By: Dave Birkett
AnnArbor.com Staff
Posted: Dec 3, 2009 at 9:38 PM [Dec 3, 2009]
LIVONIA - The last time Rich Rodriguez spoke publicly, after Michigan closed its disappointing 5-7 season with another loss to Ohio State, he spent the better part of his post-game press conference fielding questions about his future and the direction of the program.
At Michigan's annual football bust Thursday, the embattled Wolverines coach had a little fun at his own expense.
"When I walked off that field there was a lot of rumors and speculation about my future and all that," Rodriguez said. "I’m here to set the record straight. I am not a candidate for the University of Notre Dame. I’m a Michigan man now."
Rich Rodriguez had a little fun at his own expense Thursday, declaring that he is not a candidate for the Notre Dame coaching job.
AP photo
While Notre Dame continues its search for Charlie Weis' replacement, Rodriguez, it appears, will return for his third season at Michigan with a set of self-induced high expectations.
He promised Thursday "championships will come" and said he intends to hold "these busts from now on ... celebrating Big Ten championships and Rose Bowl victories."
Michigan fell far short of those goals this year, losing 7 of its final 8 after a 4-0 start to miss the postseason for the second straight year.
Still, Rodriguez called his team "champions" Thursday for surviving "a big hurricane in August." That's when allegations surfaced that Michigan violated NCAA rules on practice time. The NCAA is expected to close its investigation by the end of the month.
"It kind of hit us like a ton of bricks," Rodriguez said. "But you had 120 young men and a bunch of people say this is not going to tear our program apart. In fact, it’ll do just the opposite."
Brandon Graham, the player most responsible for what little success Michigan had this year, was named Bo Schembechler team MVP for the second straight year.
Graham, the NCAA leader with 26 tackles for loss, received a standing ovation from teammates and spectators Thursday.
“I told my teammates I wasn’t going to cry, but y’all tempted me," Graham said.
In other awards, Mark Ortmann and Steve Schilling were co-recipients of best offensive lineman, Mike Martin was named top defensive lineman, and Stevie Brown won best linebacker.
Punter Zoltan Mesko (top scholar athlete) and offensive lineman David Moosman (spirit award) also were honored Thursday.
The complete list of awards:
Bo Schembechler Award (team MVP): Brandon Graham
Hugh H. Rader Memorial Award (best offensive lineman): Mark Ortmann and Steve Schilling
Dick Katcher Award (top defensive lineman): Mike Martin
Roger Zatkoff Award (best linebacker) - Stevie Brown
Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award (top scholar athlete) - Zoltan Mesko
Robert P. Ufer Bequest (spirit award): OL David Moosman
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
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Salinegoblue
Posted Dec 4 2009
It would be interesting to know who wasn't at the dinner, that would give us some indication who is transferring this year.
tomhagan
Posted Dec 4 2009
Darn! Rich Rod would be a perfect fit at Notre Dame. Please reconsider it Rich and leave for South Bend immediately.
tomhagan
Posted Dec 4 2009
BTW...it is no coincidence that all of the award winners were recruits and players from the previous regime who still have their fundamental football skills dating back to that glorious era.
hattrix
Posted Dec 4 2009
Congratulations, Brandon Graham!!
Dave Birkett
AnnArbor.com Staff
Posted Dec 4 2009
Robinson, Forcier, pretty much everyone of note was there.
chosen1
Posted Dec 4 2009
I think rich's claim to being a Michigan Man are funny, but at least he has a good sense of humor, too bad being funny isn't winning games
tomhagan
Posted Dec 4 2009
The Days of Michigan getting 5 star recruits are apparently over. Rich Rod, in his "infinite wisdom" just took a scrawny, slow 2-star safety from Ohio that no one in big time football was recruiting.
Is that what Michigan is now reduced to? Scraps and 2 stars?
Is Rich Rod tearing down Michigan football intentionally? It sure seems that way. First he started on the field, and off the field with his incidents, and now he is tearing down recruiting.
Maybe Rich Rod was sent to Michigan by Satan or someone from Columbus.
Tru2Blu76
Posted Dec 5 2009
tomhagan apparently doesn't know: Satan LIVES in Columbus, OH.
Anyone want to clarify: When does recruiting season officially end? I don't keep track so I suddenly realized I don't know.
Tru2Blu76
Posted Dec 5 2009
Oh, according to Rivals, Michigan is ranked 14th overall in recruiting and has at least three 4-star commits on defense. So lets not be carping about lack of quality recruiting - at least not yet.
One of those commits is a linebacker: did any of you know that the position of linebacker was INVENTED by Michigan's Fielding Yost? (Someone should make a plaque with this fact on it and nail it to Coach Rod's office door.)
BroncoJoe
Posted Dec 5 2009
Tru2Blu - Recruiting season basically ends on signing day, I think Feb 3.
TomHagan - All the players that won were recruited by Lloyd Carr? That is astounding!!! I cannot believe any of the player recruited by RR that are seniors this year couldn't compete for these awards! At least some of the juniors recruited by RR on the team should have been able to land one of the team awards! C'mon, are you really that stupid???
tomhagan
Posted Dec 5 2009
Joe...Shilling and Martin are not seniors, and they won awards and both were Lloyd's recruits.
Basically Rich Rod's 2 years of recruits have turned up no one who has contributed, unless you count Tate and Roh (who would be successful under any coach because he is a super freak)
Now that Carr's guys are mostly gone this team will really struggle now even more with the poor coaching + poor recruiting as well.
BroncoJoe
Posted Dec 6 2009
My point is that you cannot expect RR's guys to win these awards. Obviously, upper classmen are going to win these awards as they have more experience, playing time, etc. RR has had ONE recruiting class. Everyone discussing the Weiss firing is talking about recruits, decommits, etc. For the most part, recruiting classes are set by this time, with the exception of the big time recruits. RR did not get to recruit "his guys" for the 2008 class. You said, "BTW...it is no coincidence that all of the award winners were recruits and players from the previous regime who still have their fundamental football skills dating back to that glorious era." Until AT LEAST next year, the "previous regime's" recruits are the upperclassmen of the team, not RR's. Of course, if what you are saying is the last two recruiting classes before RR got here left little to lead... Well, from the looks of the players, I'd agree.