Rich Rodriguez: 'I know what happened' with absent practice logs
Rich Rodriguez wouldn’t go into details about how or why the Michigan football program failed to properly document practice time, but the second-year coach reiterated Wednesday the problem has been corrected.
"The only thing I can tell you is that the log process for those forms was corrected as soon as I learned of the issue,” Rodriguez said. “Anything else, I’ll refrain from talking about because I have to because of the NCAA investigation. Once the investigation is complete and over, then I’ll be happy to share more with you. But at this point that’s the only thing I can really talk about.”
Rodriguez made essentially the same comments on a Columbus, Ohio, radio station Tuesday.
Michigan released an internal audit earlier this week showing the football program failed to complete logs detailing how much time players spent performing Countable Athletically Related Activities.
Rodriguez does not personally fill out the forms, which are not mandated by the NCAA but part of the university’s compliance process.
The NCAA is investigating claims Michigan exceeded practice time limits last year.
“I know what happened with it,” Rodriguez said. “I found out about it, and once I found out about the process it got corrected. Now, it’s like everything else that’s been talked about, under that investigation. We’ve all been informed to not talk about it until afterward and so that’s where it’s at."
And when did Rodriguez learn the logs weren’t being kept?
“I’d like to talk more about it, but it’s best at this point that I don’t so we’ll leave it at that,” he said.
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
RASWVU
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 7:50 a.m.
So, the legal posturing begins. Rich is stating that he took care of the failure to keep the logs as soon as he found out about the problem. But, we know that the logs were not kept for the first 1 1/2 years he was HC. In essence he is saying that if the NCAA finds fault with UM's lack of documentation on practice hours, it is the complaince office's fault, not his, since he was ignorant of the need for this documentation until he received the July 2009 memo. That means that his contract clause that allows firing with cause for NCAA violations could be contested, since he could claim that UM itself was the cause of any violations, not Rich Rodriguez. Then, also take into account that his agent, Mike "The Waterboy" Brown almost simultaneously released to the media a statement that "Mary Sue" told Rich that she was behind him 100%, even though "Mary Sue" did not see fit to release that statement to the media. This appears to be an attempt by the Rodriguez camp to get it on the record that he has been guarenteed by the President that his job is not in jeopardy. It is clear to me that Rich's agent is worried about Rich's job security and the possibility that UM will try to avoid paying Rich his $4 million buyout, so he is already laying the groundwork for a legal battle to claim that Coleman gave him a verbal promise that he would not be fired and that Rich was not responsible for any NCAA infractions that are turned up. We have seen this act before.
Point_Given
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:51 p.m.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought he was a good hire two years ago. This whole thing has been like watching a family member die a slow, agonizing death; time to pull the plug.
mzanblu
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 9:43 p.m.
WOW this guy is a Joke! Nice hire Martin way to put your stamp on the program.
Hogan
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 7:59 p.m.
This guy has all the looks of someone who knows he is gone. Saginaw you are correct, but its all uncomfortable with this program now, not only the losses, uncompetitive games late in the year (much like last year) but its one thing when a humble coach is humble but when a braggart is then its telling.
saginaw
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 : 5:41 p.m.
Yikes, this is very uncomfortable to watch.