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Posted on Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 12:24 p.m.

Rich Rodriguez 'awfully grateful' for support he's received during Michigan's 4-0 start

By Dave Birkett

Rich Rodriguez may never be the most beloved Michigan coach, but with his team 4-0 heading into Saturday’s game at Michigan State, fans are starting to go public with their support.

A group called AllInForRichRod.org ran a full-page ad in Monday’s Detroit News expressing “gratitude for all that” Rodriguez has done and confidence he’s the right man for the job.

The four-paragraph letter, addressed to Rodriguez and Michigan’s coaching staff and paid for by private donations from “loyal alumni, fans and friends” of the university, ran in two text boxes set to a sky-blue background with a football underneath.

It concluded, in bold type, with, “We are all in for Michigan. Let it never be in doubt.”

“I’m awfully grateful of the support from the fans,” Rodriguez said Monday. “There’s been a tremendous amount of people that stand behind our program, but not just the last four weeks and not just because we won a few ballgames. I think it really has been since I’ve been here for almost two years.

“A lot of those folks have been very, very loyal, and I don’t necessarily think it’s being loyal to Rich Rodriguez, it’s being loyal to the University of Michigan and the football program and wanting us to do well and succeed. And that to me is what it’s all about, standing behind each other.”

The group's Web site also links to an online petition supporting Rodriguez and asks for donations to purchase two billboard ads to run in Ann Arbor the week of the Penn State game. The petition had 1,170 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

Rodriguez began the season under intense scrutiny amid allegations of NCAA violations and with Michigan coming off a 3-9 season.

While a university investigation into potential practice-time violations remains ongoing, the Wolverines surpassed last year's win total with a 36-33 win over Indiana last week.

“I don’t know if it makes you sleep any better because you don’t sleep much anyway during the season as coaches, but it certainly has given a little bit of confidence for our young guys and our players,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve made progress, but we’re still a work in progress, if that makes sense.”

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.

Comments

ohiowolverine

Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 9:30 p.m.

azwolverine, you left out where RR is also teaching these young men how to respect others. After every off. play, watch the Michigan player find the nearest ref and give him the ball. Most players leave it on the ground after the play. Even after td's I've seen all the players jumping on the ball carrier and he is trying to find the ref. To me, that shows alot of class. All in for Michigan, Go Blue, Wear Maize!

azwolverine

Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 9:18 p.m.

I somewhat agree with ohiowolverine in that I don't care who the coach is as long as he wins games. I'll take it a step further, though, and also say as long as the coach holds up the integrity of the University. As of right now, RR is definitely winning games. Also, while some fans of other teams would certainly beg to differ, he is getting more and more familiar with what is important at Michigan and, imo, doing his best to uphold those values. I even like the new thing where the team goes to the student section and sings The Victors after home wins. Go Blue!

blueman92

Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 6:09 p.m.

Birkett should be made aware that this fan effort was organized prior to the Notre Dame game, when Michigan was 1-0 and had only beaten WMU. The idea for it was actually conceived the week prior to WMU.

jeremy

Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 1:45 p.m.

forget being grateful richrod.....do the "i told u so" to all the naysayers from last year...The guy said it last year that he needed to get his players in here and still at the beginning of the year people were saying it was a 5-7 win team... Fair weather fans are sickening....Glad to see richrod and john b have turned the programs around....It'll be fun for the michigan-osu rivalry....

ohiowolverine

Tue, Sep 29, 2009 : 12:46 p.m.

All in for Michigan and all in for Coach Rich Rod. I live in Ohio,45 miles north of Columbus, and I have been a Michigan fan for over 50 years. I don't care where the head coach is from, only that he wins games. As long as RR is in charge,or whom ever it may be, he has my full support. GO BLUE, WEAR MAIZE!!!!