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Michigan hires Rich Rodriguez as new coach


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[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-michigan-rodriguez&prov=ap&type=lgns"]http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap...p&type=lgns[/url]

Michigan hires West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez as next coach

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
December 16, 2007

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan has hired West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez as its next football coach following a search that featured two other top prospects deciding to stay put.

Rodriguez, whose No. 11 Mountaineers are preparing for their second BCS game in three seasons, will take over Michigan's program from Lloyd Carr, Michigan athletic department spokesman Bruce Madej said Sunday.

Carr announced his retirement Nov. 19 after 13 seasons.

Michigan plans to introduce Rodriguez at a news conference Monday morning, Madej said. Rodriguez, who has a 60-26 record at West Virginia, led the Mountaineers (10-2) to their fourth Big East title in five seasons.

Carr plans to coach the Wolverines in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 against No. 9 Florida.

Rodriguez's West Virginia contract, which runs through the 2013 season, has a $4 million buyout clause if he leaves before next September.

When Michigan lured basketball coach John Beilein away from West Virginia last April, Beilein's contract had a $2.5 million buyout clause. Under an agreement with West Virginia, he agreed to pay $1.5 million to the WVU Foundation.

During Michigan's search, LSU's Les Miles and Rutgers' Greg Schiano both said they were staying put at their schools.
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Michigan hires West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez as next coach

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
December 16, 2007

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez away from his alma mater after failing to bring back one of its own.

A man with ties to both the Wolverines and West Virginia might've helped.

College football's winningest program ended its coaching search Sunday, nearly a month after it started, by announcing Rodriguez would succeed retiring Lloyd Carr.

Rodriguez was scheduled to be introduced as the Wolverines' coach at a news conference Monday morning.

"I am thrilled to have Rich Rodriguez as Michigan's new coach," athletic director Bill Martin wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Rich brings an exciting brand of football to Michigan Stadium. We welcome the entire Rodriguez family to Ann Arbor."

Former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen, who coached Rodriguez when he played for the Mountaineers and was on Bo Schembechler's staff at Michigan, endorsed the move.

"I felt it was a great opportunity for Rich," Nehlen told the AP in a telephone interview from Morgantown, W.Va. "There are not many Michigans around."

Michigan's reputation, though, seemed to take a hit during constant coverage of its first coaching search since hiring Schembechler nearly four decades ago. The school had permission to talk to LSU coach Les Miles, who played for Schembechler and also was an assistant under him, but couldn't bring him back to Ann Arbor. It also talked with Greg Schiano, who decided to stay at Rutgers.

The 44-year-old Rodriguez seems to be much more than a consolation prize.

He built West Virginia into a Big East power, winning the conference championship this year for the fourth time in five seasons and going 60-26 overall.

The 11th-ranked Mountaineers (10-2) will play in their second Bowl Championship Series game in three seasons, but Nehlen doesn't expect Rodriguez to coach them in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.

"He'll be in Ann Arbor to stay," Nehlen told The AP. "It would be too hard for him to coach West Virginia in the bowl game.

"He's got a lot of work right away at Michigan, where he has to assemble a staff and catch up on recruiting."

Rodriguez told the Mountaineers before their practice Sunday afternoon that he was leaving to coach the Wolverines.

West Virginia cornerback Vaughn Rivers said Rodriguez was emotional to the point of tears, but did not elaborate on his decision.

"It's a rough day," Rivers said. "Now we just have to pull together as a team and get ready for a bowl game.

"Coach Rod was a man about it."

Carr announced Nov. 19 he was retiring after 13 seasons as Michigan's head coach following the season, which ends on New Year's Day in the Capital One Bowl against Florida.

Rodriguez's West Virginia contract, which ran through the 2013 season, had a $4 million buyout clause if he left before next September. After several days last year, Rodriguez turned down Alabama's reported six-year, $12 million offer after the Mountaineers gave him a one-year contract extension.

When Michigan lured basketball coach John Beilein away from West Virginia last April, Beilein's contract had a $2.5 million buyout clause. Under an agreement with West Virginia, he agreed to pay $1.5 million to the WVU Foundation.

Michigan spokesman Bruce Madej said he did not know how the school and Rodriguez would handle his buyout.

Freshman Ryan Mallett gained experience this year with the Wolverines, filling in for banged-up Chad Henne, and his father said people shouldn't assume his son is transferring because he might not fit into Rodriguez's offense that features a mobile quarterback.

"I talked to Ryan today and he's going to keep an open mind and is looking forward to hearing what coach Rodriguez's plans are," Jim Mallett told the AP. "So, we'll just have to wait and see."

Mallett's decision might be easier if Terrelle Pryor decides to commit to Rodriguez and the Wolverines.

The star QB from Jeannette, Pa., said he informed Rodriguez that Michigan became one of the five schools he was considering when the coach told him he was going to lead the Wolverines.

"We talked at 10 a.m. this morning and I told him Michigan just got on my list," Pryor told the AP on Sunday night.

After watching Pryor play on tape, Nehlen said he reminds him of Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young.

