Since the turn of the last century, as I see it the Michigan coaching hires have fallen into 2 buckets: Legacy Hires > under the Michigan Man umbrella, these are guys with playing and/or coaching experience in Ann Arbor before they took over. (And FWIW a lack of outside heading coaching success). Hired Guns > gents with head coaching “success” (let’s call it .550 or better) at other college programs but no previous coaching or playing experience at U-M. Harbaugh is the first hire that really falls on both sides of this divide, having had both college (& NFL for that matter) head coaching success along with U-M ties as a player and alumnus. A breakdown*: * I removed George Little who kinda/sorta coached U-M for one season in 1924 while Yost took a breather, and ok if I moved the Mendoza line for “success” down to .500 Hoke gets a check. A few thoughts: Of the 4 Hired Guns, I think Ivan Maisel of ESPN got it right, comparing this hire to that of Fritz Crisler who won two national titles at Princeton before taking over in Ann Arbor: For one thing, Harbaugh is the most successful head coach Michigan has hired since it swiped Fritz Crisler from Princeton in 1938. All Crisler did in 10 seasons in Ann…
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It’s Been a Tad While Since..
Rich Rodriguez becomes the 1st former-Michigan coach to win a college football game since Tad Wieman, who took over for Fielding Yost from 1927 to 1928. Elton “Tad” Wieman went on to be an assistant at Minnesota (1930-31), then an assistant at Princeton. When Michigan lured Fritz Crisler to Ann Arbor from Princeton, Wieman took over as head coach of the Tigers. He won his first game on October 1, 1938. His last victory for the Tigers (and in his career) was on October 24, 1942 against Brown. That was the last time a former Michigan head coach won a college football game. P.S. I was happy for Rich Rod and especially for his son Rhett, who was on the sidelines and joined his dad on the field after the game. Those who live in my neck of the greater A2 woods know what kind of young man he is and feel for all he’s been through the past few years. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Rich Rod Returns (Huge Show Audio 12-08)
New Arizona coach Richard Rodriguez joined The Huge Show today: [display_podcast] Notes: * He talked about the circumstances around getting the new job. * Said he met with the Arizona AD at the Detroit airport new a lot about * Ask if he felt he would have gone 10-2 this season. “Yep. At least..” Then laughed a bit and said how a coach is always confident. * He keeps in touch with the Michigan players. Happy for them for the success this year. * Has he put the frustration of Michigan behind him? “Oh yeah..” Says he got past it during the 6-7 months doing TV on CBS. * On what he learned at Michigan will make him better. Said he needs everyone around him “pulling in the same direction..” * Anything he would have done differently. “Ohhhh yeah, there is….” Said there wasn’t one thing, but mentioned defense first then rattled off a series of reasons (injuries, etc.). “I prefer not to think about it..” * On the comment he’d like to play Michigan. Said it was blown out of proportion, and wouldn’t want to play the players he recruited. Said the comment was in jest. * For the corduroy patch crowd, yes, he used the word “irregardless” * Asked to breakdown the Sugar Bowl. “Going to be a…
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The January Effect
I’ve maintained all along that the money involved in Rodriguez’s contract isn’t driving Michigan’s timeline for a decision. I think it was Mike Rosenberg who first pointed out that if Brandon decided to terminate RR and waits until January 1 to formally make that change, Michigan owes Rodriguez $1.5 fewer bucks. Article 3.01(b) defines the contract years: Article 4.01(a) defines the amount U-M must pay Rodriguez if he’s terminated without cause and note the drop in contract year four starting January 1, 2011. However, these terms require Michigan to provide 30 days written notice of the termination: Practically speaking if Brandon fires Rodriguez next week, Rich Rod is not going to hang around for 30 days. But it appears as though the contractual time table on the termination will stretch into January, providing another reason why the $1.5 million “savings” question doesn’t hold water. All this said and even without this 30 day notice clause, these matters are negotiated. Michigan could argue the NCAA violations provide an out “with cause”. If the NCAA finds wrong-doing by Rodriguez at WVU Michigan, per the contract, could again argue termination with cause. Above and beyond all this, there are other legal matters and requests by Michigan that will certainly be in play. Finally, Brandon’s not going to let $1.5 million drive the decision…
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Dave Brandon joins WTKA (12-01 audio)
Great get by Ira Weintraub and Sam Webb on WTKA 1050am. Here’s their interview with AD David Brandon from this morning, helping promote the Adopt-A-Family program: [display_podcast] _ All of the WTKA podcasts are found here. While he spoke about the AAF program primarily, they did ask Brandon about the timeline for the coaching decision (about 6 minutes in). Update: Brandon’s response transcribed by BKFinest of mgoblog: "I have to look at the big picture thats what I do and approach things and the big picture is most important. Everything you do impacts recruiting…there’s all this firestorm about speculation and all that. What i try to be is infinitely consistent, we have our banquet tomorrow night, we have a bowl game to play, 15 practices to prepare for an undoubtedly a really fine opponent..the players and coaches have earned that right, get that experience behind them hopefully in a positive way. So all the firestorm that’s trying to move timetable is not going to work."
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Same here
Iowa 38, Michigan 28.
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Monday Press Conference – MSU Week – Photos
For recap of the player and Rich Rod press conferences, check out Tim’s rundown on mgoblog. It’s Michigan State and there was clearly a media buzz in the air. About twice as many video cameras were on hand. The press conferences go like this: At just after noon, Rich Rod sits down for about 20 minutes in the back of the Junge Center and answers questions off camera. Then he moves over to the front for a cameras-on presser, usually a little shorter (because everyone’s already asked him 20 minutes of questions!). Then there’s a delay, then media relations brings in players to speak & usually 4-6 guys hit podium one after another. A few shots. Here’s Rich Rod seated at the pre-presser at his seat in "the squared circle": Obi Ezeh was very relaxed and put the defense’s troubles in perspective: Likewise with Kovacs, who had a huge game last year against State: Captain Steve Schilling scored big points with his "Offense" shirt. It reads "SCORE" on the back. Make we can get Underground to print up some "Defense" and "Don’t SCORE" shirts for Obi and crew: Denard eyed the Pizza House pizzas stacked up in the back of the room and nothing was going to stop him from getting there: Update. Speaking of Denard, check out this…
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I Think it was the Fourth of July
What a day at the Big House yesterday but it’d be a much different feeling and memory had the team fell flat. Off the Field: Artwork: I love that they honored the national championship teams with these larger-than-life displays. I didn’t get a chance to get over to the east concourse but plan to before the next game. This from the west concourse, very nicely done: Commemoratives. The renovation pin is a nice item for fans and the game program is off the hook. Some of the history features were very well prepared expect one—the section on the Little Brown Jug. Page 27, bottom right: Dating back to 1909, the battle for the Little Brown Jug is the oldest trophy game in NCAA Division I Football Subdivision. OK. That’s ok to say “1909” if they meant to say when the teams started playing for the trophy. That’s correct of course. But it continued: Heading into that 1909 contest, Michigan was undefeated in 28 straight games as it headed to Minneapolis.. Ugh. They were describing when the jug was bought and left behind in Minnesota and that was 1903 of course, in the midst of Yost’s point-a-minute teams. In 1909 Michigan rolled into Minneapolis on the heels of a furious “one” game winning streak, albeit an all-timer—the great victory over Penn…
