Athletic director Dave Brandon on Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez's emotional speech: 'It was different'

“I don’t have a day on the calendar,” Brandon said. “But soon after the season ends, it’s my practice to sit down with the coach and go through the process of evaluating the progress we’ve made throughout the season.” Brandon spoke for the first time since football coach Rich Rodriguez made an emotional case for his job during the team’s annual banquet Thursday night.

Michigan’s first-year athletic director sat a few feet away from Rodriguez during a speech that has attracted plenty of attention.

“It was different,” Brandon said of Rodriguez’s speech. “The coach elected to do what he did. The banquet is now behind us and it’s time to focus on the bowl game.”

Rodriguez briefly addressed his emotional speech Monday, in which he talked about the affect his uncertain job status has on his family, quoted Bible verses and recited Josh Groban lyrics.

“Every coach has their own personality, and I probably always have been emotional at our senior banquets,” he said. “You feel so close to a team, particularly this senior class, and I probably always have had strong emotions at the banquets.”