"If that kid comes, he's probably more important that Rich," Nehlen joked.
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[quote name='oldschooler' post='610645' date='Dec 17 2007, 11:03 AM']So they hired a guy, who coached a team, that choked
away a chance at a National title to their rival ?

Sounds like they got the right man for the job.


[img]http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/8418/64083349gp6.jpg[/img][/quote]
:rolleyes:


teams tend to lose when they lose their most important player to injury. take carson out and i wouldnt expect the bengals to win a playoff game either (oh wait that did happen)

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As a complete aside to this whole deal...

I am glad to see a university (WV in this case) just finally say 'No!' when a coach keeps using other job offers to continually come back to the bargaining table for more money. Rodriguez did this last year with the Alabama job. He checked into it, WV negotiates a new contract (with more money) and he decides to stay. He did it the year before as well. He tries again this year and they finally decide they've had enough. Wish him best of luck, etc. Otherwise, it turns into an annual thing because he doesn't appear to have an issue with using the ploy year after year...

Kudos to them. Football coaches as a whole are getting paid too damn much money...
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[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='610649' date='Dec 17 2007, 10:27 AM']:rolleyes:


teams tend to lose when they lose their most important player to injury. take carson out and i wouldnt expect the bengals to win a playoff game either (oh wait that did happen)[/quote]

I can`t believe you are even comparing what happened
with the Bengals to what happened to West Virginia.
Was Pitt a "Playoff" or Bowl team ?

And ummmm, COLLEGE teams don`t lose to shitty ass
Pitt because ONE player got hurt, when they clearly
have more talent, are at home and have a National
Title game on the line. And didn`t White play most
of the game ? Didn`t he end up coming back in
the 2nd half ?


So stfu. ^_^

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[quote name='oldschooler' post='610743' date='Dec 17 2007, 04:13 PM']I can`t believe you are even comparing what happened
with the Bengals to what happened to West Virginia.
Was Pitt a "Playoff" or Bowl team ?

And ummmm, COLLEGE teams don`t lose to shitty ass
Pitt because ONE player got hurt, when they clearly
have more talent, are at home and have a National
Title game on the line. And didn`t White play most
of the game ? Didn`t he end up coming back in
the 2nd half ?


So stfu. ^_^[/quote]


As far as White, I think he played most of the first quarter then got hurt.........he later returned on the last drive of the game for WV.....he missed a majority of the game.

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[quote name='BlackJesus' post='611047' date='Dec 18 2007, 09:18 AM'][b]Good hire for Michigan.

His spread offense will create problems I believe in the Big 10 ... once he has the players to implement it. [/b][/quote]

it will force the league to adapt, as Ohio State last year and Illinois this year has started to do.
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[quote name='IKOTA' post='610820' date='Dec 17 2007, 02:57 PM']As far as White, I think he played most of the first quarter then got hurt.........he later returned on the last drive of the game for WV.....he missed a majority of the game.[/quote]


He missed less than half the game.
He went out with 4:52 to play in the first half.
And returned with 6:08 left in regulation.
Also it was an injury to his non-throwing hand.

Anyway, he attempted 10 passes and had 14 rushes against Pitt.
He attempted 13 passes and had 16 rushes against UConn the week before.

They just sucked, their Defense got ran all over, Slaton was a non factor
and they choked.
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[quote name='oldschooler' post='611087' date='Dec 18 2007, 11:54 AM']He missed less than half the game.
He went out with 4:52 to play in the first half.
And returned with 6:08 left in regulation.
Also it was an injury to his non-throwing hand.

Anyway, he attempted 10 passes and had 14 rushes against Pitt.
He attempted 13 passes and had 16 rushes against UConn the week before.

They just sucked, their Defense got ran all over, Slaton was a non factor
and they choked.[/quote]
his non throwing hand is his pitch hand for the option. the option is all they do. they have 3 plays basically. that hand is FAR more important than his throwing hand.
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[quote name='BlackJesus' post='611047' date='Dec 18 2007, 09:18 AM'][b]Good hire for Michigan.

His spread offense will create problems I believe in the Big 10 ... once he has the players to implement it. [/b][/quote]
no it wont, the league was already adapting as 1181 mentioned. additionally, dick rod will not win his bowl game, will not win a big ten championship, will never finish in the top 5, and will be out of a job within 5 years.

this was a desperation hire by a program that needs a major renovation, not a spread offense


[url="http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200712170132"]http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200712170132[/url]

[quote]Shawn Fluharty, 23, stood in the freezing weather and yelled, "You might have been born a Mountaineer, but you are no longer a Mountaineer. You have made a whole career off of Pat White's juke moves. You've been outcoached by Pitt's coach Dave Wannstedt; what do you think Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will do to you?"

Ben Price, 25, an Ohio State alumnus, taunted Rodriguez by hurling the school's cheer - O-H-I-O - at him.

