches. I haven't heard anything about replacement yet -it's been pretty quiet with it happening over a weekend, end of the semester, and a winter squall all weekend.

As with Beilein, it'll take some time before Rod can get his type of player and implement his kind of game - it's very different than the plodding, big milk fed football of the Big Ten.

Actually, at the time I was more pissed about Beilein leaving than I am about Rod leaving. I just wish it wasn't Michigan.

Plus a 4mil buyout? That's crazy.

[Channing]

I'm pretty surprised about the whole thing. I think the whole team is pretty surprised too. The thing that surprises me is that our offense is pretty much all returning next year (except our FB Schmidt) plus our recruiting year has been pretty good - two highly rated WR plus we are (were?) in the running for the one of the best QB's (Pryor from the high schol that won the PA HS Championship this weekend). Next year, WVU should be a top ten team for who ever coaches. I haven't heard anything about replacement yet -it's been pretty quiet with it happening over a weekend, end of the semester, and a winter squall all weekend.

As with Beilein, it'll take some time before Rod can get his type of player and implement his kind of game - it's very different than the plodding, big milk fed football of the Big Ten.

Actually, at the time I was more pissed about Beilein leaving than I am about Rod leaving. I just wish it wasn't Michigan.

Plus a 4mil buyout? That's crazy.

This is just pure speculation - but do you think the guy at App State will get any consideration for teh WV job? He runs a very similar offense and comes in with a big time rep. I would assume wv wants to bring in a spread offense coach given their personnel for next year.

[rthomas]

This is just pure speculation - but do you think the guy at App State will get any consideration for teh WV job? He runs a very similar offense and comes in with a big time rep. I would assume wv wants to bring in a spread offense coach given their personnel for next year.

It's been awfully quiet this weekend. I think our local sports radio will be rampant with this tomorrow morning.

Our AD Pastilong has now lost both the basketball and the football coach to the same team - how's that for a legacy?

[rthomas]

On the radio tonight, names for Rodriguez's replacement include:Jimbo Fisher, Terry Bowden and Jim Grobe - all WV natives and the defensive coach of Va Tec, Bud Foster.

And Bill Cowher - tho I doubt it.

[throatybeard]

All I can say about this situation is that I've been singing the Ohio State words to Michigan's fight song all week.

[rthomas]

It's our AD. He needs to go but he's one of the good ol' West Virginia boys.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07352/842541-144.stm


Further news: Terry Bowden is interviewing today; Rumors continue that Saban is interested.