"You are getting beat next year by the Buckeyes - get used to hearing that in Columbus," he said.[/quote]
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[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='611367' date='Dec 19 2007, 01:27 AM']his non throwing hand is his pitch hand for the option. the option is all they do. they have 3 plays basically. that hand is FAR more important than his throwing hand.[/quote]


again, then that is poor coaching and shows how much of a one trick pony white is. If you can't develop a QB into a passer, or even get him to feel comfortable running to the left (hence pitching with his left), then that's their problem and they deserved to lose.
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[quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='611367' date='Dec 19 2007, 12:27 AM']his non throwing hand is his pitch hand for the option. the option is all they do. they have 3 plays basically. that hand is FAR more important than his throwing hand.[/quote]



Weak.

First you acted like losing a player for less than half a game
against a 4-7 team was comparable to losing Carson after
their 2nd Offensive play, against a team that went on to
*WIN* a Super Bowl.

Then you act like his option hand is more important than
his throwing hand. Ok, whatever. His legs were still fine.
His throwing hand was still fine. Slaton was perfectly healthy.
So was all of the other 20 starters.

They fucking choked. I can`t believe you`re even defending that.
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[quote name='Bengals1181' post='611402' date='Dec 19 2007, 08:56 AM']again, then that is poor coaching and shows how much of a one trick pony white is. If you can't develop a QB into a passer, or even get him to feel comfortable running to the left (hence pitching with his left), then that's their problem and they deserved to lose.[/quote]
i never said rodriguez was a good coach. michigan is going to suck, but he left the big east because teams were starting to figure out his little spread offense. Slaton wasnt even going to ever start at WVU till 2 other RBs got injured and then Slaton got the spot. The original QB for WVU was a guy who plays TE now because they didnt think White could do the job a few years ago. Rodriguez lucked into that team and lucked into the Michigan job. He will blow in Michigan.
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[quote][size=5][b]Rodriguez fires Michigan assistant coaches[/b][/size]
Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News


ANN ARBOR -- Incoming Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has fired all nine current assistant coaches.

There is a possibility defensive line coach Steve Stripling may be rehired.

Rodriguez, who was on campus Wednesday and Thursday to meet with football operations personnel and observe bowl practices, sat down with the coaches one by one on Thursday and to give each the news.

"He told us all, and we respect him for that," said Erik Campbell, who played football for Michigan and has been receivers coach under Lloyd Carr. "It's part of the profession. It's good for us because now we have closure.

"We knew the possibility that he would not rehire us was there. You never know until you hear the words, and today was the day."

The staff will remain intact under Carr through the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1. Carr announced his retirement Nov. 19 after 13 seasons as head coach.

"I understand that's the profession, and he has to be loyal to his guys," defensive coordinator Ron English said. "I'm not angry. The opportunity has been awesome. I've grown here."

Several coaches indicated earlier this week a strong sense that Rodriguez, the 44-year-old coach who comes here from West Virginia, would "clean house" in terms of the coaching staff.

Last summer, Carr worked out a contract with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin that would give his assistants an additional year of salary after this season.

"You expect it when there's change like this -- this is not a shocker," Campbell said. "For me, it's a disappointment, because I grew up here. I went to school here. It's just disappointing."

Campbell said all of the coaches have been through this before and will recover.

"We're coaches, and we're all great coaches, and we've all been at different programs," Campbell said. "Of course we're all disappointed, because we would all like to be here.

"But it's all over. It's a new beginning."

Rodriguez has not yet shaped up his Michigan staff yet. He did bring with him Monday for his formal announcement offensive coordinator Calvin Magee and defensive backs coach/recruiting coordinator Tony Gibson.[/quote]


[url="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071220/UPDATE/712200490"]http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...PDATE/712200490[/url]
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[quote name='Bengals1181' post='611050' date='Dec 18 2007, 09:28 AM']it will force the league to adapt, as [b]Ohio State last year[/b] and Illinois this year has started to do.[/quote]


[quote name='Nati Ice' post='611371' date='Dec 19 2007, 02:15 AM']no it wont, [b]the league was already adapting as 1181 mentioned.[/b] additionally, dick rod will not win his bowl game, will not win a big ten championship, will never finish in the top 5, and will be out of a job within 5 years.

this was a desperation hire by a program that needs a major renovation, not a spread offense


[url="http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200712170132"]http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200712170132[/url][/quote]
How do you figure? Aside from Illinois what school is successfully running, or defending, the spread in the Big Ten?

Purdue has run a version of it for about 10 years but has never had the horses to be successful with it. The last two times OSU has played a team that ran it the scores were 41-14, and 28-21... both losses, Florida and Illinois. If a Big Ten school can get the players in to run such a system they'll be successful for at least 5 years because it'll take that long for other schools in the conference to recruit in that type of athlete at all the various positions to beat it.
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[quote name='Vol_Bengal' post='613586' date='Dec 24 2007, 11:05 AM']How do you figure? Aside from Illinois what school is successfully running, or defending, the spread in the Big Ten?

Purdue has run a version of it for about 10 years but has never had the horses to be successful with it. The last two times OSU has played a team that ran it the scores were 41-14, and 28-21... both losses, Florida and Illinois. If a Big Ten school can get the players in to run such a system they'll be successful for at least 5 years because it'll take that long for other schools in the conference to recruit in that type of athlete at all the various positions to beat it.[/quote]


OSU ran a spread offense the two years Troy Smith was the starter. It was a more of an Oregon style than WVU though.
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